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Combat helicopter
Type Active fleet Share
1 S-70/SH/UH-60 3,913 19%
2 Mi-8/17 2,865 14%
3 UH-1 1,289 6%
4 AH-64 1,211 6%
5 Mi-24/35 969 5%
6 CH-47 906 5%
7 MD500/530 697 3%
8 AH-1 549 3%
9 SA341/342 483 2%
10 H145 390 2%
Other 7,217 35%
Total 20,489 100%Combat aircraft
Type Active fleet Share
1 F-16 2,280 16%
2 Su-27/30 1,067 7%
3 F-15 949 7%
4 F-18 869 6%
5 MiG-29 791 5%
6 Eurofighter Typhoon 500 3%
6 Su-25 487 3%
8 J-7 418 3%
9 Su-24 391 3%
10 F-5 391 3%
Other 6,453 44%
Total 14,596 100%WORLDWIDE TOP 10 ACTIVE AIRCRAFT TYPES
Transport
Type Active fleet Share
1 C-130/L-100 869 20%
2 King Air 281 7%
3 C295/CN235 278 7%
4 C-17 275 7%(^5) An-24/26 260 6%
6 Il-76 195 5%
7 An-30/32 140 3%
8 Cessna 208 139 3%
9 Y-8 100 2%
10 C212 91 2%
Other 1,634 38%
Total 4,262 100%
Global military fleet
Country Active fleet Share
1 USA 13,266 25%
2 Russia 4,163 8%
3 China 3,210 6%
4 India 2,123 4%
5 South Korea 1,649 3%
6 Japan 1,561 3%
7 Pakistan 1,372 2%
8 France 1,229 2%
9 Turkey 1,055 2%
10 Egypt 1,054 2%
Other 23,208 43%
Total 53,890 100%
10-16 December 2019 | Flight International | 27
WORLD AIR FORCES
Directory
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Japan and Norway both declared initial
operational capability with their A-model
fleets in 2019, Singapore confirmed its inten-
tion to buy at least four for evaluation pur-
poses, and Poland advanced a request to buy
32 to meet its fleet renewal needs. UK-owned
F-35Bs also made their first landings aboard
the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen
Elizabeth.
Lockheed’s venerable F-16 also continues
to secure business, with orders from Bahrain,
Bulgaria, Morocco and Slovakia on its books.
Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet line is also
healthy, with the USN having signed for a
further 78.
The global Rafale operators club now num-
bers four members, with Dassault having
delivered its first examples to India and Qatar
during the year. The nations follow France
and lead export customer Egypt in introduc-
ing the type.
Saab also made its first Gripen E deliveries
to the air forces of Sweden and Brazil, to sup-
port their respective evaluations and service
preparations for the new-generation fighter.
In the special mission sector, the UK Royal
Air Force (RAF) has received its first Boeing
P-8A Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol
aircraft and the asset will initially support
training activities at NAS Jacksonville in
Florida. The service will follow the USN,
Australia and India in fielding the 737NG-
derived platform operationally, with Norway
also having ordered the type, and New
Zealand and South Korea intending to
follow suit.
Due to be delivered from 2020, the United
Arab Emirates’ Bombardier Global 6000-
based GlobalEye surveillance aircraft fleet
appears set to grow further, with the nation
revealing at the Dubai air show that it could
increase its current orders for three to five.
Tanker numbers are also on the rise, large-
ly resulting from the introduction of the US
Air Force’s (USAF’s) 767-based KC-46A. De-
spite teething problems still being addressed
by the air framer, it has handed over 23 to
date this year. Our data also shows a year-on-
year increase in the number of Airbus De-
fence & Space A400Ms now available to per-
form air-to-air refuelling tasks with
fixed-wing receivers. The French air force
also welcomed its first of two Lockheed KC-
130J tankers during the year.
Embraer’s delivery of a first C/KC-390
transport/tanker to the Brazilian air force
was another significant milestone recorded
in 2019. India, meanwhile, flew the last
production example of Boeing’s C-17 to its
home base.
Rotorcraft sales during the year included
steps among eastern European NATO nations
to renew their fleets, such as the Czech
Republic selecting Bell’s AH-1Z and UH-1Y,
Lockheed Martin
France has taken
delivery of its first
KC-130J tanker