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

China's air force fields 5,662 active aircraft — 15:1 Australia's 367.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of Australia AustraliaWorld #19 18.5
AIRS Index / 100

China leads on 7 of 7 categories

Roundel of China ChinaWorld #2 71.9
  • 0 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 234
  • 96 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 2,842
  • 73 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 1,263
  • 45 Transportweight ×10 444
  • 44 Special missionweight ×8 102
  • 27 UAVsweight ×10 192
  • 82 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 367 5,662 🇨🇳 15×
Aircraft on order 88 73 🇦🇺 1.2×
Combat aircraft 96 2,842 🇨🇳 30×
Combat share of fleet 26.2 % 50.2 % 🇨🇳 1.9×
Aircraft types in service 22 53 🇨🇳 2.4×
Main supplier United States · 67 % China · 89 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 0 234 🇨🇳
Helicopters 73 1,263 🇨🇳 17×
Transport aircraft 45 444 🇨🇳 9.9×
Special-mission aircraft 44 102 🇨🇳 2.3×
Trainers 82 585 🇨🇳 7.1×
UAVs 27 192 🇨🇳 7.1×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇦🇺 AustraliaF-35 Lightning II ×72F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet ×24SH-60 Seahawk ×23
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-10 Vigorous Dragon ×608J-16 Qianlong ×450JL-8 ×366
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 5,662 active aircraft compared to Australia's 367, a difference of 5,295 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Australia or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 2,842 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Australia's 96.
Which country has more military helicopters, Australia or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,263 compared to Australia's 73.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Australia or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 444 compared to Australia's 45.
How do the Australia and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 15.4 times larger than Australia's in terms of total active aircraft (5,662 vs 367).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Australia or China?
Australia has 88 aircraft on order compared to China's 73.