Every British Military Aircraft in Service (2026)
United Kingdom operates 673 aircraft across 24 distinct types as of 2026 — fighters, bombers, helicopters, transports, trainers and unmanned systems.
Fleet size by branch3 branches
673 active airframes across 24 types
Fighters & Combat Aircraft
151 active · 22 on order
Military Helicopters
259 active · 17 on order
AW159
Active62 BranchArmy +1 Service entry2014
AW101
Active54 BranchNavy Service entry1999
AH-64 Apache
Active50 BranchArmy Service entry1984
CH-47 Chinook
Active46 BranchAir Force Service entry1962
H135M / EC365
Active29 BranchAir Force Service entry1996
H145M / EC645
Active10 BranchAir Force Service entry2002
H125M / AS550 Fennec
Active7 BranchArmy +1 Service entry1990
AW109
Active1 BranchAir Force Service entry1976Transport & Tanker Aircraft
49 active
Special Mission Aircraft
25 active · 2 on order
Trainers
170 active
Unmanned Aircraft
19 active · 8 on order
Other National Fleets
National fleets — aircraft in service by country
- 🇺🇸 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 aircraft does the United Kingdom military operate in 2026?
United Kingdom operates 673 aircraft across 24 distinct types as of 2026, split between 3 service branches.
Which United Kingdom service branch has the most aircraft?
The Royal Air Force operates the largest fleet with 485 active airframes across 19 types.
What is the most numerous United Kingdom military aircraft?
The Eurofighter Typhoon is the single most numerous airframe in United Kingdom's inventory, with 111 active units.
Does this page include retired or stored aircraft?
No. Counts reflect airframes on active inventory in the most recent fleet snapshot. Retired, stored and test-only aircraft are excluded.