Air Forces comparison: China vs United States
United States's air force fields 12,784 active aircraft — 3.7x China's 3,440. The breakdown includes 1,986 vs 3,101 combat aircraft, 0 vs 147 bombers, 1,019 vs 5,442 helicopters, 413 vs 1,483 transport aircraft, 16 vs 1,598 trainers (China vs United States). China has 130 aircraft on order vs 3,432 for United States. The China air force is officially the People's Liberation Army Air Force, while United States's is the United States 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 |
|
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 12784 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3432 |
| Roundel |
|
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
1986 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
Training
|
16 | |
Transport
|
413 | |
Other
|
6 | |
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
3101 | |
|
Bomber
|
147 | |
|
Helicopter
|
5442 | |
|
Training
|
1598 | |
|
Transport
|
1483 | |
|
Other
|
1013 | |
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, China or United States?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,784 active aircraft compared to China's 3,440, a difference of 9,344 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or United States?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,101 fighters and attack aircraft compared to China's 1,986.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or United States?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,442 compared to China's 1,019.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or United States?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,483 compared to China's 413.
How do the China and United States air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 3.6 times larger than China's in terms of total active aircraft (1,483 vs 413).
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or United States?
United States has 3,432 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.