List of active United States Air Force aircraft

For a list of current aircraft in all branches of the United States Military, see List of active United States military aircraft.

The following is a list of currently active military aircraft in the United States Air Force.

Emblem of the USAF

Aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Fighter aircraft (1,666)
F-15 Eagle	United States	air superiority	F-15C	108	108 F-15C total force as of September 2024[1] 108 F-15C - Air National Guard
F-15E Strike Eagle	United States	multirole		218	218 F-15E total force as of September 2024[2] 218 F-15E - Active
F-15EX Eagle II	United States	multirole		8	8 F-15EX total force as of September 2024[3] 8 F-15EX - Active (program of record increased to 129 aircraft in June 2025)[4]
F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	multirole	F-16C	657	657 F-16C total force as of September 2024[5] 400 F-16C - Active 257 F-16C - Air National Guard
F-22 Raptor	United States	stealth air superiority	F-22A	185	185 F-22A total force as of September 2024[6] 165 F-22A - Active 20 F-22A - Air National Guard
F-35 Lightning II	United States	stealth multirole	F-35A	443	443 F-35A total force as of September 2024[7] (USAF Visual in May 2025 indicates 471 aircraft)[8] 400 F-35A - Active 43 - Air National Guard (program of record of 1,763 aircraft), between 161 and 189 aircraft on order[9]
Attack aircraft (249)
A-10 Thunderbolt II	United States	attack / CAS	A-10C	172	172 A-10C total force as of September 2024[10] 141 A-10C - Active 31 A-10C - Air National Guard
AC-130 Ghostrider	United States	ground attack / CAS	AC-130J	30	30 AC-130J total force as of September 2024[11] 30 AC-130J - Active
Bomber (124)
B-1 Lancer	United States	strategic bomber	B-1B	46	46 B-1B total force as of September 2024[12] 46 B-1B - Active
B-2 Spirit	United States	stealth strategic bomber	B-2A	20	20 B-2A total force as of September 2024[13] 18 B-2A - Active
B-52 Stratofortress	United States	strategic bomber	B-52H	58	58 B-52H total force as of September 2024[14] 58 B-52H - Active
AWACS (26)
E-3 Sentry	United States	AWACS	E-3B/G	15	15 E-3B/G total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 19 E-3B/G operational (WAF 2025).[16]
E-4 Nightwatch	United States	command and control	E-4B	4	4 E-4B as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 4 E-4B operational (WAF 2025).[16]
E-9A Widget	Canada	SIGINT / ELINT	E-9A	2	2 E-9A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15]
E-11A	Canada	command and control / BACN	E-11A	5	5 E-11A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 6 E-11A operational, 4 on order (WAF 2025).[16]
Electronic Warfare (14)
EA-37B Compass Call	United States	SIGINT / PSYOP / attack	EA-37B	3	3 EC-37B operational, 7 on order (WAF 2025).[16]
EC-130H Compass Call	United States	radar jamming / PSYOP		4	4 EC-130H as of September 204 (USAF Almanac)[17] 4 EC-130H operational (WAF 2025).[16]
EC-130 Commando Solo	United States	radar jamming / PSYOP	EC-130J	5	5 EC-130J as of September 2024 (USAF Almanac).[18] 0 EC-130J - Air National Guard as of September 20, 2024[19]
Reconnaissance
IPTN CN-235	Spain/Indonesia	SIGINT / ELINT		5[20]
MC-12W Liberty	United States	SIGINT / surveillance	W	40[21]
OA-1K Sky Warden	United States	armed reconnaissance		3[21]
P-9 Pale Ale	Canada	Maritime patrol	P-9A	4	4 P-9A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15]
RC-135 Rivet Joint	United States	ELINT / surveillance	S/U/V/W	22[20]	The breakdown is as follows: 1 RC-135S Cobra Ball, 2 RC-135U Combat Sent, 1 RC-135V Rivet Joint, 18 RC-135W Rivet Joint.
U-2 Dragon Lady	United States	high altitude reconnaissance	U-2S	27	27 U-2S as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 24 U-2S operational (WAF 2025).[16] Trainer aircraft listed separately.
U-28A Draco	Switzerland	ISR / SIGINT	U-28A	26[20]
Tanker
KC-46 Pegasus	United States	aerial refueling	KC-46A	77	77 KC-46A total force as of September 2024[22] 58 KC-46A - Active 19 KC-46A - Air National Guard
KC-135 Stratotanker	United States	aerial refueling	KC-135R/T	314	325 KC-135R / 51 KC-135T total force as of September 2024[23] 123 KC-135R / 28 KC-135T - Active 140 KC-135R / 23 KC-135T - Air National Guard
HC-130J Super Hercules	United States	SAR / transport / tanker		39	39 total force as of September 2024[24] 21 HC-130J - Active 12 HC-130J - Air National Guard 6 HC-130J - Reserve
MC-130J Commando II	United States	EW / transport / tanker		62	62 MC-130J total force as of September 2024[25] 60 MC-130J - Active 2 MC-130J - Air National Guard
Transport
C-5 Galaxy	United States	strategic airlifter	C-5M	52[20]
C-12 Huron	United States	utility / transport		23[20]
C-12J	United States	transport	C-12J	3[20]
C-17 Globemaster III	United States	strategic airlifter		196	222 C-17A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 146 C-17A - Active 50 C-17A - Air National Guard 196 C-17A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
C-21A	United States	VIP transport	C-21A	19[20]
C-32	United States	VIP transport		4[20]
C-37A/B	United States	VIP transport	C-37A C-37B	13[26]	The breakdown is 12 C-37As and one C-37B (based on the Gulfstream G550).
C-40 Clipper	United States	VIP transport	C-40B/C	12[27]	The breakdown is four C-40Bs and seven C-40Cs.
C-130 Hercules	United States	transport	C-130H	91	91 C-130H total force as of September 2024[28] 0 C-130H - Active 91 C-130H - Air National Guard
C-130J Super Hercules	United States	tactical airlifter	C-130J	142	142 C-130J total force as of September 2024[29] 102 C-130J - Active 40 C-130J - Air National Guard (program of record for 198 aircraft)
C-146 Wolfhound	Germany	transport	C-146A	20[20]
U-27A Caravan	United States	transport / utility		2[20]
U-28A Draco	Switzerland	transport / utility	U-28A	35[20]	It is primarily used as a small transport aircraft by Air Force Special Operations Command.
UV-18B Twin Otter	Canada	utility transport		3[21]	STOL capable aircraft.It is primarily used as a training aircraft for parachute troops at the military academy.
VC-25	United States	Presidential transport		2[27]
Helicopter
HH-60G Pave Hawk	United States	CSAR	HH-60G	24	24 HH-60W total force as of September 2024[30] 8 HH-60G - Active 16 HH-60G - Air National Guard
HH-60W Pave Hawk	United States	CSAR	HH-60GW	47	47 HH-60W total force as of September 2024[31] 32 HH-60W - Active 15 HH-60W - Air National Guard
MH-139 Grey Wolf	Italy	utility	MH-139	8	8 MH-139 total force as of September 2024[32] 8 MH-139 - Active (Maximum order volume of 79 aircraft)
UH-1N Iroquois	United States	utility		63	63 UH-1N total force as of September 2024[33]
V-22 Osprey	United States	CSAR	CV-22B	52	52 CV-22B total force as of September 2024[34] 52 CV-22B - Active
Trainers
A-29 Super Tucano	Brazil	assessment trainer	A-29C	3[20]
F-117 Nighthawk	United States	trainer		4[20]	stealth OPFOR trainer
F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	trainer	F-16D	134	136 F-16D total force as of September 2024[35] 98 F-16D - Active 36 F-16D - Air National Guard
F-15 Eagle	United States	trainer	F-15D	24	12 F-15D total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 1 F-15D - Active 11 F-15D - Air National Guard 17 F-15D operational (WAF 2025).[16]
G120TP	Germany	basic trainer		2[20]	contracted by JPAG Aviation
T-1A Jayhawk	United States	multi-engine trainer	T-1A	127	127 T-1A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 98 T-6A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
T-6 Texan II	United States	advanced trainer	T-6A	442	442 T-6A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 442 T-6A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
T-7 Red Hawk	United States	advanced trainer	T-7A	351 units (maximum number of units planned for deployment)	Of these, one unit is deployed and the remaining 350 units are on order.[20]
T-38 Talon	United States	jet trainer	T-38A/C AT-38B	495	495 T-38A / T-38C / AT-38B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 52 T-38A / 6 AT-38B / 437 T-38C - Active 485 C-17A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
T-41 Mescalero	United States	basic trainer	T-41D	4	4 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15]
Cessna T-51	United States	basic trainer	T-51A	3	3 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15]
T-53A Kadet II	United States	basic trainer	T-53A	24	24 T-53A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 25 T-53A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
TC-135 Stratolifter	United States	multi-engine trainer	TC-135W	3	3 TC-135W total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 3 TC-135W operational (WAF 2025).[16]
TH-1 Iroquois	United States	rotorcraft trainer	UH-1H	28	28 UH-1H total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 39 T-53A operational (WAF 2025).[16]
TU-2 Dragon Lady	United States	high altitude reconnaissance trainer	TU-2S	4	4 TU-2S total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15] 3 TU-2S operational (WAF 2025).[16]
UAV
MQ-9 Reaper	United States	multi-mission	MQ-9A	230	230 MQ-9A total force as of September 2024[36] 206 MQ-9A - Active 24 MQ-9A - Air National Guard
RQ-4 Global Hawk	United States	ISTAR / SIGINT	RQ-4B	9	9 RQ-4B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[15]
RQ-11 Raven	United States	ISR	RQ-11B	3,000[37]
RQ-20 Puma	United States	ISR	RQ-20B	60[38]	Puma 3 AE variant is on order[39][40]
RQ-170 Sentinel	United States	ISTAR / SIGINT		20[41][42]

Images

• 
  An A-10 Thunderbolt II in 2011. The attack aircraft is used for close air support
• 
  An AC-130J of the 4th Special Operations Squadron flies over Kansas in 2023.
• 
  An F-15C Eagle flies over Japan in 2019
• 
  An F-15EX from the 40th Test Flight Squadron flies over Florida in 2023
• 
  An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron
• 
  An F-16C over Iraq in 2008
• 
  An F-22A Raptor flies over Andrews Air Force Base during an airshow in 2008
• 
  An F-35A in flight
• 
  A USAF B-52 bomber
• 
  A B-1B in flight over Afghanistan
• 
  A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flies over the Pacific Ocean
• 
  An E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft
• 
  One of 4 E-4B Nightwatch airborne command posts
• 
  A new E-11 aircraft being rolled out in 2018
• 
  A C-146A Wolfhound taking off
• 
  A KC-10 Extender with the 76th Air Refueling Squadron
• 
  A C-17A Globemaster III taking off from Ramstein Air Base
• 
  A VC-25 Air Force One with landing gear down
• 
  The MH-139A Grey Wolf replacement for the Bell UH-1N
• 
  A CV-22 Osprey over RIAT in 2015
• 
  A T-38 Talon over Edwards AFB
• 
  An MQ-9 Reaper flies over Southern Afghanistan, 2008

See also

• Future military aircraft of the United States
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of U.S. DoD aircraft designations
• List of currently active United States naval aircraft
• List of United States Air Force squadrons
• List of active U.S. Air Force aircraft squadrons
• UAVs in the U.S. military

Notes