Air Forces comparison: United Arab Emirates vs Bahrain
Overview
United Arab Emirates's air force fields 548 active aircraft — 4.0x Bahrain's 136.
The breakdown includes 135 vs 44 combat aircraft, 264 vs 80 helicopters, 55 vs 3 transport aircraft, 86 vs 9 trainers (United Arab Emirates vs Bahrain). United Arab Emirates has 267 aircraft on order vs 3 for Bahrain.
The United Arab Emirates air force is officially the United Arab Emirates Air Force, while Bahrain's is the Royal Bahraini Air Force.
United Arab Emirates Air Force 🇦🇪
| Official Name | United Arab Emirates Air Force |
| Local Name | القوات الجوية والدفاع الجوي الإماراتية (Al Quwwāt al Jawwīyah wal Difāʿ al Jawwī al Imārātīyah) |
| Active aircraft | 548 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 267 |
| Roundel |
|
Royal Bahraini Air Force 🇧🇭
| Official Name | Royal Bahraini Air Force |
| Local Name | سلاح الجو الملكي البحريني (Silah al Jaw al Malaki al Bahraini) |
| Active aircraft | 136 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3 |
| Roundel |
|
Emirati aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
135 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
264 | |
Training
|
86 | |
Transport
|
55 | |
Other
|
8 | |
Bahraini aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
44 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
80 | |
|
Training
|
9 | |
|
Transport
|
3 | |
|
Other
|
0 | |
Evolution of Emirati Air Force fleet
Evolution of Bahraini Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has more military aircraft with 548 active aircraft compared to Bahrain's 136, a difference of 412 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has more combat aircraft with 135 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Bahrain's 44.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates operates more military helicopters with 264 compared to Bahrain's 80.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has more transport aircraft with 55 compared to Bahrain's 3.
How do the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain air forces compare in size?
United Arab Emirates's air force is 18.3 times larger than Bahrain's in terms of total active aircraft (55 vs 3).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has 267 aircraft on order compared to Bahrain's 3.