This country has more F-35 fighter jets than any other country combined

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

• We used data from the World Air Forces 2024 report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication.
• What makes the F-35 Lightning II special is that it brings next-level features such as stealth, maneuverability and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburn.
• Also, 2 Dividend Legends to Keep Forever

Known for stealth, speed and targeting, the F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter jet created by Lockheed Martin with the help of BAe Systems and Northrop Grumman. Marketed as “the world’s most advanced fighter jet” when it was launched in 2016, it quickly became part of the arsenals of major militaries across the globe.

Here at 24/7 Wall St. take a closer look at the countries with these aircraft in their fleet. To identify the countries with the most F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the World Air Force 2024 report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries based on the number of F-35s in their military. We’ve included additional information regarding active F-35s in their respective fleets, the military branches that will use these aircraft, and which variants of the F-35 are on order or currently in service.

What makes the F-35 Lightning II special is that it brings next-level features such as stealth, maneuverability and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburn. It is also versatile with its weapons load and can carry up to 18,000 pounds of ammunition.

The cost of an F-35 depends on the variants. The basic F-35A comes in at about $110 million per unit. The F-35B is slightly more expensive, at about $136 million each, but has the ability to take off from short runways and land vertically. At the same time, there is also the F-35C, built for aircraft carriers, which costs about $117 million per unit. So far, only 20 countries, all US allies, have ordered or used these planes. This means that rivals like China or Russia are quite unlikely to get their hands on an F-35 anytime soon.

Here’s a look at the countries with the most F-35 Lightning II fighter jets:

Why are we covering this?

The F-35 Lightning II fighter jets are important because they represent the pinnacle of modern military aviation. The F-35 has become a critical asset for many of the US allies that use it, strengthening their air defense capabilities and maintaining a technological advantage over potential adversaries.

10. Denmark

• Active aircraft: 10
• Aircraft on order: 17
• Military branches: Royal Danish Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

9. Italy

• Active aircraft: 25
• Aircraft on order: 65
• Military branches: Italian Air Force, Italian Navy
• Variant(s): F-35A/B

8. United Kingdom

• Active aircraft: 29
• Aircraft on order: 105
• Military branches: Royal Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35B

7. The Netherlands

• Active aircraft: 34
• Aircraft on order: 18
• Military branches: Royal Netherlands Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

6. Japan

• Active aircraft: 36
• Aircraft on order: 110
• Military branches: Japan Air Self-Defense Force
• Variant(s): F-35A/B

5. Israel

• Active aircraft: 39
• Aircraft on order: 36
• Military branches: Israel Air and Space Force
• Variant(s): F-35I

4. Norway

• Active aircraft: 40
• Aircraft on order: 12
• Military branches: Royal Norwegian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

3. South Korea

• Active aircraft: 40
• Aircraft on order: 25
• Military branches: Republic of Korea Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

2. Australia

• Active aircraft: 63
• Aircraft on order: 37
• Military branches: Royal Australian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

1. United States of America

• Active aircraft: 553
• Aircraft on order: 1855
• Military branches: United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
• Variant(s): F-35A/B/C

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