These Nations Dominate the Skies with the Largest Attack and Strike Aircraft Fleets

Attack and strike aircraft have more precision in bombing attacks than other military aircraft. Unlike fighter jets, attack aircraft are not designed for in-air battles, but instead are made to carry out attacks on ground targets. Although there can be overlap between fighter jets and attack aircraft, in general, the two types carry out different […] The post These Nations Dominate the Skies with the Largest Attack and Strike Aircraft Fleets appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Feb 18, 2025 - 15:11
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These Nations Dominate the Skies with the Largest Attack and Strike Aircraft Fleets

Attack and strike aircraft have more precision in bombing attacks than other military aircraft. Unlike fighter jets, attack aircraft are not designed for in-air battles, but instead are made to carry out attacks on ground targets. Although there can be overlap between fighter jets and attack aircraft, in general, the two types carry out different roles for the military. Modern military forces need different types of aircraft to carry out varying missions.

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-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We included supplemental information regarding total military aircraft and helicopters. We included the overall military strength score as well, which is a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value, the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is.

Why Are We Covering This?

India+Sukhoi | Indian Air Force maintainers prepare their Sukhoi Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: "Flanker-H")

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

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

30. Myanmar

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 26
  • Total military aircraft: 293
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 58
  • Total helicopters: 80
  • Attack helicopters: 9
  • Military strength score: 0.5251 – #35 out of 145

29. Turkmenistan

Ukraine+Sukhoi | The jet has come

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 28
  • Total military aircraft: 90
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 24
  • Total helicopters: 26
  • Attack helicopters: 10
  • Military strength score: 1.4906 – #83 out of 145

28. United Kingdom

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 29
  • Total military aircraft: 664
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 120
  • Total helicopters: 276
  • Attack helicopters: 52
  • Military strength score: 0.1443 – #6 out of 145

27. Norway

Norway+F-35 | Norwegian F-35 pair. 2019 Bodø Airshow

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 30
  • Total military aircraft: 102
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
  • Total helicopters: 37
  • Attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score: 0.5664 – #41 out of 145

26. Ukraine

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 30
  • Total military aircraft: 321
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 72
  • Total helicopters: 130
  • Attack helicopters: 33
  • Military strength score: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145

25. Sudan

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 32
  • Total military aircraft: 170
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 45
  • Total helicopters: 64
  • Attack helicopters: 35
  • Military strength score: 1.4119 – #76 out of 145

24. Mexico

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 33
  • Total military aircraft: 462
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 3
  • Total helicopters: 178
  • Attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score: 0.4274 – #31 out of 145

23. Vietnam

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 33
  • Total military aircraft: 226
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 41
  • Total helicopters: 99
  • Attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score: 0.3158 – #22 out of 145

22. Poland

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 34
  • Total military aircraft: 468
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 59
  • Total helicopters: 215
  • Attack helicopters: 30
  • Military strength score: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145

21. Iraq

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 35
  • Total military aircraft: 371
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 26
  • Total helicopters: 197
  • Attack helicopters: 40
  • Military strength score: 0.7441 – #45 out of 145

20. Japan

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 36
  • Total military aircraft: 1,459
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 217
  • Total helicopters: 577
  • Attack helicopters: 119
  • Military strength score: 0.1601 – #7 out of 145

19. Indonesia

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 37
  • Total military aircraft: 474
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 41
  • Total helicopters: 210
  • Attack helicopters: 15
  • Military strength score: 0.2251 – #13 out of 145

18. Kazakhstan

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 38
  • Total military aircraft: 243
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 81
  • Total helicopters: 75
  • Attack helicopters: 22
  • Military strength score: 0.9495 – #58 out of 145

17. Israel

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 39
  • Total military aircraft: 612
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 241
  • Total helicopters: 146
  • Attack helicopters: 48
  • Military strength score: 0.2596 – #17 out of 145

16. Algeria

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 42
  • Total military aircraft: 605
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 102
  • Total helicopters: 298
  • Attack helicopters: 75
  • Military strength score: 0.3589 – #26 out of 145

15. Belarus

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 51
  • Total military aircraft: 183
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 37
  • Total helicopters: 64
  • Attack helicopters: 25
  • Military strength score: 1.0901 – #64 out of 145

14. Syria

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

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 57
  • Total military aircraft: 452
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 168
  • Total helicopters: 153
  • Attack helicopters: 27
  • Military strength score: 1.0026 – #60 out of 145

13. Australia

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

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 60
  • Total military aircraft: 325
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 24
  • Total helicopters: 79
  • Attack helicopters: 22
  • Military strength score: 0.2515 – #16 out of 145

12. Italy

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 67
  • Total military aircraft: 800
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 90
  • Total helicopters: 402
  • Attack helicopters: 57
  • Military strength score: 0.1863 – #10 out of 145

11. Brazil

Belgium+F-35 | Luke AFB selected as candidate for Belgium Lockheed Martin F-35A Lighting II "Joint Strike Fighter" Training

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 72
  • Total military aircraft: 628
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 46
  • Total helicopters: 195
  • Attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score: 0.1944 – #12 out of 145

10. Germany

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 76
  • Total military aircraft: 618
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 133
  • Total helicopters: 318
  • Attack helicopters: 55
  • Military strength score: 0.2847 – #19 out of 145

9. Saudi Arabia

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 81
  • Total military aircraft: 914
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 283
  • Total helicopters: 262
  • Attack helicopters: 34
  • Military strength score: 0.3235 – #23 out of 145

8. Egypt

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 88
  • Total military aircraft: 1,080
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 238
  • Total helicopters: 338
  • Attack helicopters: 100
  • Military strength score: 0.2283 – #15 out of 145

7. Pakistan

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 90
  • Total military aircraft: 1,434
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 387
  • Total helicopters: 352
  • Attack helicopters: 57
  • Military strength score: 0.1711 – #9 out of 145

6. South Korea

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

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 98
  • Total military aircraft: 1,576
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 354
  • Total helicopters: 758
  • Attack helicopters: 112
  • Military strength score: 0.1416 – #5 out of 145

5. India

Malaysia+Sukhoi | Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Russian: Модернизированный Коммерческий Малайзийский/Modernizirovannyi Kommercheskiy Malayziyskiy – Modernized Export Malaysia; NATO reporting name: "Flanker-H")

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 130
  • Total military aircraft: 2,296
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 606
  • Total helicopters: 869
  • Attack helicopters: 40
  • Military strength score: 0.1023 – #4 out of 145

4. North Korea

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

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 132
  • Total military aircraft: 951
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 440
  • Total helicopters: 205
  • Attack helicopters: 20
  • Military strength score: 0.5313 – #36 out of 145

3. China

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 371
  • Total military aircraft: 3,304
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,207
  • Total helicopters: 913
  • Attack helicopters: 281
  • Military strength score: 0.0706 – #3 out of 145

2. Russia

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 730
  • Total military aircraft: 4,255
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 809
  • Total helicopters: 1,547
  • Attack helicopters: 559
  • Military strength score: 0.0702 – #2 out of 145

1. United States

  • Attack and strike aircraft: 896
  • Total military aircraft: 13,209
  • Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,854
  • Total helicopters: 5,737
  • Attack helicopters: 1,000
  • Military strength score: 0.0699 – #1 out of 145

The post These Nations Dominate the Skies with the Largest Attack and Strike Aircraft Fleets appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..