This Country Flies the Most MiG Fighter Jets, and It’s Not Even Close

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The Mikoyan-Gurevich (MiG) series stands as one of the most iconic fighter jets in the world. These were popular among Soviet bloc countries during the Cold War, but since the fall of the Soviet Union some nations still maintain sizable forces of these fighter jets. (These are the most widely-used fighter jets in the world. )

Here 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look into these countries that still fly MiGs. To identify the countries with the most MiG fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries according to the number of MiGs currently in service. We included supplemental information from GlobalFirePower regarding each country’s current air force and overall military strength ranking. We excluded countries that are not in the process of ordering combat aircraft.

The MiG series was first developed in the early 1940s by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. These were designed to fulfill a variety of roles including interception and ground attack. The MiG-15 debuted in 1947 and marked a significant breakthrough with its swept wings and armament. Later models like the MiG-17 and MiG-19 built on this technology, leading up to the MiG-21. This jet was renowned for its agility and speed, and is arguably the most produced supersonic jet aircraft ever.

As the Cold War intensified, the MiG-23 and MiG-25 were introduced. Developed in the 1970s, the MiG-29 was meant primarily to counter the U.S. F-16 and still remains in service across multiple air forces globally. (These are the world's most iconic strike fighter aircraft since WWII. )

Today, despite the dissolution of the Soviet Union, MiG fighters are still found in air forces around the world. Russia possesses the largest fleet of MiG aircraft by far. But beyond Russia, several former Soviet states like Ukraine and Kazakhstan have sizable MiG fleets. Outside of the former Soviet bloc, countries like India and Egypt have built up fleets of these aircraft as well.

Here is a look at the countries with the most MiG fighter jets: Why Are We Covering This?

MiG fighter jets have been an important component of military aviation for decades, primarily due to their blend of advanced technology, cost-effectiveness, and versatile capabilities. Originating in the Soviet era, MiGs were developed to challenge Western air superiority and offer a reliable, high-performance fighter jet option for the Soviet Union. Over time, their importance grew as they became a staple in numerous air forces around the world, particularly in developing nations that needed effective and affordable military equipment.

• Active MiG aircraft: 2
• Variants: MiG-23
• Total military aircraft: 46
• Military strength score: 1.2491 - #73 out of 145

• Active MiG aircraft: 2
• Variants: MiG-29
• Total military aircraft: 11
• Military strength score: 2.1079 - #105 out of 145

• Active MiG aircraft: 3
• Variants: MiG-23
• Total military aircraft: 90
• Military strength score: 2.0352 - #101 out of 145

• Active MiG aircraft: 5
• Variants: MiG-21
• Total military aircraft: 55
• Military strength score: 2.2405 - #114 out of 145

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