GTA Online · Rankings
Best Armed Aircraft & Helicopters in GTA 5 Online
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The best armed aircraft in GTA Online is not the most expensive one. The Sparrow arrives free and unlimited from a Kosatka, and the Western Company Rogue carries explosive cannons, homing missiles, bombs and countermeasures for $1,596,000, while the P-996 LAZER costs $6,500,000 and has no countermeasures at all.
The Nine Worth Owning
Ranked on what each one gives you for the money, not on price. Trade prices are the discounted figure once the listed job is done.
| # | Aircraft | Price | Trade price | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sparrow Helicopters 168.75 mph (271.58 km/h) measured | $1,815,000 | none | The only armed aircraft you can call for nothing, as often as you like: Kosatka Services delivers it beside you with a two minute cooldown. Fit the homing launcher for $240,000 and it does most of what a Buzzard does, without the request fee. |
| 2 | Western Company Rogue Planes 219.5 mph (353.25 km/h) measured | $1,596,000 | $1,200,000 | The most armament per dollar in the game: explosive cannons, homing missiles, bombs and countermeasures for $1,596,000, or $1,200,000 once six Steal Cargo missions are done. Nothing else under two million carries all four. |
| 3 | F-160 Raiju Planes 232.5 mph (374.17 km/h) measured | $8,500,000 | $6,375,000 | The fastest aircraft in GTA Online on measured tests, and it hides from the minimap and takes off vertically. It is also the most expensive at $8,500,000, or $6,375,000 after On Parade, and it was dearer still after the 14 May 2026 price rise. |
| 4 | FH-1 Hunter Helicopters | $4,123,000 | $3,100,000 | The gunship to bring a second player: homing missiles that never need reloading for the pilot, and an explosive cannon turret for the co-pilot at $300,000. $4,123,000, or $3,100,000 after 42 source missions. |
| 5 | Akula Helicopters 157.25 mph (253.07 km/h) measured | $4,500,000 | $3,375,000 | Stealth plus bombs plus a minigun turret, at $4,500,000 or $3,375,000 after the Server Farm setup. The catch is that the weapons do not work while it is hidden, so stealth is for arriving, not for fighting. |
| 6 | B-11 Strikeforce Planes | $3,800,000 | none | An explosive gatling autocannon, missiles, bombs and countermeasures for $3,800,000, with no trade price and a Hangar required. The missiles lock on their own and cannot be switched to free aim. |
| 7 | Hydra Planes 209.25 mph (336.75 km/h) measured | $3,990,000 | $3,000,000 | Vertical take-off, switchable rockets and explosive cannons for $3,990,000, or $3,000,000 after the EMP setup, which is the cheapest way into a jet with missiles. It carries no countermeasures at all. |
| 8 | Buzzard Attack Chopper Helicopters | $1,750,000 | none | Still the quickest way to get airborne anywhere, and the most misdescribed: two miniguns and unguided rockets, no homing missiles. $1,750,000, and a VIP or CEO request costs $25,000 unless you already own it. |
| 9 | P-996 LAZER Planes | $6,500,000 | none | The most expensive mistake on this list at $6,500,000: no trade price, no countermeasures, and cannons cut to a 2 m blast radius since San Andreas Mercenaries. The Hydra and the Pyro do more for less. |
Every Armed Aircraft, With Its Real Price
The fourteen aircraft you can arm in GTA Online, cheapest first. GTA Online sorts them into two classes only, Planes and Helicopters: labels like fighter jet or light helicopter come from fan sites, not from the game. Since 14 May 2026 resale is capped at $500,000 for every vehicle, so the old rule of selling back at sixty per cent no longer holds.
| Aircraft | Price | Trade price | Needs first | What it carries | Countermeasures | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sparrow Helicopters | $1,815,000 | none | A Kosatka, from $2,200,000: the Sparrow is a Moon Pool fitting | No weapon as standard; a GAU-19 minigun costs $195,000 and a four-tube homing launcher $240,000 | Chaff $70,000 or flares $110,000 | 15 December 2020 |
Western Company Rogue Planes | $1,596,000 | $1,200,000, 6 Steal Cargo missions for the Air Freight Cargo business | A Hangar | 7.62 mm machine guns or explosive cannons, homing missiles, and bombs: explosive, incendiary, gas or cluster | Chaff, flares or smoke | 29 August 2017 |
Buzzard Attack Chopper Helicopters | $1,750,000 | none | None; it is a Pegasus vehicle | Two miniguns and two pods of eight unguided rockets. No homing missiles | None | 1 October 2013 |
Savage Helicopters | $2,593,500 | $1,950,000, The Pacific Standard setup mission Convoy | None; it is a Pegasus vehicle | A six-barrel gatling with explosive rounds, four rocket pods, and homing missiles that fire continuously | None | 10 March 2015 |
LF-22 Starling Planes | $3,657,500 | $2,750,000, 15 Steal Cargo missions | A Hangar | Machine guns, homing missiles for $195,000, bombs, and a rocket boost | Chaff, flares or smoke | 29 August 2017 |
B-11 Strikeforce Planes | $3,800,000 | none | A Hangar | A GAU-8 style gatling autocannon with explosive shells, six wing missiles that lock on automatically and cannot be switched to free aim, two barrage rocket pods, and bombs | Chaff, flares or smoke | 7 August 2018 |
Annihilator Stealth Helicopters | $3,870,000 | $2,902,500, Finishing the Cayo Perico Heist as host, using it as the approach vehicle | A Hangar | Four miniguns firing in a V pattern, and either homing missiles for $325,000 or a barrage launcher for $300,000. Disappears from the minimap | Not confirmed | 15 December 2020 |
Hydra Planes | $3,990,000 | $3,000,000, The Humane Raid setup mission EMP | None; it is a Pegasus vehicle, and fits a Hangar | Twin cannons with explosive impacts, and rockets switchable between unguided and homing. Takes off vertically | None. The pilot has to dodge | 10 March 2015 |
FH-1 Hunter Helicopters | $4,123,000 | $3,100,000, 42 Air Freight Cargo source missions | A Hangar | Homing missiles that fire continuously, locking at 300 m, plus barrage rockets, and a chin turret for the co-pilot: a .50 machine gun for $700 or an explosive cannon for $300,000 | Chaff, flares or smoke | 21 November 2017 |
Buckingham Pyro Planes | $4,455,500 | $3,350,000, 33 Steal Cargo missions | A Hangar | Machine guns and homing missiles for $195,000, firing continuously | Chaff, flares or smoke | 10 October 2017 |
Akula Helicopters | $4,500,000 | $3,375,000, The Doomsday Heist setup mission Server Farm, as host | A Facility and a Hangar | A .50 minigun turret, single or twin, fired from the cockpit, then either barrage rockets or homing missiles, and bombs. Disappears from the minimap, but its weapons are unusable while hidden | Not confirmed | 12 December 2017 |
V-65 Molotok Planes | $4,788,000 | $3,600,000, 18 Air Freight Cargo source missions | A Hangar | Nose machine guns and homing missiles for $195,000 | Chaff, flares or smoke | 29 August 2017 |
P-996 LAZER Planes | $6,500,000 | none | None; it is a Pegasus vehicle, and fits a Hangar | Twin cannons either side of the canopy, explosive but cut to 240 rounds a minute with a 2 m blast since San Andreas Mercenaries, and six missiles switchable between homing and free aim | None. The pilot has to dodge | 28 November 2017 |
F-160 Raiju Planes | $8,500,000 | $6,375,000, The mission On Parade, as host | A Hangar | Two built-in machine guns with explosive rounds, and two homing missiles in belly bays. Takes off vertically and disappears from the minimap. The bombs visible in the bay are decorative | Not confirmed | 13 June 2023 |
Four Figures Other Pages Still Get Wrong
The Akula is $4,500,000, not $3,704,050: that was its launch price. The FH-1 Hunter is $4,123,000, not $4,123,048. The Buzzard has no homing missiles, only two miniguns and unguided rockets, so it appears in no list of vehicles with lock-on weapons. And a CEO does not get a Buzzard for nothing: the request costs $25,000 unless the aircraft is already yours.
Two values could not be fully confirmed and are flagged as such: the $25,000 VIP request fee with the detail of its two miniguns and unguided rockets, and the 14 May 2026 price rise, from $6,855,000 to $8,500,000. The Hydra has no countermeasures in GTA Online, so none are listed. The FH-1 Hunter arrived on 21 November 2017.
The fastest cars and fastest bikes come from the same measured tests. For what to fly them to, see the heist payouts after the July 2026 update and the business tier list; the full weapon list covers the loadout you carry out of the cockpit.
What Is the Fastest Plane in GTA Online?
The Mammoth F-160 Raiju, at 232.5 mph (374.17 km/h). The five fastest planes, without rocket-boost vehicles:
| # | Vehicle | Class | Top speed | Lap time | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mammoth F-160 Raiju Mercenaries | Planes | 232.5 mph (374.17 km/h) | 0:30.822 | $8,500,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
| 2 | Buckingham Pyro Smuggler's Run | Planes | 222.75 mph (358.48 km/h) | 0:34.034 | $4,455,500 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
| 3 | Western Company Rogue Smuggler's Run | Planes | 219.5 mph (353.25 km/h) | 0:35.201 | $1,596,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
| 4 | Mammoth Hydra Heists DLC | Planes | 209.25 mph (336.75 km/h) | 0:34.135 | $3,990,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
| 5 | V-65 Molotok Smuggler's Run | Planes | 207.75 mph (334.34 km/h) | 0:36.367 | $4,788,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
What Is the Fastest Helicopter in GTA Online?
The Sparrow, at 168.75 mph (271.58 km/h). It can only be used with the Kosatka submarine; the fastest helicopters you can call anywhere follow it.
| # | Vehicle | Class | Top speed | Lap time | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sparrow Cayo Perico Heist | Helicopters | 168.75 mph (271.58 km/h) | 0:54.997 | $1,815,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
| 2 | Buckingham Volatus Further Adventures in Finance and Felony | Helicopters | 161.25 mph (259.51 km/h) | 0:55.388 | $2,295,000 | Elitás Travel |
| 3 | Buckingham Conada Criminal Enterprises | Helicopters | 158.75 mph (255.48 km/h) | 0:51.961 | $2,450,000 | Elitás Travel |
| 4 | Buckingham Swift Deluxe Ill-Gotten Gains Part 1 | Helicopters | 157.75 mph (253.87 km/h) | 0:54.484 | $5,150,000 | Elitás Travel |
| 5 | Akula The Doomsday Heist | Helicopters | 157.25 mph (253.07 km/h) | 0:54.368 | $4,500,000 | Warstock Cache & Carry |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best armed aircraft in GTA Online in 2026?
For everyday use, the Sparrow, because Kosatka Services delivers it free and unlimited with a two minute cooldown, and a $240,000 launcher gives it homing missiles. For raw firepower per dollar, the Western Company Rogue: explosive cannons, homing missiles, bombs and countermeasures for $1,596,000. The fastest is the F-160 Raiju, and the most expensive too, at $8,500,000.
Is the Buzzard free in GTA Online?
Not by itself. A VIP or CEO can have one delivered from the interaction menu for $25,000; it arrives free only if you already own a Buzzard as a Pegasus vehicle, which costs $1,750,000, or comes from tier 4 of The Chop Shop career. It does appear right next to you, always in matte black.
Does the Buzzard have homing missiles?
No. It carries two miniguns and two pods of eight unguided rockets. It appears in no list of vehicles with homing missiles, and the vehicle data gives it no homing flag. Pages that credit it with missiles are wrong, and the difference matters against a moving target.
How much does the Akula cost in GTA Online?
$4,500,000 at Warstock Cache & Carry, or $3,375,000 once you finish the Doomsday Heist setup Server Farm as host. It needs both a Facility and a Hangar. The figure of $3,704,050 still quoted in places is its launch price.
Is the Lazer still worth buying?
Rarely. It is buyable at $6,500,000 with no trade price, carries no countermeasures, and its cannons were cut to 240 rounds a minute with a 2 m blast radius in San Andreas Mercenaries. The Hydra at $3,990,000, or $3,000,000 after the EMP setup, flies the same job for less.
Which aircraft need a Hangar or another property first?
A Hangar for the B-11 Strikeforce, the FH-1 Hunter, the F-160 Raiju, the V-65 Molotok, the Pyro, the Rogue, the Starling and the Annihilator Stealth. A Facility and a Hangar for the Akula. A Kosatka for the Sparrow. The Lazer, the Hydra, the Savage and the Buzzard are Pegasus vehicles and need nothing.