Air Forces comparison: Afghanistan vs China
Overview
China's air force fields 3,497 active aircraft — 103:1 Afghanistan's 34.
The breakdown includes 0 vs 2,043 combat aircraft, 23 vs 1,019 helicopters, 9 vs 413 transport aircraft, 2 vs 16 trainers (Afghanistan vs China). Afghanistan has 0 aircraft on order vs 130 for China.
The China air force is officially the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Afghan Air Force 🇦🇫
| Official Name | Afghan Air Force |
| Local Name | قوای هوایی ارتش ملی افغانستان |
| Active aircraft | 34 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3497 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
Afghan aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
0 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
23 | |
Training
|
2 | |
Transport
|
9 | |
Other
|
0 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
2043 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
413 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of Afghan Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Afghanistan or China?
China has more military aircraft with 3,497 active aircraft compared to Afghanistan's 34, a difference of 3,463 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Afghanistan or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 2,043 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Afghanistan's 0.
Which country has more military helicopters, Afghanistan or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to Afghanistan's 23.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Afghanistan or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to Afghanistan's 9.
How do the Afghanistan and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 45.9 times larger than Afghanistan's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 9).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Afghanistan or China?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to Afghanistan's 0.