The US Uncorks the B-2 Spirit Against Iran in Operation Midnight Hammer

In spectacular fashion over the weekend, the United States Air Force put its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers on full display for the world to see. As part of Operation Midnight Hammer, these stealth bombers circumnavigated half the globe to carry out a covert air strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The B-2 Spirit’s are the only aircraft of their kind, which are also capable of carrying GBU-57 MOP bombs, each weighing about 30,000 pounds. For some background, these bombs are known as “bunker busters” and they are capable of taking out anything from bunkers to even the most fortified positions in mountains or deep underground.

The misdirection used in carrying out this operation was executed exceedingly well. Some B-2s were seen conducting training missions in Guam leading up to this attack, leading many to believe the USAF would be coming from the West with these stealth bombers. However, the bombers actually carrying out the mission came from the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and flew 18 hours straight to the target zone, refueling in air along the way.

In all, the main strike package was composed of 7 B-2 Spirit bombers which deployed 14 “bunker buster” bombs. There were also Tomahawk cruise missiles used in the operation, and a total of 75 precision guided weapons were deployed. Overall, 125 USAF aircraft participated in the operation including “B-2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth gen fighters, dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft…”, according to Gen Dan ‘Razin’ Caine.

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the aircraft used by the US Air Force. To identify every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft alphabetically. We also included supplemental data on the type of aircraft, top speed, active aircraft, and armament, if applicable. We excluded trainer aircraft.

Here is a look at every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the aircraft in the US Air Force is important because these aircraft play a pivotal role in maintaining national security and global stability. Each aircraft is designed for specific missions, from air superiority to strategic bombing and reconnaissance, which are essential for defending the country and projecting power abroad. Also knowing which aircraft are in service give context to military capabilities and a better understanding of national defense.

A-10C Thunderbolt II

• Type: Close-air support / forward air control
• Year introduced to service: 1976
• Active aircraft: 234
• Top speed: 439 mph
• Armament: 30mm GAU-8/A gatling gun, Maverick missiles, Sidewinder missiles, rocket pods, drop bombs, cluster bombs, Paveway bombs

AC-130J Ghostrider

• Type: Ground attack / close-air support
• Year introduced to service: 2017
• Active aircraft: 29
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: 30mm ATK GAU-23/A automatic cannon, 105mm M102 field howitzer, Griffin missiles, Viper Strike precision-guided bombs, Hellfire missiles, drop bombs

AC-130W Stinger II

• Type: Special operations fixed-wing gunship
• Year introduced to service: 2010
• Active aircraft: 3
• Top speed: 300 mph
• Armament: 30mm Bushmaster II GAU-23/A gatling gun, Viper Strike missiles, Griffin missiles, Hellfire missiles

AT-802U Sky Warden

• Type: Multirole light aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1990
• Active aircraft: *62 on order
• Top speed: 221 mph
• Armament: Gun pods, cannon pods, conventional drop bombs

B-1B Lancer

• Type: Strategic heavy bomber
• Year introduced to service: 1986
• Active aircraft: 40
• Top speed: 833 mph
• Armament: Joint direct attack munitions, general purpose bombs, naval mines, cluster munitions, SRAM missiles, JASSM missiles, JSOW missiles, freefall nuclear bombs

B-2 Spirit

• Type: Strategic stealth heavy bomber
• Year introduced to service: 1997
• Active aircraft: 18
• Top speed: 628 mph
• Armament: Air-launched cruise missiles, strategic free-fall nuclear bombs, conventional drop bombs, joint direct attack munitions, JASSM missiles

B-21 Raider

• Type: Long range strategic stealth bomber
• Year introduced to service: Expected 2028
• Active aircraft: *100 on order
• Top speed: 621 mph
• Armament: Conventional drop bombs, precision-guided bombs, nuclear-tipped bombs/missiles

B-52H Stratofortress

• Type: Long range strategic heavy bomber
• Year introduced to service: 1955
• Active aircraft: 72
• Top speed: 595 mph
• Armament: ACLM cruise missiles, Harpoon missiles, CALCM cruise missiles, joint direct attack munitions, freefall nuclear bombs

Beech C-12 Huron

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1974
• Active aircraft: 55
• Top speed: 332 mph
• Armament: N/A

Boeing C-32

• Type: VIP Transport
• Year introduced to service: 1996
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 605 mph
• Armament: N/A

Boeing RC-135

• Type: Multi-mission reconnaissance aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1962
• Active aircraft: 22
• Top speed: 581 mph
• Armament: N/A

Bombardier Express E-11

• Type: Special missions platform
• Year introduced to service: 1997
• Active aircraft: 6
• Top speed: 684 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-130J Super Hercules

• Type: Tactical medium transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1999
• Active aircraft: 310
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-146 Wolfhound

• Type: Special missions support
• Year introduced to service: 2000
• Active aircraft: 21
• Top speed: 217 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-17 Globemaster III

• Type: Tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1995
• Active aircraft: 220
• Top speed: 518 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-20 Gulfstream IV

• Type: Military VIP passenger transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1983
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 582 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-5M Super Galaxy

• Type: Heavy-lift transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1995
• Active aircraft: 52
• Top speed: 518 mph
• Armament: N/A

C295

• Type: Tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2001
• Active aircraft: 3
• Top speed: 358 mph
• Armament: N/A

Cessna 208 Caravan

• Type: Turboprop utility aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1984
• Active aircraft: 2
• Top speed: 214 mph
• Armament: N/A

CN-235

• Type: Medium-lift tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1988
• Active aircraft: 5
• Top speed: 282 mph
• Armament: N/A

CV-22 Osprey

• Type: Tilt rotor VTOL aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2007
• Active aircraft: 51
• Top speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns

Dash 8

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1984
• Active aircraft: 10
• Top speed: 317 mph
• Armament: N/A

DHC-6 Twin Otter

• Type: Transport / light utility aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1966
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: N/A

E-3 Sentry

• Type: Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1977
• Active aircraft: 19
• Top speed: 531 mph
• Armament: N/A

E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post

• Type: Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1974
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 602 mph
• Armament: N/A

EC-130H Compass Call

• Type: Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1983
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 300 mph
• Armament: N/A

EC-37B Compass Call

• Type: Electronic warfare aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2023
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 652 mph
• Armament: N/A

F-15 C/E/EX Eagle II

• Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1976
• Active aircraft: 351
• Top speed: 1,875 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61A1 automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, Sparrow missiles, Maverick missiles, HARM missiles, laser-guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions, cluster bombs, nuclear bombs

F-16C Fighting Falcon

• Type: Multirole 4th generation fighter aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1978
• Active aircraft: 708
• Top speed: 1,317 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61 automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Maverick missiles, Penguin missiles, Runway denial bombs, cluster bombs, laser-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs

F-22 Raptor

• Type: 5th generation air dominance fighter aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2005
• Active aircraft: 178
• Top speed: 1,599 mph
• Armament: 20mm automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, joint drop munitions, drop bombs, air-launched cruise missiles

F-35A Lightning II

• Type: Multirole 5th generation aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2016
• Active aircraft: 246
• Top speed: 1,199 mph
• Armament: 25mm GAU-12/U automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, Paveway guided bombs, Rockeye II bombs, Brimstone missiles, Storm Shadow missiles, drop bombs

HC-130J Combat King II

• Type: Transport / in-flight refueler aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1959
• Active aircraft: 40
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

KC-135 Stratotanker

• Type: Aerial tanker / in-flight refueler
• Year introduced to service: 1957
• Active aircraft: 375
• Top speed: 530 mph
• Armament: N/A

KC-46 Pegasus

• Type: Aerial tanker / in-flight refueler
• Year introduced to service: 2019
• Active aircraft: 88
• Top speed: 569 mph
• Armament: N/A

Learjet 35

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1973
• Active aircraft: 19
• Top speed: 530 mph
• Armament: N/A

Leonardo AW139

• Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
• Year introduced to service: 2003
• Active aircraft: 8
• Top speed: 193 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm general purpose machine guns

MC-130J Commando II

• Type: Special operations transport aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 2012
• Active aircraft: 57
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

Mi-171 Hip-H

• Type: Medium-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced to service: 1981
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: Shturm missiles, rocket pods, 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns

PA-31 Navajo

• Type: Utility aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1967
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 261 mph
• Armament: N/A

S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year introduced to service: 1979
• Active aircraft: 95
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, 12.7mm gatling guns, M134 gatling guns, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun

U-2 Dragon Lady

• Type: High-altitude surveillance aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1955
• Active aircraft: 24
• Top speed: 475 mph
• Armament: N/A

U-28A Draco

• Type: Light utility aircraft
• Year introduced to service: 1994
• Active aircraft: 34
• Top speed: 329 mph
• Armament: N/A

UH-1N Twin Huey

• Type: Multi-role utility helicopter
• Year introduced to service: 1970
• Active aircraft: 64
• Top speed: 150 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm GAU-16 machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns, 70mm rocket pods

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