Air Forces comparison: China vs Russia
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3144 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
Russian Air Force 🇷🇺
| Official Name | Russian Air Force |
| Local Name | Военно-воздушные cилы (Voenno-vozdushnye sily) |
| Active aircraft | 4290 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 651 |
| Roundel |
|
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
1705 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
Training
|
16 | |
Transport
|
398 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
6 | |
Russian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1519 | |
|
Bomber
|
151 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1604 | |
|
Training
|
442 | |
|
Transport
|
512 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
62 | |
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Evolution of Russian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, China or Russia?
Russia has more military aircraft with 4,290 active aircraft compared to China's 3,144, a difference of 1,146 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or Russia?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,705 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Russia's 1,519.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or Russia?
Russia operates more military helicopters with 1,604 compared to China's 1,019.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or Russia?
Russia has more transport aircraft with 512 compared to China's 398.
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or Russia?
Russia has 651 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.