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Air Forces comparison: Flag of United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates vs Flag of Australia Australia

United Arab Emirates operates 625 active military aircraft vs 367 for Australia.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of United Arab Emirates United Arab EmiratesWorld #18 18.5
AIRS Index / 100

Dead heat on the AIRS Index

Roundel of Australia AustraliaWorld #19 18.5
  • 175 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 96
  • 250 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 73
  • 58 Transportweight ×10 45
  • 8 Special missionweight ×8 44
  • 44 UAVsweight ×10 27
  • 90 Trainersweight ×1 82
United Arab Emirates Australia Bars: weighted contribution to the AIRS Index (airframes × category weight; combat and bombers by generation tier, helicopters by era; the enabler, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active airframes at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
United Arab Emirates Australia Ratio
Official name United Arab Emirates Air Force Royal Australian Air Force
Active aircraft 625 367 🇦🇪 1.7×
Aircraft on order 170 88 🇦🇪 1.9×
Combat aircraft 175 96 🇦🇪 1.8×
Combat share of fleet 28.0 % 26.2 % 🇦🇪 1.1×
Aircraft types in service 38 22 🇦🇪 1.7×
Main supplier United States · 57 % United States · 67 %
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Helicopters 250 73 🇦🇪 3.4×
Transport aircraft 58 45 🇦🇪 1.3×
Special-mission aircraft 8 44 🇦🇺 5.5×
Trainers 90 82 🇦🇪 1.1×
UAVs 44 27 🇦🇪 1.6×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesUH-60 Black Hawk ×80F-16 Fighting Falcon ×76Mirage 2000 ×59
🇦🇺 AustraliaF-35 Lightning II ×72F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet ×24SH-60 Seahawk ×23
Fleet evolution · United Arab Emirates
Fleet evolution · Australia
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Australia?
United Arab Emirates has more military aircraft with 625 active aircraft compared to Australia's 367, a difference of 258 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Australia?
United Arab Emirates has more combat aircraft with 175 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Australia's 96.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Arab Emirates or Australia?
United Arab Emirates operates more military helicopters with 250 compared to Australia's 73.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Australia?
United Arab Emirates has more transport aircraft with 58 compared to Australia's 45.
How do the United Arab Emirates and Australia air forces compare in size?
United Arab Emirates's air force is 1.7 times larger than Australia's in terms of total active aircraft (625 vs 367).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Arab Emirates or Australia?
United Arab Emirates has 170 aircraft on order compared to Australia's 88.