The cost to build, acquire, or maintain even a single advanced fighter aircraft is immense, and this is one of the reasons why only the richest and most advanced countries have fleets of advanced fighter jets. In addition, the geopolitical alliances, concern for industrial espionage, and national security requirements by the countries, such as the U.S., that manufacture these aircraft mean that only a select number of countries are allowed to purchase these war machines. While there are several sizable air forces worldwide, a majority of them operate older, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation fighter jets, and only a handful field what can be considered advanced fighter jets.
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In terms of fleet size and composition, for military forces worldwide, the bulk of their fighter aircraft are composed of the 4++ generation fighters, which include the American-made Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the McDonnell Douglas F-15E/EX Strike Eagle. From Russia, there is the Mikoyan MiG-35, Sukhoi Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35, while for China, their fleet consists of the Shenyang J-15B/J-16 and Chengdu J-10C, while for the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Germany, it is the Eurofighter Typhoon
For 5th generation aircraft and operators, it is limited to a handful of countries, including the United States, with the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lighting II, Russia with the Sukhoi 57 Felon, and China with its Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, that field the most advanced fighters. Because of its current inventory, the U.S. takes the lead, as the F-35 Lighting II is the most prolific fighter currently made, with 1,000 built as of 2024, followed by the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, estimated at 200 aircraft, while the F-22 Raptor has 186 units produced.
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