The armed forces had 249 helicopters in 2026, down from 372 in 2016
Royal Navy ships, 2000 to 2026, and combat jets, helicopters and Army armoured vehicles, 2016 to 2026, UK, on 1 April each year. Number of ships, aircraft and vehicles.
A third fewer, counted on 1 April each year
Latest figures
| Series | Period | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Warships and submarines: Frigates | 1 April 2026 | 7 |
| Warships and submarines: Destroyers | 1 April 2026 | 6 |
| Warships and submarines: Attack submarines | 1 April 2026 | 5 |
| Other Royal Navy ships: Minehunters | 1 April 2026 | 7 |
| Other Royal Navy ships: Amphibious assault ships | 1 April 2026 | 0 |
| Other Royal Navy ships: Aircraft carriers | 1 April 2026 | 2 |
| Combat jets: All combat jets | 1 April 2026 | 171 |
| Combat jets: Typhoon | 1 April 2026 | 124 |
| Combat jets: F-35 Lightning | 1 April 2026 | 47 |
| Helicopters: All helicopters | 1 April 2026 | 249 |
| Helicopters: Chinook | 1 April 2026 | 45 |
| Helicopters: Apache | 1 April 2026 | 47 |
| Army tanks and armoured vehicles: Warrior armoured vehicles | 1 April 2026 | 526 |
| Army tanks and armoured vehicles: Challenger 2 tanks | 1 April 2026 | 285 |
| Army tanks and armoured vehicles: AS90 heavy guns | 1 April 2026 | 0 |
Findings
Notes
- Frigates are warships built mainly to hunt submarines; destroyers mainly defend ships against attack from the air. Attack submarines are the nuclear-powered submarines that hunt ships and other submarines and can fire cruise missiles. The submarines that carry the UK's nuclear weapons are not included.
- Minehunters find and clear sea mines. Amphibious assault ships carry troops, vehicles and helicopters to land them from the sea. Aircraft carriers carry jets and helicopters.
- Ships are counted whatever their readiness, including those being refitted or repaired, because that is the only count the older tables give.
- There are no figures for ships in 2001 to 2005 or for 2015: the lines join the years either side.
- Combat jets are the RAF's Typhoon, the F-35 Lightning, which the RAF and the Royal Navy fly together, and the Tornado, which the RAF had retired by 1 April 2019 and is counted in all combat jets until then. Chinooks are large helicopters that carry troops and supplies; Apaches are attack helicopters. All aircraft held are counted, including those in storage, being serviced or used for training.
- Challenger 2 is the Army's main battle tank. Warrior is a tracked armoured vehicle that carries infantry soldiers into battle. AS90 is a heavy gun on tracks that fires shells over long distances.
- In 2025 the Ministry of Defence began listing all the Army's land equipment, and its count of Challenger 2 tanks went from 219 on 1 April 2024 to 288 on 1 April 2025. The two counts can't be compared, so the line for tanks breaks there.
- Earlier tables counted aircraft and vehicles differently, so they start in 2016. Each year's figures come from the newest edition of the tables that has them.