In this article, we look at 15 countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis on trends in the aerospace industry with a focus on some of leading companies operating in the market, and head over directly to the 5 Countries with the Most Special-Mission Aircraft in the World.
Special-mission aircraft are designed to perform roles beyond traditional military combat missions, such as reconnaissance, surveillance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and humanitarian aid, among several other reasons for flying them. According to a report in the Globe Newswire, the market size for special-mission aircraft was valued at over $15 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.74% to touch $24 billion by 2032. Experts believe the demand for these aircraft is driven by an increased need for aerial surveillance of military operations.
Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) is one of the leading companies in the industry and manufactures a variety of special-mission aircraft. Its Super King Air family has been produced since 1974 by its subsidiary, Beechcraft, which has widely been used by militaries across the world. Currently, Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) offers the 250 and 350 models for government and commercial use.
The King Air 350ER has been designed to meet several challenging needs of special operations, ranging from pilot training and surveillance to maritime patrol and air ambulance. The aircraft has a payload capacity of more than 1,600 kg and is powered by two engines, with a maximum speed of 561 km/h. About 107 King Air 350/200 aircraft are currently in service with the United States military for its special operations. Earlier this month, Canada received the delivery of the first of three King Air 350ER ordered from Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) for military use in 2019. The remaining two are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2024.
Another major player in the industry is The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), which has built the E-3 AWACS. The aircraft is designed to carry out airborne surveillance as well as the C3 functions – command, control, and communication for air defense forces. The E-3 was first introduced in 1977. A total of 33 aircraft were operated by the US Air Force (USAF) as of 2020.
The aircraft’s radar surveillance capabilities include a 360 degrees view of the horizon through its look-down radar, along with a range of 320 kilometers, which help in identifying targets in the air and sea, both. NATO’s early warning force also has a fleet of 14 E-3A aircraft. The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) in 2019 received a $1 billion contract from NATO to modernize its aircraft fleet to keep it going till 2035.
The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is also the producer of the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, which was primarily built for the Australian Air Force, but is now in use by South Korea and Turkiye as well. According to FlightGlobal, the USAF has 26 of these on order. The twin-engine special-mission aircraft is based on the 737 Next Generation design and is lighter than the E-3 Sentry.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)’s E-2 Hawkeye still remains a hot-seller in the market. The tactical airborne early warning aircraft, which is also carrier-capable, was first introduced in 1964. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is its latest variant, and was launched in 2007. 88 units of the new version are currently in use around the world. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has enhanced the capabilities of the aircraft with the addition of a new AN/APY-9 radar, which offers electronic scanning capabilities to see small targets from a distance.
According to Naval News, the US Navy awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for the procurement of 24 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft between 2019 and 2023. Japan also has 13 more on order after receiving five already between 2019 and 2022. France is also purchasing three E-2Ds to replace the E-2C Hawkeyes currently in service.
15 Countries with the Most Special-Mission Aircraft in the World
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Methodology
Countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world are ranked in ascending order of their fleet size. Data has been sourced from FlightGlobal’s 2024 World Air Forces Directory. In cases where two or more countries had the same number of aircraft in their fleet, we outranked one over the other based on the capabilities of their special-mission aircraft.
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With that said, let's now head over to the list of countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world.
15 Countries with the Most Special-Mission Aircraft in the World:
15. Pakistan
Special-Mission Aircraft: 25
Pakistan has 25 special-mission aircraft, of which 11 are operated by the Air Force, 3 by the Army, while the remaining 11 are in use by the Navy. Some of the most notable aircraft used by Pakistan for its special military operations include Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 20, Saab 340 AEW&C, Shaanxi Y-8, and King Air 350, among others. The country is among the strongest in the world for military power. You can read more on this here.
14. Mexico
Special-Mission Aircraft: 25
Next on our list of countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world is Mexico, which has a fleet of 25 aircraft. About half of these were procured from Indonesia. These are 7 C212 and 6 CN235. Other special-mission aircraft operated by Mexico include 7 King Air 350, 3 Brazilian ERJ-145, and one Cessna Citation I.
13. United Kingdom
Special-Mission Aircraft: 26
The main special-mission aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force is Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon. It is one of the most advanced aircraft for intelligence and reconnaissance purposes, and is also capable of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. Other special-mission aircraft operated by the UK include King Air 350, RC-135W, and AW101 Merlin.
12. Canada
Special-Mission Aircraft: 26
Canada’s fleet of 26 special-mission aircraft include 14 CP-140 Aurora and 7 C-130 Hercules, both built by the Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). Besides this, the Canadian Air Force also operates 5 C-295 manufactured by Spanish company CASA which was absorbed into Airbus in 2009.
11. Colombia
Special-Mission Aircraft: 27
Next up on our list is Colombia, with 27 special-mission aircraft. A majority of these aircraft are in service of the Air Force, including 6 Basler BT-67, 6 Cessna 208, 5 Citation Ultra, 3 King Air 350, and 1 CN235. The Colombian army and navy operate four and two aircraft for special operations, respectively.
10. Italy
Special-Mission Aircraft: 28
Italy’s fleet of special-mission aircraft comprises 13 Tornado ECR. The electronic combat and reconnaissance aircraft was jointly built by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The country also operates several locally, Leonardo-built aircraft, including 4 ATR 72 and 3 C-27J. Other special-mission aircraft in service of the Italian military are General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)’s Gulfstream G550 and Textron’s King Air 350.
9. Australia
Special-Mission Aircraft: 32
All of Australia’s special-mission aircraft are operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The majority of the fleet’s aircraft are built by Boeing. These include 12 EA-18G Growler, a specialized version of the F/A-18F Super Hornet; 12 P-8 Poseidon with another three on order; and 6 E-7 Wedgetail. The fleet also has three AP-3C Orion special-mission aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). According to FlightGlobal, Australia has between 3-4 Gulfstream G550 aircraft on order with General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD).
8. South Korea
Special-Mission Aircraft: 33
South Korea is among countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world. Nineteen of the 33 aircraft are operated by the Navy, while 14 are in service of the Air Force. Combined, 16 of these comprise Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s four-engined, maritime surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft, the P-3 Orion. It also has 8 Hawker 800, 4 Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, 3 P-8 Poseidon, and 2 Falcon 2000 in its fleet.
7. Germany
Special-Mission Aircraft: 37
Germany operates 37 special-mission aircraft, of which 30 are the Tornado ECR (EW) built by the Panavia Aircraft, as part of a joint project involving Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The country also uses four Lockheed P-3 Orion, two Dornier 228, and an A319 for its special operations. In 2022, Bombardier announced the conversion of three Global 6000 business jets to spy planes for the German military. The order is set for delivery in 2026.
6. France
Special-Mission Aircraft: 44
France is sixth on our list of countries with the most special-mission aircraft in the world, with a fleet size of 44. Most of the aircraft are locally-built by Dassault Aviation, and comprise Falcon 20, Falcon 50, and the Atlantique 2. Aircraft procured from overseas by France and used for special military operations include three Northrop Grumman E2 Hawkeyes (both C and D variants), along with Textron’s King Air 350, and Boeing E-3 Sentry.
