Air Forces comparison: China vs North Korea
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 |
|
Korean People's Army Air Force 🇰🇵
| Official Name | Korean People's Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 공군 (Gonggun) |
| Active aircraft | 1131 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
1986 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
Training
|
16 | |
Transport
|
413 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
6 | |
North Korean aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
571 | |
|
Bomber
|
80 | |
|
Helicopter
|
205 | |
|
Training
|
0 | |
|
Transport
|
275 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
0 | |
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Evolution of North Korean Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, China or North Korea?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to North Korea's 1,131, a difference of 2,309 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or North Korea?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to North Korea's 571.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or North Korea?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to North Korea's 205.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or North Korea?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to North Korea's 275.
How do the China and North Korea air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 1.5 times larger than North Korea's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 275).
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or North Korea?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to North Korea's 0.