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Head-to-head

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

China operates 5,662 active military aircraft vs 5,304 for Russia.

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

China leads on 5 of 7 categories

Roundel of Russia RussiaWorld #3 51.5
  • 234 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 116
  • 2,842 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 1,475
  • 1,263 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 1,584
  • 444 Transportweight ×10 506
  • 102 Special missionweight ×8 108
  • 192 UAVsweight ×10 1,074
  • 585 Trainersweight ×1 441
China Russia 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 Russia Ratio
Official name People's Liberation Army Air Force Russian Air Force
Active aircraft 5,662 5,304 🇨🇳 1.1×
Aircraft on order 73 405 🇷🇺 5.5×
Combat aircraft 2,842 1,475 🇨🇳 1.9×
Combat share of fleet 50.2 % 27.8 % 🇨🇳 1.8×
Aircraft types in service 53 56 🇷🇺 1.1×
Main supplier China · 89 % Ex-USSR · 59 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 234 116 🇨🇳 2.0×
Helicopters 1,263 1,584 🇷🇺 1.3×
Transport aircraft 444 506 🇷🇺 1.1×
Special-mission aircraft 102 108 🇷🇺 1.1×
Trainers 585 441 🇨🇳 1.3×
UAVs 192 1,074 🇷🇺 5.6×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-10 Vigorous Dragon ×608J-16 Qianlong ×450JL-8 ×366
🇷🇺 RussiaMi-8 Hip ×779Mi-24 Hind ×324Su-24 Fencer ×294
Fleet evolution · China
Fleet evolution · Russia
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Analyst Assessment

Verdict
Edge: China

China's PLAAF holds a narrow overall edge over the Russian Air Force, resting on a larger and far more modern combat fleet — some 2,043 combat aircraft including roughly 300 J-20s, against Russia's 1,524 mostly Soviet-derived airframes — and on a domestic industry supplying 85 per cent of its equipment. Russia retains advantages in rotary-wing mass, airlift and recent high-intensity combat experience, but its 677-aircraft order book depends on a sanctions-constrained industrial base.

Domain by domain
Fighter & multirole fleet Edge: China
🇨🇳 China2,043 combat aircraft, 55 per cent of the fleet: ~300 J-20 fifth-generation, 365 J-11 and 271 J-10 fourth-generation, offset by a legacy tail of 417 J-7 and 143 J-8 being retired.
🇷🇺 Russia1,524 combat aircraft, 35 per cent of the fleet: 468 Su-27 Flankers, 296 Su-24, 256 MiG-29K, 128 MiG-31 and 142 modern Su-34; the Su-57 remains marginal at 78 on order.
Strike & bombers Even
🇨🇳 China234 H-6 variants, a modernised Tu-16 derivative optimised for stand-off cruise-missile carriage over maritime approaches; large numbers, but subsonic and without an in-service stealth successor.
🇷🇺 Russia120 bombers across Tu-95, Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 classes, genuinely intercontinental with air-launched cruise missiles; 50 further Tu-160s on order, though build rates are historically slow.
Helicopters & rotary lift Edge: Russia
🇨🇳 China1,019 helicopters, including 258 Mi-17, 175 Z-19 and 130 Z-8; attack rotary aviation is comparatively young, with Z-10 and Z-19 additions on order.
🇷🇺 Russia1,604 helicopters, led by 789 Mi-8 and 325 Mi-24, plus 138 Ka-52; 279 further Mi-28, Ka-52 and Ka-60 on order, with deep attrition-replacement experience.
Transport & airlift Edge: Russia
🇨🇳 China380 transports, backbone 135 Y-8; the Y-20 heavy lifter is in growing series production, but total strategic lift capacity remains behind Russian levels.
🇷🇺 Russia514 transports including 131 Il-76 Candids, a mature strategic airlift and air-refuelling ecosystem; Il-276 and Il-112 programmes (162 on order) address ageing but have slipped repeatedly.
Procurement pipeline & industry Edge: China
🇨🇳 China130 aircraft on order but sustained high-rate domestic output; 85 per cent Chinese-supplied, with indigenous engines, radars and a fifth-generation line already delivering at scale.
🇷🇺 Russia677 on order — nominally larger — but 77 per cent of the fleet is ex-USSR legacy and deliveries are constrained by sanctions, component access and wartime attrition replacement.
Wildcards
  • Combat experience gap Russian crews have accumulated extensive recent high-intensity experience against layered air defences; PLAAF aircrew have none, and unproven doctrine is a material discount on paper strength.
  • Sustainment under sanctions Russia's 77 per cent ex-USSR fleet depends on constrained supply chains for engines, avionics and precision munitions, which can suppress sortie rates well below what the inventory implies.
  • Geography and reach The PLAAF is optimised for a maritime first-island-chain fight with limited overseas basing; Russia's spread across a vast landmass and its airlift give wider reach but thinner local density.
Analysis generated by a language model from the figures on this page and public sources; it is an informed reading, not a military assessment or a prediction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, China or Russia?
China has more military aircraft with 5,662 active aircraft compared to Russia's 5,304, a difference of 358 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or Russia?
China has more combat aircraft with 2,842 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Russia's 1,475.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or Russia?
Russia operates more military helicopters with 1,584 compared to China's 1,263.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or Russia?
Russia has more transport aircraft with 506 compared to China's 444.
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or Russia?
Russia has 405 aircraft on order compared to China's 73.