The United States is the world leader in air power, and that is in no small part thanks to its dominating fleet of fighter jets. Not only does the US have the most in the world, but it also has the most advanced warplanes with the highest trained aircrews, even compared to the top near-peer adversaries.

The United States boasts over 2,000 fighter jets across the US Air Force, Navy, and Marines, as sources like the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) illustrate. That is more than double what Russia can field and overshadows China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) even more.

So the question is, where does this vast armada reside? To answer that simply, the answer would be: all over the world. However, there are some key air bases with high concentrations of fighter squadrons. Some bases can swell in jet count during exercises to house more fighters on-site than some nations have in their entire air force. So, without any further ado, let’s go down the list of the five absolute largest fighter bases.

5

Hill Air Force Base

78 Fighter Jets

A vital hub for logistics, maintenance, and F-35 fighter operations, Hill AFB is a significant Air Force Material Command base in Northern Utah. With more than 26,000 military and civilian employees, it is Utah’s biggest single-site employer.

The Air Force Reserve’s 419th Fighter Wing and the active-duty 388th Fighter Wing operate 78 F-35A Lightning IIs at Hill AFB. These were the Air Force’s first two operational, combat-capable F-35A units, and they regularly engage in combat deployments, local flyovers, and training across the globe. The F-35A Demonstration Team is based at Hill AFB.

The Ogden Air Logistics Complex (OO-ALC) at Hill AFB serves as the principal center for F-16 scheduled depot maintenance (PDM). Although the facility no longer houses a permanent operating fleet of F-16s, the aircraft may still be seen as they visit the site for scheduled depot maintenance. The Ogden ALC has overseen difficult initiatives to regenerate F-16s from storage for international military sales.

Hill AFB does not have any operating A-10 Thunderbolt II « Warthog » aircraft, but it is the principal depot repair facility and program office for the whole A-10 fleet. Personnel at Hill AFB execute vital, in-depth A-10 maintenance, repair, and overhaul tasks. This has involved a major initiative to replace the wings of 173 A-10s in order to extend their service life.

4

Eglin Air Force Base

90+ Fighter Jets

Eglin AFB, located in the western Florida panhandle, is a premier US Air Force Materiel Command base that serves as the focal point for all Air Force armaments and a major joint training center. The base does not have a single, fixed number of operational fighter jets like a typical combat-coded base, as its mission involves testing and training with a rotating inventory.

The core permanent units operate around 90 to 100 assigned aircraft across more than 30 different airframes. The 33rd Fighter Wing, a major training unit for the F-35A, B, and C variants for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, is authorized to operate 59 F-35s. The base is a key testing ground for the newest F-15EX Eagle II, which is designed to replace aging F-15C/Ds across the Air Force fleet.

Although the main F-22 training squadron moved from Eglin to Virginia in 2021, the F-22 is still part of the test aircraft inventory for the 96th Test Wing, which has 20 test planes over a range of airframes. F-16s are used by the 40th Flight Test Squadron and 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron as platforms for testing new weapons, avionics, and AI-driven capabilities.

In 2025, a USAF F-22 set the record with the longest known AMRAAM air-to-air missile shot by a fifth-generation fighter in the world. Defence Industry reported that Sam Deneke, president of Air & Space Defense Systems at Raytheon, commented:

“Achieving air superiority in the future, highly contested battlespace depends on the precision and lethality of air-to-air missiles. AMRAAM is already known as the gold standard for the air dominance arena, and these tests prove it will continue to play a critical role for the U.S. and its allies for decades to come.”

The record is a direct response to the increasing range of adversary missiles, specifically China’s PL-15 and Russia’s R-37M. By extending the AMRAAM’s reach, the US aims to close the « engagement gap » even more with the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). Until the JATM is fully operational, the extended-range AMRAAM ensures that the F-22 and F-35 remain the world’s most lethal air superiority platforms despite their limited internal weapons bay capacity.

3

Kadena Air Force Base

80+ Fighter Jets

Through a system of rotating deployments, Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan, now maintains a continual presence of around 50 fighters at a time. The base hosts temporary deployments of fourth and fifth-generation fighters, such as F-35As, F-22 Raptors, F-16s, and F-15Es, to supplement the aging fleet of 48 permanently assigned F-15C/D Eagles.

Kadena is in the process of preparing for the arrival of the F-15EX Eagle II to replace its legacy fighters and maintains an average of 80 jets at the base, according to Military.com data. Deliveries are expected between March and June 2026, while other squadron rotations at Kadena Air Base serve as a « bridge » to ensure a consistent presence as the base transitions to its new fleet.

Two F-15EX Eagle II aircraft from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron of Eglin AFB set down at Kadena Air Base on July 12, 2025. Brigadier General John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander, foreshadowed the base’s future in his remarks when the new air superiority fighters arrived:

“The arrival of the F-15EX at Kadena marks more than just a training opportunity, it’s a glimpse into the future of airpower in the Indo-Pacific. By operating this next-generation platform in its future environment, we’re laying the groundwork for seamless integration, sustained readiness, and a decisive edge in a rapidly evolving security landscape.”

Fighter jets at Japan’s Kadena Air Base are mainly used for regional deterrence and as a platform for forward power projection in the Indo-Pacific region, which is known as the « Keystone of the Pacific » because of its advantageous location. The US and its Japanese allies demonstrate strong resolve against regional threats by keeping a high state of readiness and displaying overwhelming air power.

2

Nellis Air Force Base

150+ Fighter Jets

Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) does not have a single, set number for its entire fleet because it accommodates both permanently stationed aircraft and aircraft participating in major exercises such as Red Flag. The number of aircraft on the flight line is typically between 100 and 150. « Aggressor » aircraft make up a significant portion of the permanent fleet and are used in training exercises to mimic hostile threats.

The base is home to several permanent fighter squadrons that fly and maintain a diverse fleet for testing, tactics development, and adversary training. The permanently assigned aircraft include F-35A Lightning IIs, F-22A Raptors, F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, and F-15E Strike Eagles. These jets are used by the USAF Weapons School and the 57th Wing’s various test and aggressor squadrons.

Nellis hosted the Bamboo Eagle 25-2 exercise in August 2025, which saw over 100 participating aircraft operating from more than 15 locations. Air Combat Command’s Lieutenant General Michael Koscheski explained the importance of such drills in these comments:

“Bamboo Eagle demonstrates our ability to generate combat readiness while collaborating with combatant commands and the joint force. Bamboo Eagle 25-3 builds on the tactical focus of Red Flag exercises challenging participants to operate in a combat representative environment.”

Red Flag is the Air Force’s premier aerial combat exercise, held multiple times a year since 1975. It aims to provide pilots with their first « 10 combat missions » in a safe but highly realistic environment to increase survivability in real war. Red Flag includes the USAF, Navy, Marine Corps, and a wide array of international allies, including the Royal Air Force (UK) and Royal Australian Air Force.

1

Luke Air Force Base

150+ Fighter Jets

After being the world’s best F-16 Fighting Falcon training facility last year, Luke AFB is now the main F-35A Lightning II training hub. Approximately 75% of F-35 pilots worldwide are trained at Luke AFB. Currently, the base operates more than 120 F-35As. It is nearing the end of a multi-year expansion with six specialized squadrons totaling 144 F-35s.

Approximately 20 F-16s remain on base. While the U.S. Air Force completed its divestment of permanently assigned training F-16s in March 2025, the base continues to host F-16s for the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Private « Red Air » contractors, such as Top Aces and ATAC, also operate a small number of retired fighter jets, like F-16s and Mirage F1s, at Luke to provide adversary training for student pilots.

Luke is close to the Barry M. Goldwater Range, which spans 1.7 million acres of airspace and the sophisticated electronic sensors needed to track the F-35’s advanced data-linking. It hosts large-scale events such as IP War Day (Instructor Pilot War Day), in which dozens of aircraft from the Air Force, Air National Guard, and Marine Corps simulate joint aerial combat missions.

BMGR is equipped with electronic combat systems, including threat simulation, moving target systems, and tactical datalinks. These allow for real-time monitoring and recorded playback for pilot debriefs. It features four manned target complexes, an aerial gunnery range, and three tactical ranges. Pilots use these to practice dropping conventional bombs and engaging ground targets with guns.