Air Forces comparison: China vs Russia
China operates 3,440 active military aircraft vs 4,300 for Russia. The breakdown includes 1,986 vs 1,524 combat aircraft, 0 vs 152 bombers, 1,019 vs 1,604 helicopters, 413 vs 515 transport aircraft, 16 vs 442 trainers (China vs Russia). China has 130 aircraft on order vs 677 for Russia. The China air force is officially the People's Liberation Army Air Force, while Russia's is the Russian Air Force.
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 |
|
Russian Air Force 🇷🇺
| Official Name | Russian Air Force |
| Local Name | Военно-воздушные cилы (Voenno-vozdushnye sily) |
| Active aircraft | 4300 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 677 |
| Roundel |
|
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
1986 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
Training
|
16 | |
Transport
|
413 | |
Other
|
6 | |
Russian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1524 | |
|
Bomber
|
152 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1604 | |
|
Training
|
442 | |
|
Transport
|
515 | |
|
Other
|
63 | |
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 4,300 active aircraft compared to China's 3,440, a difference of 860 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or Russia?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Russia's 1,524.
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 515 compared to China's 413.
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or Russia?
Russia has 677 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.