Australian Fighter Jets & Military Aircraft in Service (2026)
Australia has 96 fighter and attack jets in service across 2 types as of 2026, within a fleet of 367 military aircraft and 22 types: bombers, helicopters, transports, trainers and unmanned systems, all listed below.
Fighters & Combat Aircraft
96 active
| Combat share of the fleet | 26% (96 of 367) |
| Median fighter design entry | 2007 |
| Cold War designs | 0 of 2 fighter types |
| Oldest design | F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet 2001 |
| Newest design | F-35 Lightning II 2013 |
Military Helicopters
73 active · 66 on order
Transport & Tanker Aircraft
45 active · 21 on order
C-130 Hercules
Active12 +20 BranchAir Force Service entry1956
C-27J Spartan
Active10 BranchAir Force Service entry2006
C-17 Globemaster III
Active8 BranchAir Force Service entry1993
Airbus A330 MRTT
Active7 BranchAir Force Service entry2011
Falcon 7X
Active3 BranchAir Force Service entry2007
Gulfstream G550
Active3 +1 BranchAir Force Service entry2004
Boeing 737
Active2 BranchAir Force Service entry1968Special Mission Aircraft
44 active
Trainers
82 active
Unmanned Aircraft
27 active · 1 on order
Other National Fleets
- 🇺🇸 United States · all-time
- 🇷🇺 Russia · all-time
- 🇨🇳 China · all-time
- 🇮🇳 India · all-time
- 🇰🇷 South Korea · all-time
- 🇯🇵 Japan · all-time
- 🇵🇰 Pakistan · all-time
- 🇰🇵 North Korea · all-time
- 🇪🇬 Egypt · all-time
- 🇹🇷 Turkey · all-time
- 🇫🇷 France · all-time
- 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · all-time
- 🇮🇹 Italy · all-time
- 🇹🇼 Taiwan · all-time
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · all-time
- 🇮🇷 Iran · all-time
- 🇬🇷 Greece · all-time
- 🇩🇿 Algeria · all-time
- 🇩🇪 Germany · all-time
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · all-time
- 🇮🇱 Israel · all-time
- 🇧🇷 Brazil · all-time
- 🇪🇸 Spain · all-time
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia · all-time
- 🇵🇱 Poland · all-time
- 🇮🇶 Iraq · all-time
- 🇦🇺 Australia · all-time
- 🇨🇦 Canada · all-time
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine · all-time
- 🇦🇷 Argentina · all-time
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fighter jets does Australia have in 2026?
Australia has 96 fighter and attack jets in service across 2 types as of 2026, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II being the most numerous with 72 airframes. The figure counts combat aircraft only; bombers, helicopters, transports, trainers and drones are listed further down this page, and the full inventory with yearly history is on the Australia air force page.
How many aircraft does the Australian military operate in 2026?
Australia operates 367 aircraft across 22 distinct types as of 2026, split between 3 service branches.
Which Australian service branch has the most aircraft?
The Royal Australian Air Force operates the largest fleet with 270 active airframes across 16 types.
What is the most numerous Australian military aircraft?
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is the single most numerous airframe in Australia's inventory, with 72 active units.
Does this page include retired or stored aircraft?
No. Counts reflect airframes on active inventory in the most recent fleet snapshot, across every service that flies them: air force, army aviation and naval aviation alike. Retired, stored and test-only aircraft are excluded; a type on order but not yet delivered is shown as such.