The UK operated 12 main types of jet fighters & interceptors during the Cold War. The table below summarises their overall in-service years (dates for individual types and upgrades are not shown):

Fighters / Interceptors

• 1944 – 1980s: Gloster Meteor
  own photo – Solway Museum
• 1946 – 1966: de Havilland Vampire
  N593RH De Havilland DH-115 Vampire s/n 986 “Vampy” – Tomás Del Coro – https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomasdelcoro/48905920878/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1949 – 1962: de Havilland Venom / Sea Venom
  De Havilland Venom – David Merrett – https://www.flickr.com/photos/davehamster/6359249225/ (CC BY 2.0)
• 1951 – 1972: de Havilland Sea Vixen
  de Havilland DH110 Sea Vixen FAW2 – XJ494 – Steve Lynes – https://www.flickr.com/photos/lynothehammer/48622228778/ (CC BY 2.0)
  
  Sea Vixen – Alex Layzell – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexlayzell/34843460162/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1953 – 1983: Hawker Sea Hawk
  HAWKER SEA HAWK FGA.6 WV908 – Smudge 9000 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/smudge9000/2567683587/ (CC BY 2.0)
• Hawker Hunter
  1954 – 1963: day fighter
  1954 – 1971: close air support
  
  Hawker Hunter – RIAT 2018 – Airwolfhound – https://www.flickr.com/photos/24874528@N04/29241893907/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
  
  Hawker Hunter T7 – WV372 – Steve Lynes – https://www.flickr.com/photos/lynothehammer/49593269433/ (CC BY 2.0)
  
  Hawker Hunter – own photo – RAF Manston
• 1954 – 1961: Supermarine Swift
  Supermarine Swift FR.5, WK277, with Fairey Fireflash missile, Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire. – Roland Turner – https://www.flickr.com/photos/sisaphus/49788832357/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1956 – 1968: Gloster Javelin
  Gloster Javelin FAW 8 at the Newark Air Museum, 02/97. Scanned photo taken with a Miranda MS-1N. – Hugh Llewelyn – https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/32966505351/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
  
  Gloster Javelin FAW.9R 2 – Ronnie Macdonald – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronmacphotos/16577208710/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1959 – 1979: Folland Gnat
  Folland Gnat – Paul Hudson – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pahudson/3893649117/ (CC BY 2.0)
• 1960 – 1988: English Electric Lightning
  own photos
• 1986 – 2011: Panavia Tornado ADV
  own photo (RAF Manston)
  
  Panavia Tornado F3 – Mike McBey – https://www.flickr.com/photos/158652122@N02/28758915977/ (CC BY 2.0)

Multi-Role / Strike

• 1957 – 1969: Supermarine Scimitar
  Supermarine Scimitar F1 – Hugh Llewelyn – https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/32240164854/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1962 – 1994: Blackburn Buccaneer
  own photos
• 1969 – 1992: McDonnell Douglas Phantom
  own photos
• 1969 – 2011: Hawker Siddeley Harrier / BAE Harrier II
  own photo
• 1974 – 2007: SEPECAT Jaguar
  SEPECAT Jaguar GR1 – Hugh Llewelyn – https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/44458602740/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1978 – 2006: BAE Sea Harrier
  EGDY – BAe Sea Harrier FA2 – Royal Navy – ZH801 / 001 – Steve Lynes – https://www.flickr.com/photos/lynothehammer/44655544055/ (CC BY 2.0)
• 1980 – 2019: Panavia Tornado IDS
  Royal Air Force (RAF) Panavia “Tornado” GR4 – Robert Sullivan https://www.flickr.com/photos/my_public_domain_photos/49013161306/ (public domain)

Bombers

• 1951 – 2006: English Electric Canberra
  own photos
• 1955 – 1965: Vickers Valiant
  Valiant B.1 ‘WP213’ & Chipmunk T.10 ‘WK624 / 10’ – Alan Wilson – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajw1970/50080610876/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1956 – 1984: Avro Vulcan
  own photos
• 1958 – 1993: Handley Page Victor
  own photos x 2, and
  Handley-Page Victor K.2 10 – Ronnie Macdonald – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronmacphotos/29085421446/ (CC BY 2.0)

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

• 1969 – 2011: BAE / Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
  BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 – Mark Kent – https://www.flickr.com/photos/flamesworddragon/3735793494/ (CC BY SA 2.0)

Training / Light Attack

• 1955 – 1993: BAC Jet Provost
  own photo, and
  ‘Jet Provost – RIAT 2014’ – Airwolfhound – https://www.flickr.com/photos/24874528@N04/14712310418/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1967 – 1993: BAC Strikemaster
  ‘G-CFBK BAC Strikemaster’ – RussellHarryLee – https://www.flickr.com/photos/levien66/9758445086/ (CC BY SA 2.0)
• 1974 – present: BAE Hawk
  own photo, and
  ‘EGOV-BAe Systems Hawk T1 – Royal Air Force – XX199’ – Steve Lynes – https://www.flickr.com/photos/lynothehammer/43094326434/ (CC BY 2.0)