Top 10 countries with the fewest attack helicopters

Attack helicopters, sometimes referred to as the “flying tanks” of the contemporary battlefield, are essential for influencing military outcomes and discouraging enemies.

Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 countries with the fewest attack helicopters.
This list is courtesy of Global Firepower.
The USA ranks number 1 on the list.

These rotary-wing aircraft, which are quick, nimble, well-armed, and able to carry out precise strikes, have revolutionized the way nations fight both conventional and asymmetric conflicts.

Countries with sizable, contemporary attack helicopter fleets benefit from a number of strategic advantages, including superiority on the battlefield and the capacity to react quickly.

In the complicated environment of modern warfare and internal security concerns, one apparent shortcoming in many countries, particularly in Africa and portions of the developing world, is the lack or excessive scarcity of attack helicopters.

While global powers and well-resourced military view these aerial capabilities as critical, dozens of countries have either a few or none at all.

The lack of assault helicopters renders governments vulnerable in both foreign and internal security operations.

Attack helicopters are designed as military aircraft that carry heavy weaponry such as machine guns, rocket pods, and guided missiles.

A Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter fires during a 2021 demonstration. One Ka-52 helicopter was reportedly destroyed by Wagner mercenaries during their revolt.Leonid Faerberg/Getty Images

They can hover, strike from low altitudes, and provide lethal firepower in support of ground troops.

They’re essential for anti-tank warfare, close air support, counter-insurgency operations, and quick tactical deployments.

Their mobility and battle adaptability make them useful in both conventional and irregular conflicts, including insurgencies, terrorism, and border clashes.

Countries that lack these qualities suffer on several levels.

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Many African and developing nations confront challenges from armed militias, insurgents, and terrorist organizations operating in remote locations such as woods, deserts, and mountains.

Without attack helicopters, governments must rely on slow-moving ground forces or less effective air alternatives such as transport helicopters equipped with small weapons.

One obvious flaw in many countries’ defensive systems is the lack of assault helicopters.

With that said, here are the 10 countries with the fewest attack helicopters, which have at least one unit, as per data from Global Firepower.