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Air Forces comparison: Flag of China China vs Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom

China's air force fields 5,662 active aircraft — 8.0:1 United Kingdom's 712.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of China ChinaWorld #2 71.9
AIRS Index / 100

China leads on 7 of 7 categories

Roundel of United Kingdom United KingdomWorld #13 23.2
  • 234 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 0
  • 2,842 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 158
  • 1,263 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 254
  • 444 Transportweight ×10 51
  • 102 Special missionweight ×8 23
  • 192 UAVsweight ×10 53
  • 585 Trainersweight ×1 173
China United Kingdom 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
China United Kingdom Ratio
Official name People's Liberation Army Air Force Royal Air Force
Active aircraft 5,662 712 🇨🇳 8.0×
Aircraft on order 73 73 —
Combat aircraft 2,842 158 🇨🇳 18×
Combat share of fleet 50.2 % 22.2 % 🇨🇳 2.3×
Aircraft types in service 53 23 🇨🇳 2.3×
Main supplier China · 89 % United Kingdom · 28 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 234 0 🇨🇳
Helicopters 1,263 254 🇨🇳 5.0×
Transport aircraft 444 51 🇨🇳 8.7×
Special-mission aircraft 102 23 🇨🇳 4.4×
Trainers 585 173 🇨🇳 3.4×
UAVs 192 53 🇨🇳 3.6×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-10 Vigorous Dragon ×608J-16 Qianlong ×450JL-8 ×366
🇬🇧 United KingdomTyphoon ×111AW159 ×62AW101 ×58
Fleet evolution · China
Fleet evolution · United Kingdom
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more military aircraft with 5,662 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 712, a difference of 4,950 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more combat aircraft with 2,842 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 158.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or United Kingdom?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,263 compared to United Kingdom's 254.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more transport aircraft with 444 compared to United Kingdom's 51.
How do the China and United Kingdom air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 8.0 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (5,662 vs 712).
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or United Kingdom?
China and United Kingdom both have 73 aircraft on order.