These 3 countries have more attack and strike aircraft than all the others combined

VaselineSeptember 7, 2024

0 6 minutes read

These 3 countries have more attack and strike aircraft than all the others combined

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

We used data from Global Firepower’s 2024 Military Strength Ranking, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries.
Countries with these aircraft can better defend their airspace and project power.
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Maintaining a tactical advantage is beneficial to any air force in the midst of a conflict. Air superiority through the use of attack and strike aircraft allows for more offensive and defensive capabilities. The ability to assist ground troops by bombing tanks, military vehicles, and installations can be a game-changing situation. Some of these aircraft can also engage in combat with other aircraft in the air, adding another dimension to their participation in any conflict.

Here, we take a closer look at the countries that have the most impressive fleets of attack and strike aircraft. To determine the countries with the most attack and strike aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense statistics website with information on 145 countries. We have included additional information on total military aircraft and helicopters. We also included the overall military strength score, which is a composite of more than 60 measures in categories such as military power, finances, logistics capability, and geography. The lower the PowerIndex value, the stronger a nation’s theoretical conventional combat capability.

Russia and China rank fairly high on this list, as both nations have made great strides in recent years in modernizing their air forces. This effort is seen in the development and deployment of advanced aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-34 and the Chengdu J-20.

The United States leads the pack in attack and strike aircraft. Some of these fighter jets play more roles than just striking aircraft. The F-35 Lightning II is more capable than most aircraft because it has some of the most advanced avionics and stealth technology in the world.

These fighter jets are a major component of most national air forces. Also, the world’s most powerful armies host a significant number of these aircraft.

Why are we covering this?

These 3 countries have more attack and strike aircraft than all the others combined

Understanding which countries have the most attack and strike aircraft provides some context to international relations and geopolitics in general. Countries with these aircraft can better defend their airspace and project power. Understanding this helps to further understand the current balance of power in the world.

Here’s a look at the countries with the most attack and strike aircraft.

30. Myanmar

Attack and strike aircraft: 26
Total military aircraft: 293
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 58
Total helicopters: 80
Attack helicopters: 9
Military Power Score: 0.5251 – #35 of 145

29. Turkmenistan

Ukraine+Sukhoi | The plane has arrived

Attack and strike aircraft: 28
Total military aircraft: 90
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 24
Total helicopters: 26
Attack helicopters: 10
Military Power Score: 1.4906 – #83 of 145

28. United Kingdom

Attack and strike aircraft: 29
Total military aircraft: 664
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 120
Total helicopters: 276
Attack helicopters: 52
Military Power Score: 0.1443 – #6 of 145

27. Norway

Norway+F-35 | Norwegian F-35 pair. 2019 BodÃÂ¸ Airshow

Attack and strike aircraft: 30
Total military aircraft: 102
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 0
Total helicopters: 37
Attack helicopters: 0
Military Power Score: 0.5664 – #41 of 145

26. Ukraine

Attack and strike aircraft: 30
Total military aircraft: 321
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 72
Total helicopters: 130
Attack helicopters: 33
Military Power Score: 0.2598 – #18 of 145

25. Sudan

Attack and strike aircraft: 32
Total military aircraft: 170
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 45
Total helicopters: 64
Attack helicopters: 35
Military Power Score: 1.4119 – #76 of 145

24. Mexico

Attack and strike aircraft: 33
Total military aircraft: 462
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 3
Total helicopters: 178
Attack helicopters: 0
Military Power Score: 0.4274 – #31 of 145

23. Vietnam

Attack and strike aircraft: 33
Total military aircraft: 226
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 41
Total helicopters: 99
Attack helicopters: 0
Military Power Score: 0.3158 – #22 of 145

22. Poland

Attack and strike aircraft: 34
Total military aircraft: 468
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 59
Total helicopters: 215
Attack helicopters: 30
Military Power Score: 0.2917 – #21 of 145

21. Iraq

Attack and strike aircraft: 35
Total military aircraft: 371
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 26
Total helicopters: 197
Attack helicopters: 40
Military Power Score: 0.7441 – #45 of 145

20. Japan

Attack and strike aircraft: 36
Total military aircraft: 1,459
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 217
Total helicopters: 577
Attack helicopters: 119
Military Power Score: 0.1601 – #7 of 145

19. Indonesia

Attack and strike aircraft: 37
Total military aircraft: 474
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 41
Total helicopters: 210
Attack helicopters: 15
Military Power Score: 0.2251 – #13 of 145

18. Kazakhstan

Attack and strike aircraft: 38
Total military aircraft: 243
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 81
Total helicopters: 75
Attack helicopters: 22
Military Power Score: 0.9495 – #58 of 145

17. Israel

Attack and strike aircraft: 39
Total military aircraft: 612
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 241
Total helicopters: 146
Attack helicopters: 48
Military Power Score: 0.2596 – #17 of 145

16. Algeria

Attack and strike aircraft: 42
Total military aircraft: 605
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 102
Total helicopters: 298
Attack helicopters: 75
Military Power Score: 0.3589 – #26 of 145

15. Belarus

Attack and strike aircraft: 51
Total military aircraft: 183
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 37
Total helicopters: 64
Attack helicopters: 25
Military Power Score: 1.0901 – #64 of 145

14. Syria

India+MiG | Mikoyan MiG-29 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-29; NATO reporting name: "Support point") low level crossing, Polish Air Force

Attack and strike aircraft: 57
Total military aircraft: 452
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 168
Total helicopters: 153
Attack helicopters: 27
Military Power Score: 1.0026 – #60 of 145

13. Australia

United States+United States+F-35 | Lockheed Martin F-35 "Lightning II"

Attack and strike aircraft: 60
Total military aircraft: 325
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 24
Total helicopters: 79
Attack helicopters: 22
Military Power Score: 0.2515 – #16 of 145

12. Italy

Attack and strike aircraft: 67
Total military aircraft: 800
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 90
Total helicopters: 402
Attack helicopters: 57
Military Power Score: 0.1863 – #10 of 145

11. Brazil

Belgium+F-35 | Luke AFB has been selected as a candidate for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lighting II from Belgium "Joint Strike Fighter" The training

Attack and strike aircraft: 72
Total military aircraft: 628
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 46
Total helicopters: 195
Attack helicopters: 0
Military Power Score: 0.1944 – #12 of 145

10. Germany

Attack and strike aircraft: 76
Total military aircraft: 618
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 133
Total helicopters: 318
Attack helicopters: 55
Military Power Score: 0.2847 – #19 of 145

9. Saudi Arabia

Attack and strike aircraft: 81
Total military aircraft: 914
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 283
Total helicopters: 262
Attack helicopters: 34
Military Power Score: 0.3235 – #23 of 145

8. Egypt

Attack and strike aircraft: 88
Total military aircraft: 1,080
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 238
Total helicopters: 338
Attack helicopters: 100
Military Power Score: 0.2283 – #15 of 145

7. Pakistan

Attack and strike aircraft: 90
Total military aircraft: 1,434
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 387
Total helicopters: 352
Attack helicopters: 57
Military Power Score: 0.1711 – #9 of 145

6. South Korea

South Korean flag on soldiers arm. Flag of South Korea on military uniforms (collage).

Attack and strike aircraft: 98
Total military aircraft: 1,576
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 354
Total helicopters: 758
Attack helicopters: 112
Military Power Score: 0.1416 – #5 of 145

5. India

Malaysia+Sukhoi | Sukhoi Su-30MKM (in Russian: Модернизированный Коммерческий Малаезийский/Modernizirovannyi Kommercheskiy Malayziyskiy – Modernized Export Report Name Malaysia: NATO; "Flanker-H")

Attack and strike aircraft: 130
Total military aircraft: 2,296
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 606
Total helicopters: 869
Attack helicopters: 40
Military Power Score: 0.1023 – #4 of 145

4. North Korea

North Korea flag isolated on white background with clipping path. North Korea flag symbols. banner frame with empty space for your text.

Attack and strike aircraft: 132
Total military aircraft: 951
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 440
Total helicopters: 205
Attack helicopters: 20
Military Power Score: 0.5313 – #36 of 145

3. China

Attack and strike aircraft: 371
Total military aircraft: 3,304
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 1,207
Total helicopters: 913
Attack helicopters: 281
Military Power Score: 0.0706 – #3 of 145

2. Russia

Attack and strike aircraft: 730
Total military aircraft: 4,255
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 809
Total helicopters: 1,547
Attack helicopters: 559
Military Power Score: 0.0702 – #2 of 145

1. United States of America

Attack and strike aircraft: 896
Total military aircraft: 13,209
Fighter aircraft and interceptors: 1,854
Total helicopters: 5,737
Attack helicopters: 1,000
Military Power Score: 0.0699 – #1 of 145

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