Air Forces comparison: United Arab Emirates vs China
China's air force fields 3,440 active aircraft — 6.3x United Arab Emirates's 548. The breakdown includes 135 vs 1,986 combat aircraft, 264 vs 1,019 helicopters, 55 vs 413 transport aircraft, 86 vs 16 trainers (United Arab Emirates vs China). United Arab Emirates has 267 aircraft on order vs 130 for China. The United Arab Emirates air force is officially the United Arab Emirates Air Force, while China's is the People's Liberation Army 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 |
|
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3440 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
Emirati aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
135 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
264 | |
Training
|
86 | |
Transport
|
55 | |
Other
|
8 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1986 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
413 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of Emirati Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Arab Emirates or China?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to United Arab Emirates's 548, a difference of 2,892 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Arab Emirates's 135.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Arab Emirates or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to United Arab Emirates's 264.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Arab Emirates or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to United Arab Emirates's 55.
How do the United Arab Emirates and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 7.5 times larger than United Arab Emirates's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 55).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Arab Emirates or China?
United Arab Emirates has 267 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.