4 Most Exported US Jet Fighters

According to the 2025 World Air Forces directory — a database that tracks the military aircraft fleets across the globe — there are 161 nations that operate military aircrafts. When it comes to fighter jets, Boeing and Lockheed Martin manufacture four of the top 10 used around the world. The others are exported from Russia, China, and one from Europe. While both defense contractors are based in the United States, and their biggest customer is undoubtedly the U.S. government — a military with over 13,000 military aircraft in operation, nearly 3,000 of which are combat platforms — their clientele extends beyond America's borders. 

Like Microsoft and Apple, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are businesses that rely on a variety of customers. There are multiple hot zones around the world, which prompts some governments to procure additional military aircraft. January 2024 saw both the U.S. and U.K. strike Houthi rebels in Yemen, Israel continues its conflict in Gaza with Hamas — but also increased its activity against Iran — and Ukraine is still defending itself against the invading forces of Russia. In fact, Ukraine has acquired three additional military planes since last year, putting its total inventory at 324. 

Something American engineers do well is develop powerful and versatile weapons for war, specifically fighter jets. These are the most-exported fighter jets coming out of the U.S.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a 50-year-old fighter jet that's still in use today. Governments around the world see its value and continue placing orders for their militaries. In fact, it's the most common fighter jet used around the world, with 2,084 units in service between active duty and training applications, making up 15% of the combat jets in the air. 

The United States Air Force's inventory only accounts for 708 of those active units, which means more than half of the active F-16s are operated by foreign nations. It's rather popular, especially since the newest F-16V — also referred to as the Block 70/72 — variant has pushed the 50-year-old fighter jet into a better position for interoperation with fifth-generation fighters.

Lockheed Martin has called the Block 70/72 version "The most technologically advanced 4th generation fighter in the world." Even without the new variant, the F-16 has always been a favorite fighter jet. Its design was born out of the '70s when America wanted aircraft specifically for dogfighting. In the modern day, however, it's used for multiple roles, including air-to-ground missions. It wasn't intended to fill that role, but the Air Force found that its airframe could support heavier payloads, as well as additional fuel.

The F-16 has an impressive weight-to-thrust ratio, which makes it an especially agile little fighter. It was the first fighter jet in the world to use fly-by-wire systems, which makes small adjustments to the aircraft's avionics as the pilot maneuvers it. NATO members have sent nearly 100 F-16s to Ukraine.

The F-16 isn't the only maneuverable fighter jet made by U.S. companies enjoyed around the world. Around 6% of the fighter jets operated around the world are different variants of the F-15 Eagle, a combat jet that made its first flight in 1972. Just slightly older than the F-16, it's equally impactful in the skies. 

The United States has the most F-15s in its military, with 368 out of the 919 jets that are active around the world. It's currently the only nation to currently use the F-15EX, though — sometimes referred to as the U.S. Air Force's missile truck — a heavily modified version of the Eagle that can fly faster and has more hardpoints for additional weaponry.

Other nations commonly receive the A/B/C/D variants, but there are some that have their own iterations. Japan's Air Self-Defense Force, for example, operates 155 F-15Js, a modified version of the F-15 licensed from Boeing by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, while Israel has its F-15IA. Part of the F-15's appeal is its maneuverability, due in part to its low wing-loading, the ratio of the fighter jet's entire weight compared to its wing area. 

The F-15E Strike is a bit different from the original F-15 variations. It adds a second seat to support a weapon systems officer (WSO), allowing the pilot to focus more on the flying and fighting, while the WSO keeps an eye on radar and other sensors.

The F/A-18 Hornet is purchased from other countries roughly just as much as the F-15 Eagle, with a 6% share in the market. That's 827 Hornets in operation. Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, and Switzerland all operate the older McDonnell Douglas variations of the "Legacy" Hornet, but Kuwait has ordered 28 of Boeing's F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. 

The Super Hornets are similar to the Legacy version, with identical ejection seats, avionics, radar, armament, and maintenance procedures. However, it weighs 7,000 pounds more than its predecessor without any fuel or weapons loaded. The U.S. Navy has retired the old McDonnel Douglas versions (A/B/C/D), relegating its remaining inventory to training.

The F-35 Lightning II has since replaced the Legacy Hornet on American aircraft carriers, but $82 million per unit isn't as easy for other countries to swing as $29 million per unit. To give an idea of how old the F/A-18 is, the A and B iterations first deployed in 1983, and the C and D versions followed in 1987. The Super Hornet — the E/F versions — didn't start service until 1999 when they replaced the F-14 Tomcat. The Hornet platform is a versatile one, capable of air-to-air as well as air-to-ground missions, making it an appealing purchase for international customers.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II is the only fifth-generation fighter jet from the United States being exported to other nations, since the F-22 is banned from being exported. Making up around 5% of fighter jets in service, the F-35 has been purchased by Australia, the U.K., Italy, and South Korea, with several other nations like Canada and Germany waiting for their deliveries. Lockheed Martin has delivered over 1,000 F-35s around the world. Over 600 of those have gone to the United States, where they're used primarily as a frontline interceptor, but many are also utilized for training purposes.

Greece got the seal of approval from the U.S. to order F-35As in January 2024. Of all the countries in the F-35 program, there are 330 being used both actively and in a training capacity, but that's not including all of the units that have been ordered. Australia has over 30 on order. Belgium doesn't currently have any, but has ordered almost 40. Canada, on the other hand, is waiting for Lockheed to deliver 88 F-35s.

The F-35 might not fly as fast as the F-15E — Mach 1.6 versus the Eagle's Mach 2.5 — but it's less observable on radar than every other fighter America exports. Its weapons are even housed behind small doors to minimize its signature on sensors. Having a fifth-generation fighter gives countries a major advantage, it just has a steeper price tag than most other fighters on the market. Depending on the variant, it can cost anywhere between $82.5 million and $102 million.