Total Helicopter Strength by Country

Since the first operational-level helicopter was introduced in 1930s, rotary-wing aircraft have become a staple of any modern fighting force.

From a military perspective, the helicopter fulfills a variety of roles for all branches of service. There are dedicated platforms developed for specific battlefield requirements including form of attack, transport, observation, search & rescue, special forces insertion/extraction, anti-submarine / anti-ship warfare and replenishment. In any role, the helicopter is prized for its landing/take-off footprint and ability to reach areas that neither vehicles nor fixed-wing aircraft can reach. Helicopter systems on order (heading into the next year) are not taken into account.

The data presented below is through 2017.