The armed forces had 7 frigates, 171 combat jets and 285 tanks on 1 April 2026
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.
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
- The Royal Navy had 7 frigates in 2026, down from 21 in 2000
- The armed forces had 249 helicopters in 2026, down from 372 in 2016
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.