This is a list of military aircraft currently in service with the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multi-Role Combat Aircraft | |||||||
Eurofighter Typhoon | United Kingdom | Jet | Multi-role | 2003 | 107[1] | 130[a][1] | [2] 16 Tranche 1s have been progressively withdrawn and scrapped under the RTP requirement[3] which started in late 2016[4][5] All Tranche 1s to be retired by 2025.[6] |
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning | United States [7] | Jet | Stealth Multi-role | 2013 | 34[b] | 35[c] | [8][9][10][11] Jointly operated with Fleet Air Arm. Maximum of 138 aircraft to be procured[12][13][14][15] |
AEW&C | |||||||
Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AEW.1 | United States | Jet | AW&C | 2022 | 1 | 3 | Originally five on order, now reduced to three, to begin operating in 2024.[16][2] |
Reconnaissance / Maritime Patrol | |||||||
Beechcraft Shadow R.1 | United States | Propeller | ISTAR | 2009 | 8 | 8 | [2] Expected OSD 2030.[17] A further two aircraft are to be added in 2023 along with an upgrade to the current aircraft[18] |
Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint | United States | Jet | SIGINT | 2013 | 3 | 3 | [2] Formally known as Airseeker[19] |
Boeing P-8 Poseidon MRA.1 | United States | Jet | ASW/Anti-ship[20] | 2019 | 12 | 12 | |
Tanker / Transport | |||||||
Airbus Voyager | Spain | Jet | Tanker / Transport | 2011 | 14 | 16 | [2] Two additional aircraft available upon request from AirTanker Services |
Transport | |||||||
Boeing C-17A Globemaster III | United States | Jet | Transport | 2001 | 8 | 8 | [2] |
Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 | Spain | Propeller | Transport | 2014 | 28 | 28[d][21][22] | [2] Up to six additional aircraft planned for procurement by 2030[23][24][25] |
Dassault Envoy IV CC.1 | France | Jet | Transport | 2022 | 2[26] | 2 | Two aircraft to be introduced from March 2022. To be initially operated under civil contract until 2026[27] |
Helicopter | |||||||
Leonardo AW109SP | United Kingdom / Italy | Rotorcraft | Transport | 2016 | 1 | 1 | [2] Used for transportation of senior military commanders or government ministers. [28] |
Boeing Chinook | United States | Rotorcraft | Transport | 1980 | 57 | 75 | |
Westland/Airbus Helicopters Puma HC.2 | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Transport | 1971 2013 |
30 | 41 | Deployed in Cyprus and Brunei as of 2023[29][2][30] |
Airbus H145 Jupiter HC.2 | Germany | Rotorcraft | Transport | 2024 | 14 | 14 | Six aircraft ordered; to replace Puma HC2 in Cyprus and Brunei from 2024.[31][32] |
Trainer Aircraft | |||||||
Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 | Germany | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 2018 | 29 | 29 | [2] |
Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 | Germany | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 2018 | 7 | 7 | [2] |
BAE Systems Hawk T.2 | United Kingdom | Jet | Jet trainer | 2009 | 28 + 56 | 156 | [2] 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[33][34] |
Beechcraft Texan T1 | United States | Propeller | Trainer | 2018 | 14 | 39 | [2] |
Embraer Phenom T.1 | Brazil | Jet | Trainer | 2018 | 5 | 5 | [2] |
Grob Prefect T.1 | Germany | Propeller | Trainer | 2018 | 23 | 23 | [2] |
Grob Tutor T.1 | Germany | Propeller | Trainer | 1999 | 91 [e] | 119 | [2] Used by the RAF Air Experience Flight. 28 Tutors have been sold to the Finnish Air Force as of 2018 [35] |
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[2] |
Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance UAVs | |||||||
General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper | United States | UAV | ISR / Attack | 2007 | 9 | 10 | [2] Expected OSD 2024. To be replaced by Protector UAV[36][37] |
Protector RG1 | United States | UAV | ISR / Attack | 2023 | 1 | 16 | 16 ordered; first aircraft delivered in September 2023[38] |
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Aerospace Hawk T.1 | United Kingdom | Jet | Trainer | 1980 | 12 | 12 | [2] Retired from aggressor role in March 2022;[39] retained by the Red Arrows; to be retired by 2030.[40] |
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | 6 | 6 | 1 Mk IIa, 1 Mk Vb, 1 LF.IXe, 1 LF.XVIe, 2 PR.XIX |
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack helicopters | |||||||
AgustaWestland Apache AH1 | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Attack | 2004 | 28 | 66 | [2] 50 to be upgraded to AH-64E Apache Guardian specification by 2024[41] |
Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian | United States | Rotorcraft | Attack | 2020 | 58[42] | 60 | [43] 60 Apache AH1 will be remanufactured to AH-64E specification. Armed with M230 cannon and JAGM, Hellfire K1 and Hellfire Romeo missiles. |
Reconnaissance helicopters | |||||||
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Utility | 2014 | 45 | 50 | [2] |
Transport helicopters | |||||||
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II | France | Rotorcraft | SAS | 2009 | 5[44] | 6 | |
UAV | |||||||
Thales Watchkeeper WK450 | United Kingdom | UAV | ISR | 2014 | 49 | 50 | [2] |
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat Aircraft | |||||||
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning | United States | Jet | Multi-role | 2013 | 34 | 34 | Jointly operated with Royal Air Force. Initial Operational Capability (Maritime) in 2020;[45] 809 Naval Air Squadron stood up in December 2023 with squadron operational capability projected for 2025[46] |
Attack helicopters | |||||||
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2 | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Attack | 2014 | 28 | 28 | [2] |
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2 | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | ASW/AEW | 2000 | 44 | 44 | [2] Expected OSD 2040[47][48] |
Transport helicopters | |||||||
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Mk4/4A | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Transport | 2000 | 62 | 72 | [2] Expected OSD 2040[47][48] |
Trainer Aircraft | |||||||
Beechcraft Avenger | United States | Propeller | Trainer | 2011 | 4 | 4 | [2] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by 750 Naval Air Squadron |
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.
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agusta AW109 | Italy | Rotorcraft | Utility | 1 | 1 | QinetiQ, Boscombe Down | |
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II | France | Rotorcraft | Utility | 1999 | 2 | 2 | [2] Used as transport of instructors as part of FOST training. Operated by British International Helicopters under MRCOA[f] [49] |
Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil | France | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 3 | 3 | Cobham Helicopter Academy, Newquay under CFAOS[g] | |
Eurofighter Typhoon | United Kingdom | Jet | Multi-role | 3 | 3 | BAE Systems, Warton[h] | |
Hawker Hunter | UK | Jet | Fighter | 3 | 3[50] | Hawker Hunter Aviation, RAF Scampton | |
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II | United States | Jet | Multi-role | 2013 | - | - | Four of 34 F-35Bs operated in the United States by 17 Squadron RAF; test and evaluation role[51] |
Westland Sea King | United Kingdom | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 2 | 2 | HeliOperations under CFAOS[i] | |
Airbus Zephyr | United Kingdom | High-altitude pseudo-satellite | UAV | 3 | 3 | Solar-powered long-endurance UAV; observation and communications platform[52][53] |
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grob Prefect T.1 | Germany | Propeller | Trainer | 2018 | 23 | 23 | [2] |
Beechcraft Texan T.1 | United States | Propeller | Trainer | 2018 | 14 | 14 | [2] |
Embraer Phenom T.1 | Brazil | Jet | Trainer | 2018 | 5 | 5 | [2] |
Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 | Germany | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 2018 | 29 | 29 | [2] |
Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 | Germany | Rotorcraft | Trainer | 2018 | 7 | 7 | [2] |
The UK's F-35 fleet has grown to 24 aircraft after @OC207Sqn pilots ferried three new jets from the @LockheedMartin plant in Fort Worth, Texas.
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