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Air Forces comparison: Flag of Australia Australia vs Flag of China China

China's air force fields 6,341 active aircraft — 17:1 Australia's 382.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of Australia AustraliaWorld #19 19.2
AIRS Index / 100

China leads on 7 of 7 categories

Roundel of China ChinaWorld #2 74.5
  • 0 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 234
  • 96 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 3,222
  • 95 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 1,549
  • 42 Transportweight ×10 452
  • 43 Special missionweight ×8 109
  • 27 UAVsweight ×10 190
  • 79 Trainersweight ×1 585
Australia China 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
Australia China Ratio
Official name Royal Australian Air Force People's Liberation Army Air Force
Active aircraft 382 6,341 🇨🇳 17×
Aircraft on order 114 130 🇨🇳 1.1×
Combat aircraft 96 3,222 🇨🇳 34×
Combat share of fleet 25.1 % 50.8 % 🇨🇳 2.0×
Aircraft types in service 22 56 🇨🇳 2.5×
Main supplier United States · 65 % China · 86 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 0 234 🇨🇳
Helicopters 95 1,549 🇨🇳 16×
Transport aircraft 42 452 🇨🇳 11×
Special-mission aircraft 43 109 🇨🇳 2.5×
Trainers 79 585 🇨🇳 7.4×
UAVs 27 190 🇨🇳 7.0×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇦🇺 AustraliaF-35 Lightning II ×72UH-60 Black Hawk ×40F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet ×24
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-10 Vigorous Dragon ×608J-11 Responsive Dragon ×495J-16 Qianlong ×450
Fleet evolution · Australia
Fleet evolution · China
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, Australia or China?
China has more military aircraft with 6,341 active aircraft compared to Australia's 382, a difference of 5,959 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Australia or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 3,222 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Australia's 96.
Which country has more military helicopters, Australia or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,549 compared to Australia's 95.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Australia or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 452 compared to Australia's 42.
How do the Australia and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 10.8 times larger than Australia's in terms of total active aircraft (452 vs 42).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Australia or China?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to Australia's 114.