Japanese Fighter Jets & Military Aircraft in Service (2026)
Japan has 344 fighter and attack jets in service across 3 types as of 2026, within a fleet of 1,301 military aircraft and 38 types: bombers, helicopters, transports, trainers and unmanned systems, all listed below.
Fighters & Combat Aircraft
344 active · 93 on order
| Combat share of the fleet | 26% (344 of 1,301) |
| Median fighter design entry | 2000 |
| Cold War designs | 1 of 3 fighter types |
| Oldest design | F-15 Eagle 1976 |
| Newest design | F-35 Lightning II 2013 |
Military Helicopters
430 active · 166 on order
UH-1 Iroquois "Huey"
Active93 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1959
UH-60 Black Hawk
Active78 +13 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry1979
SH-60 Seahawk
Active73 +7 BranchNavy Service entry1984
CH-47 Chinook
Active66 +17 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force +1 Service entry1962
AH-1 Cobra
Active34 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1967
OH-1 Ninja
Active25 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry2000
Bell 412
Active21 +129 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1981
H135M / EC365
Active15 BranchNavy Service entry1996
AH-64 Apache
Active12 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1984
AW101
Active10 BranchNavy Service entry1999
H225M / EC725 Caracal
Active3 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry2005Transport & Tanker Aircraft
113 active · 42 on order
Kawasaki P-1
Active40 +30 BranchNavy Service entry2013
C-130 Hercules
Active19 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry1956
Kawasaki C-2
Active18 +3 BranchAir Force Service entry2016
V-22 Osprey
Active17 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry2006
KC-46 Pegasus
Active6 +9 BranchAir Force Service entry2019
Gulfstream IV
Active5 BranchAir Force Service entry1987
Boeing 767
Active4 BranchAir Force Service entry1982
KC-767
Active4 BranchAir Force Service entry2011Special Mission Aircraft
113 active · 9 on order
P-3 Orion
Active36 BranchNavy Service entry1962
Hawker 800
Active27 BranchAir Force Service entry1983
E-2 Hawkeye
Active18 +7 BranchAir Force Service entry1964
King Air 90
Active14 BranchNavy Service entry1964
King Air 350
Active8 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1990
ShinMaywa US-2
Active7 +2 BranchNavy Service entry2007
KC-130 Hercules
Active3 BranchAir Force Service entry1962Trainers
299 active · 36 on order
Kawasaki T-4
Active178 BranchAir Force Service entry1988
Fuji T-7
Active49 BranchAir Force Service entry2003
Fuji T-5
Active32 BranchNavy Service entry1988
Enstrom 480
Active24 BranchJapan Ground Self-Defence Force Service entry1993
Hawker 400
Active13 BranchAir Force Service entry1978
NAMC YS-11
Active3 BranchAir Force Service entry1965
T-6 Texan II
ActiveOn order BranchAir Force Service entry2001Unmanned Aircraft
2 active · 23 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 Japan have in 2026?
Japan has 344 fighter and attack jets in service across 3 types as of 2026, the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle being the most numerous with 200 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 Japan air force page.
How many aircraft does the Japanese military operate in 2026?
Japan operates 1,301 aircraft across 38 distinct types as of 2026, split between 3 service branches.
Which Japanese service branch has the most aircraft?
The Japan Air Self-Defence Force operates the largest fleet with 741 active airframes across 20 types.
What is the most numerous Japanese military aircraft?
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is the single most numerous airframe in Japan's inventory, with 200 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.