Air Forces comparison: 
United Arab Emirates vs 
Russia
Russia's air force fields 5,345 active aircraft — 8.5:1 United Arab Emirates's 626.
AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
United Arab EmiratesWorld #17
20.1
AIRS Index / 100
Russia leads on 7 of 7 categories
RussiaWorld #3
51.5
United Arab Emirates
Russia
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 | Russia | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | United Arab Emirates Air Force | Russian Air Force | |
| Active aircraft | 626 | 5,345 | 🇷🇺 8.5× |
| Aircraft on order | 169 | 609 | 🇷🇺 3.6× |
| Combat aircraft | 175 | 1,481 | 🇷🇺 8.5× |
| Combat share of fleet | 28.0 % | 27.7 % | 🇦🇪 ≈ |
| Aircraft types in service | 38 | 55 | 🇷🇺 1.4× |
| Main supplier | United States · 57 % | Ex-USSR · 59 % |
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
| Bombers | 0 | 120 | 🇷🇺 |
| Helicopters | 250 | 1,604 | 🇷🇺 6.4× |
| Transport aircraft | 58 | 524 | 🇷🇺 9.0× |
| Special-mission aircraft | 8 | 96 | 🇷🇺 12× |
| Trainers | 91 | 442 | 🇷🇺 4.9× |
| UAVs | 44 | 1,078 | 🇷🇺 24× |
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
Fleet evolution · United Arab Emirates
Fleet evolution · Russia
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Russia?
Russia has more military aircraft with 5,345 active aircraft compared to United Arab Emirates's 626, a difference of 4,719 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Russia?
Russia has more combat aircraft with 1,481 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Arab Emirates's 175.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Arab Emirates or Russia?
Russia operates more military helicopters with 1,604 compared to United Arab Emirates's 250.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Russia?
Russia has more transport aircraft with 524 compared to United Arab Emirates's 58.
How do the United Arab Emirates and Russia air forces compare in size?
Russia's air force is 9.0 times larger than United Arab Emirates's in terms of total active aircraft (524 vs 58).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Arab Emirates or Russia?
Russia has 609 aircraft on order compared to United Arab Emirates's 169.