List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

Royal Air Force

Main article: Royal Air Force

|- ! colspan="8" | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft |- | Eurofighter Typhoon || European (British, German, Italian, Spanish) || Jet || Multi-role || 2003 || 102 ||137 || 26 of 30 Tranche 1s (apart from 4, based in the Falklands) retired by 2025; Falklands-based Tranche 1s to retire, and be replaced, by 2027

|- | Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning || United States || Jet || Stealth Multi-role, including nuclear strike || By 2030 || 0 || (12) || 12 F-35A to be procured by 2030; To support NATO nuclear mission and complement Royal Navy submarine-based nuclear forces. |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning || United States || Jet ||V/STOL Stealth Multi-role || 2013 || 39 || 40 (63) || Jointly operated with the Fleet Air Arm: 47 F-35B being acquired by 2026; 15 additional F-35B planned by 2033

|- ! colspan="8" | AEW&C |- | Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AEW.1 || United States || Jet || AW&C || 2026 || 1 || (2) || Originally five envisaged, now reduced to three. 2025 defence review recommended acquisition of additional aircraft. |- ! colspan="8" | Reconnaissance / Maritime Patrol |- | Beechcraft Shadow R.1 || United States || Propeller || ISTAR || 2009 || 8 || 8 || Expected OSD 2030. Current fleet expanded and upgraded. |- | Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint || United States || Jet || SIGINT || 2013 || 3 || 3 || Formally known as Airseeker. |- | Boeing P-8 Poseidon MRA.1 || United States || Jet || ASW/Anti-ship || 2019 || 9 || 9 || |- ! colspan="8" | Tanker / Transport |- | Airbus Voyager || Airbus (European, Multinational) || Jet || Tanker / Transport || 2011 || 14 || 14 || |- ! colspan="8" | Transport |- | Boeing C-17A Globemaster III || United States || Jet || Transport || 2001 || 8 || 8 || |- | Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 || Airbus (European, Multinational) || Propeller || Transport || 2014 || 22 || 22 || Up to six additional aircraft planned for procurement by 2030, or procurement of additional capacity in partnership with private sector providers. |- | Dassault Envoy IV CC.1 || France || Jet || Transport || 2022 || 2 || 2 || Two aircraft to be introduced from March 2022. To be initially operated under civil contract until 2026. |- ! colspan="8" | Helicopter |- | Boeing Chinook || United States || Rotorcraft || Transport || 1980 || 37 || 51 || 14 HC.Mk 6A variants withdrawn from service; to be replaced by 14 CH-47-ER variants from 2027; overall operational numbers to stabilize at c. 51 helicopters |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HC.2 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2026 || 0 || (6) || Six aircraft ordered; to replace former Puma HC2s deployed in Cyprus and Brunei from 2026.3 For the RAF, 3 For The AAC |- ! colspan="8" | Trainer Aircraft |- | Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 29 || 29 || Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by RAF. |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 7 || 7 || Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by RAF. |- | BAE Systems Hawk T.2 || United Kingdom || Jet || Jet trainer || 2009 || 28 || 28|| Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by No. IV (R) Squadron & No. XXV(F) Squadron; aircraft to remain in service until 2040. |- | Beechcraft Texan T1 || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 14 || 14 || Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by RAF. |- | Embraer Phenom T.1 || Brazil || Jet || Trainer || 2018 || 5 || 5 || Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by RAF. |- | Grob Prefect T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 23 || 23 || Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by RAF. |- | Grob Tutor T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 1999 || 91 || 119 || Used by the RAF Air Experience Flight. 28 Tutors have been sold to the Finnish Air Force as of 2018. |- | Grob Viking T.1 || Germany || Glider || Trainer || 1990 || 52 || 91 || The Grob Viking T1 is the RAF's primary aircraft for delivering basic glider and flight training to the RAF Air Cadets. |- ! colspan="8" | Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance UAVs |- | Protector RG1 || United States || UAV || ISR / Attack || 2023 || 10 || 16 || 16 ordered; 10 aircraft delivered as of June 2025 with 4 in the UK and the other 6 in the US where they are used for testing and training; total of 16 aircraft to be delivered by end 2025 |}

RAF Red Arrows

Main article: Red Arrows

|- | British Aerospace Hawk T.1 || United Kingdom || Jet || Trainer || 1980 || 12 || 12 || Retired from aggressor role in March 2022; retained by the Red Arrows; to be retired by 2030. |- |}

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Main article: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

|- | Avro Lancaster (PA474) || United Kingdom || Propeller || Heavy bomber || 1942 || 1 || 1 || 1 B.I |- | de Havilland Canada Chipmunk || United Kingdom || Propeller || Trainer || 1946 || 2 || 2 || 2 T.10 |- | Douglas Dakota || United States || Propeller || Transport || 1942 || 1 || 1 || 1 C.3 |- | Hawker Hurricane || United Kingdom || Propeller || Fighter || 1937 || 2 || 2|| 2 Mk IIc |- | Supermarine Spitfire || United Kingdom || Propeller || Fighter || 1938 || 5 || 6 || 1 Mk IIa, 1 Mk Vb, 1 LF Mk XVIe 2 PR Mk XIX |}

Army Air Corps

Main article: Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)

|- ! colspan="8" | Attack helicopters |- | Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian || United States || Helicopter || Attack || 2022 || 50 || 50 || 50 Apache AH1 remanufactured to AH-64E specification. Armed with M230 cannon and JAGM, Hellfire K1 and Hellfire Romeo missiles. |-|- ! colspan="8" | Reconnaissance helicopters |- | AgustaWestland Wildcat || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Utility || 2014 ||34 || 34 || Up to 8 helicopters serve with the Fleet Air Arm's 847 Squadron in support of the Royal Marines. |- ! colspan="8" | Transport helicopters |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HC.2 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2026 || 3 || 3 || Six aircraft ordered; to replace former Puma HC2s deployed in Brunei from 2026. |- | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II || France || Rotorcraft || United Kingdom Special Forces || 2009 || 5|| 6 || |}

Fleet Air Arm

Main article: Fleet Air Arm

|- ! colspan="8" | Combat Aircraft |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning || United States || Jet || V/STOL Stealth Multi-role || 2013 || - || - || Jointly operated with Royal Air Force. Initial Operational Capability (Maritime) in 2020; 809 Naval Air Squadron stood up in December 2023. |- ! colspan="8" | Attack/Reconnaissance helicopters |- | AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Attack || 2014 || 28 || 28 || |- | AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft ||ASW/AEW || 2000 || 30 || 44 || Expected OSD 2040. |- |AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat AH1 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Utility/Reconnaissance || 2014 || - || - || Up to 8 Army Air Corps aircraft tasked to 847 Naval Air Squadron in support of the Royal Marines.

|- ! colspan="8" | Transport helicopters |- | AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Mk4/4A || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2000 || 24 || 25 || One aircraft crashed September 2024; Expected OSD 2040. |- ! colspan="8" | Trainer Aircraft |- | Grob Tutor || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 1999 || 5 || 5 || Introductory fight training; operated by 727 Naval Air Squadron |- ! colspan="8" | Tactical vertical takeoff/landing UAV |- | Peregrine || Austria || Rotorcraft UAV || ISR || 2024 || 2 || 2 || Formerly deployed on HMS Lancaster; future tasking unclear |- |}

Ministry of Defence

As well as the military services, a number of defence contractors operate military aircraft on behalf of or lease them from the Ministry of Defence.

|- | Agusta AW109 || Italy || Rotorcraft || Utility || || 1 || 1 || QinetiQ, Boscombe Down. |- | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II || France || Rotorcraft || Utility || 1999 || 2 || 2 || Used as transport of instructors as part of FOST training. Operated by British International Helicopters under MRCOA. |- | Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil || France || Rotorcraft || Trainer || || 3 || 3 || Cobham Helicopter Academy, Newquay under CFAOS. |- | Eurofighter Typhoon || United Kingdom || Jet || Multi-role || || 3 || 3 || BAE Systems, Warton. |- | Hawker Hunter || UK || Jet || Fighter || || 3 || 3 || Hawker Hunter Aviation, RAF Leeming. |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II || United States || Jet || Multi-role || 2013 || - || - || 4 of 39 F-35Bs operated in the United States by 17 Squadron RAF; test and evaluation role. |- | Westland Sea King || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Trainer || || 2 || 2 || HeliOperations under CFAOS. |- | Airbus Zephyr || United Kingdom || High-altitude pseudo-satellite || UAV || || 0 || 3 || Solar-powered long-endurance UAV; observation and communications platform; two of three aircraft in storage; MoD has not been a participant in any flights since 2021 |}

UK Military Flying Training System

Main article: UK Military Flying Training System

|- | Grob Prefect T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 23 || 23 || Serves with 57 Squadron RAF, 703 Naval Air Squadron and 674 Squadron, Army Air Corps. |- | Beechcraft Texan T.1 || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 14 || 14 || Serves with 72 Squadron RAF. |- | Beechcraft Avenger || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2011 || 4 || 4 || Serves with 750 Naval Air Squadron. |- | Embraer Phenom T.1 || Brazil || Jet || Trainer || 2018 || 5 || 5 || Serves with 45 Squadron RAF. |- | BAE Systems Hawk T.2 || United Kingdom || Jet || Jet trainer || 2009 || 28 || 28|| Serves with No. IV (R) Squadron & No. XXV(F) Squadron. |- | Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 29 || 29 || Serves with 60 and 202 Squadrons RAF, 705 Naval Air Squadron and 660 Squadron, Army Air Corps. |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 7 || 7 || Serves with 60 and 202 Squadrons RAF. |}

Notes

References

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