Air Forces comparison: China vs Syria
China's air force fields 3,440 active aircraft — 8.3x Syria's 414. The breakdown includes 1,986 vs 225 combat aircraft, 1,019 vs 153 helicopters, 413 vs 5 transport aircraft, 16 vs 29 trainers (China vs Syria). China has 130 aircraft on order vs 0 for Syria. The China air force is officially the People's Liberation Army Air Force, while Syria's is the Syrian Arab 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 |
|
Syrian Arab Air Force 🇸🇾
| Official Name | Syrian Arab Air Force |
| Local Name | القوات الجوية العربية السورية (Al Quwwāt al Jawwiyah al ʿArabīyah as Sūrīyah) |
| Active aircraft | 414 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 | |
Other
|
6 | |
Syrian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
225 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
153 | |
|
Training
|
29 | |
|
Transport
|
5 | |
|
Other
|
2 | |
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Evolution of Syrian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, China or Syria?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to Syria's 414, a difference of 3,026 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or Syria?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Syria's 225.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or Syria?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to Syria's 153.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or Syria?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to Syria's 5.
How do the China and Syria air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 82.6 times larger than Syria's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 5).
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or Syria?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to Syria's 0.