Which Countries Have the F-35? Full Operator List 2026

Twenty countries have the F-35 or have ordered it: the United States and 19 allies in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. Thirteen of them are flying the jet in service or have taken delivery at home, and seven are waiting for their first aircraft to arrive.

The list is still changing. Finland received its first jets at Rovaniemi in 2026, the US State Department approved a sale to Saudi Arabia in September, and Canada has spent more than a year reviewing its order. This guide sets out which countries have the F-35, how many each plans to buy and who has been turned away.

Which countries fly the F-35 today?

The United States is by far the largest user, with the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps all operating the type. The other operators with jets in service are listed below. Planned totals come from national announcements and are liable to change.

Recent arrivals are covered in our reports on Finland’s first F-35As. What the three variants are is explained in F-35A vs F-35B vs F-35C.

Which countries have ordered the F-35 but are still waiting?

Seven customers have signed for the jet but do not yet have it at home. Several have aircraft in production or pilots in training in the United States.

For Switzerland, see our report on assembly of the first Swiss F-35A. What these countries pay is set out in how much an F-35 costs.

Which countries were refused or dropped out?

Washington decides who may buy the F-35, and it has said no or attached conditions several times.

The Saudi case is the first approval for an Arab state since the UAE deal stalled. Israel has raised concerns, and US officials have indicated that Saudi aircraft would not necessarily have every capability Israel’s have. Portugal, which must replace its F-16s, has not decided; a European alternative is described in our report on the Eurofighter offer to Portugal.

Why do so many countries buy the F-35?

There is no other Western stealth fighter on sale. A buyer who wants low observability and the sensor fusion described in F-35 sensors has one choice until European and Asian sixth-generation projects deliver in the late 2030s.

Numbers matter too. With 13 European air forces committed, the jet offers shared training, spares pools and tactics, and aircraft from different countries can exchange data without translation. For NATO members that host US nuclear bombs, it is also the aircraft certified to carry the B61-12.

The counter-argument is dependence. Software, mission data and many spare parts come from the United States, and since 2025 politicians in Canada, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal have questioned whether that is wise. The basics of the aircraft are in what the F-35 is.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries have the F-35?

Twenty, counting the United States and 19 allies that operate it or have ordered it.

Which country has the most F-35s?

The United States, with a planned fleet of 2,456. Japan is the largest foreign customer with 147 planned.

Does Turkey have the F-35?

No. Turkey was removed from the programme in July 2019 after buying the Russian S-400 air defence system.

Which Middle Eastern countries have the F-35?

Only Israel operates it. A sale to Saudi Arabia was approved by the US State Department in September 2026 but is not final.

Does India have the F-35?

No. The United States offered it in February 2025 but India has not bought it.

Which European countries have the F-35?

The UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Poland and Finland operate it. Germany, Switzerland, Greece, the Czech Republic and Romania have ordered it.