US dominates global fighter jet exports as Russia’s arms sales collapse
March 15, 2026
The United States dominates in combat aircraft and combat helicopter export orders. The gap increases even more when the quality gap is accounted for, with some countries’ exports dominated by lower-end advanced trainer/light combat aircraft.
New SIPRI arms exports: US, France up, Russia, Switzerland down
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its new Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2025 in March 2026.
The five largest exporters of major arms in 2021–25 were 🇺🇸USA, 🇫🇷France, 🇷🇺Russia, 🇩🇪Germany and 🇨🇳China.
— SIPRI (@SIPRIorg) March 9, 2026
Read the fact sheet ➡️ https://t.co/GwFPE32DjS#ArmsTransfers #GlobalArmsTrade #ArmsData #DefenseSpending #SIPRIData @hrw @UNIDIR @CAATuk @UN_Disarmament @_ENAAT… pic.twitter.com/bUIqDSF8Po
As expected, the report’s five-year rolling average shows the continual collapse in Russian arms exports, with France having firmly become the world’s second-largest arms exporter, accounting for 9.8% share.
The US remains dominant, having accounted for 42% of the world’s major arms transfers between 2021 and 2025, up from 36% between 2016 and 2020.
Russia’s share has fallen from 21% between 2016 and 2020 to just 6.8% between 2016 and 2020, and is now at risk of falling below Germany (5.8%), China (5.7%), and Italy (5.1%). Italy has seen its exports surge 157% compared with the previous five-year period, while Russia’s have cratered 64%.
With Switzerland blocking its weapons from being shipped to Ukraine, citing its neutrality, Swiss exports have also taken a massive hit, falling 51% from a 0.7% global share to just 0.3%. In aviation, notable Swiss exports include the Pilatus advanced air trainers.
In perhaps the worst possible advertisement for Swiss weapons, in 2023, Swiss President Alain Berset said, “Swiss weapons must not be used in wars” in an interview.
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United States dominates warplane exports
SPIRI’s dataset also includes a section for selected major arms on order or preselected for future orders from the ten largest arms suppliers expected to be exported after 2025.
SPIRI notes, “It is very difficult to make predictions about future trends in arms transfers. Nevertheless, data on orders and final negotiations of orders can give a rough indication of which states will be among the largest suppliers in the coming years.”
The overwhelming majority of combat aircraft orders are from the United States. SPRI records that the country has 936 aircraft on export order, which include combat/trainer aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. SPRI does not break these orders down by type.
Largest Arms Suppliers’ Combat Aircraft Export Orders (select aircraft named):
- United States: 936 (F-35, F-16, F-15, P-8)
- France: 180+ (Rafale)
- China: 90 (JL-10, possibly JF-17)
- South Korea: 88 (T-50)
- Italy: 69 (M-346)
- Russia: 68+ (Su-57, Su-30/34/35, Yak-130)
- United Kingdom: 20 (Eurofighter Typhoon)
Most of these are Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets being ordered by the UK, Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany, Greece, Belgium, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, and others.
The F-15 remains in production and export, with Israel recently ordering another 25 examples. The status of Kuwait’s order for a couple of dozen F/A-18 Super Hornets is confusing.
The other type of fighter jet being exported is the F-16 Fighting Falcon, with around 100 F-16s on order for countries like Bulgaria and Turkey.
Other aircraft that would make it into this number would include the P-8 Poseidon with units on order by Canada, Germany, and Singapore.
French combat aircraft export orders
The primary combat aircraft France offers on the export market is the Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jet. SIPRI lists France as having 180+ combat aircraft on order, most or all of which are Rafales.
Even this may be a somewhat conservative count and already out of date. In January 2026, Dassault reported it had delivered 26 Rafales, including 15 for export and 11 for France.
During that year, it received a further 26 export orders, bringing its backlog to 175 export orders, plus another 45 examples on order by French forces for a total of 220.
This does not include the up to 100 Rafales that Ukraine signed a letter of intent for in 2025, nor does it include the 114 Rafales that India approved in February 2026. 18 of these will be built in France, with the remaining 96 being assembled locally. They are being procured for both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
Other countries’ combat aircraft exports
The next countries with the most combat aircraft exports are China at 90, South Korea at 88, Italy at 69, Russia at 68+, and the United Kingdom at 20. Note that Sweden, Turkey, and Pakistan have combat aircraft exports, but they are not in the overall top ten arms exporters and so are excluded.
These a mixed bag of high-end fighters and lower-end light attack aircraft/advanced trainers. The 20 British exports are almost certainly the 20 Eurofighter Typhoons being exported to Turkey.
China’s export composition is uncertain. It is unclear if it includes the low-end multirole fighter, the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder. The JF-17 is being exported to countries like Nigeria and Azerbaijan, with more signing contracts for it.
Many of the exports are likely advanced trainer/light fighter aircraft like the Hongdu JL-10. China has higher-end fighter jets for the export market, like the J-10C and now the J-35, but so far, it doesn’t appear that many contracts for exports of these aircraft have been signed for whatever reason.
Indonesia is known to be considering purchasing J-10Cs, while rumours that Egypt had purchased it appears to be false.
South Korea is working on developing its higher-end KF-21 fighter jet, but most of its orders are currently the lower-end advanced trainer/light KAI T-50 Golden Eagle combat aircraft. 36 of which are on order by Poland and another 12 by the Philippines.
Italy’s exports are dominated by the Aermacchi M-346 Master light fighter/advanced trainer. Nigeria has 24 on order, and Austria has 12 on order with 12 more options.
Italy, Germany, and Spain have all placed orders for the Eurofighter, but these might not count as exports in SIPRI data.
Russia’s exports of combat aircraft
Russia has seen its fighter jet exports collapse since the US passed the CAATSA Act in 2017, which was followed by a wave of cancellations from Egypt, Indonesia, and others. Other countries like Vietnam and Serbia walked away from Russian fighter jets before placing orders.
Now, Russia is left with a limited export pool of customers that includes Belarus, Algeria, and Iran. Even the 68+ exports are likely overly optimistic for Russia. Russia has its Su-57, Su-30/35/34, and Yak-130 on export.
The modernised MiG-29, the MiG-35, was a disaster that attracted no export orders. Its unclear if Russia’s showy Su-75 Checkmate is going anywhere in its development due to a lack of investment and interest.
The first issue with Russia’s export numbers, this number almost certainly includes the 12 new Indian Su-30MKI India ordered last year. These are locally built Indian fighter jets under license, with only a comparatively minimal number of parts (including the engines) coming from Russia. These are to replace Indian Su-30 losses from crashes over the years.
Another issue is that the number likely includes the 24+ (perhaps 48) Iranian orders for Su-35 fighter jets. The 2026 Israeli and American strikes on Iran raise serious questions about whether these will ever be delivered.
The more likely orders are those ordered by Algeria; these include 12 Su-57s and 14 Su-34s in a Black Mirror leak. The leak included six Su-35s for Ethiopia, although this order is considered old and cancelled.
Combat helicopters & SAMs on order
When it comes to combat helicopters on order, again, the US dominates with 254 examples on order, of which 96 are AH-64 Apaches for Poland. This is more than 80% of those listed among the top arms exporters.
Largest Arms Suppliers’ Combat Helicopter Export Orders:
- United States: 254
- China: 29
- Italy: 12
- UK: 9
- Russia: 6+
- France: 2
Other countries include China with 29 orders, Italy with 12 orders, the UK with nine orders, Russia with 6+ orders, and France with 2 orders.
When it comes to SAM systems, Israel leads with 78+ orders, followed by Germany at 66+, the US at 55+, Russia at 43, South Korea at 24, the United Kingdom at 17, France at 14, and China with 1+.
Featured Image: Lockheed Martin
