America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently raised the posture of the United Kingdom’s military to be at the ready. All of this was in response to ongoing and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine as the years long conflict continues. This announcement from Starmer came with an increase in the defense budget as well […] The post America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Jun 17, 2025 - 16:26

America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory

Key Points

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently raised the posture of the United Kingdom’s military to be at the ready
The UK is expecting to be spending more money on its military as a result of this posture
The UK ranks higher than most countries in terms of its air power, but it still has a ways to go to reach the level of the United States, Russia or China
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The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently raised the posture of the United Kingdom’s military to be at the ready. All of this was in response to ongoing and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine as the years long conflict continues. This announcement from Starmer came with an increase in the defense budget as well as targeted spending for new military assets like nuclear submarines to further bolster the UK’s armed forces.

Some of the spending has already been announced and there is still some speculation about where the rest will go. But one area the UK could use some improvement in is its air force, specifically its fifth-generation aircraft and its attack helicopters. Fifth-generation aircraft is a no-brainer as most of the NATO nations are stocking up on Lockheed Martin’s F-35s, or at least putting in orders.

The biggest union in the UK, Unite, is pushing for this as well but advocating the government spending go further specifically asking for new orders on aircraft. It’s worth noting that BAE Systems operates out of the UK, and partners with Lockheed Martin for about 15% of each aircraft produced in the F-35 program. Lockheed Martin also has extensive operations throughout the UK as well and has for about 80 years now.

However, the question remains — how much the UK should be spending on its military going forward and where this cash should be allocated for maximum impact.

On the world stage, the UK ranks higher than most countries in terms of its air power, but it still has a ways to go to reach the juggernauts of the United States, Russia, and China. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the world military power’s with the strongest air forces.

To determine the countries with the most military aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 Military Strength report from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked these countries according to which countries have the most aircraft. We added supplemental information regarding each country’s current air force, including fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, and helicopters, as well as each country’s overall military strength ranking.

Here is a look at the countries with the world’s largest air forces:

Why Are We Covering This?

Asia map in satellite picture, view of China, Korea, India, Malaysia, Taiwan from space. Orbit photo of Earth, globe at night. Dark seas and Pacific ocean. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances which have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia are considered the strongest military powers in the world, there are a number of other nations with their own spheres of influence and strengths that impact global relations from a military perspective.