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Air Forces comparison: Flag of Spain Spain vs Flag of France France

Spain operates 509 active military aircraft vs 1,017 for France.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of Spain SpainWorld #20 18.5
AIRS Index / 100

France leads on 5 of 6 categories

Roundel of France FranceWorld #8 27.5
  • 178 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 264
  • 178 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 451
  • 77 Transportweight ×10 167
  • 3 Special missionweight ×8 59
  • 18 UAVsweight ×10 31
  • 55 Trainersweight ×1 45
Spain France 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
Spain France Ratio
Official name Spanish Air and Space Force French Air and Space Force
Active aircraft 509 1,017 🇫🇷 2.0×
Aircraft on order 207 323 🇫🇷 1.6×
Combat aircraft 178 264 🇫🇷 1.5×
Combat share of fleet 35.0 % 26.0 % 🇪🇸 1.3×
Aircraft types in service 28 37 🇫🇷 1.3×
Main supplier United States · 39 % France · 79 %
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Helicopters 178 451 🇫🇷 2.5×
Transport aircraft 77 167 🇫🇷 2.2×
Special-mission aircraft 3 59 🇫🇷 20×
Trainers 55 45 🇪🇸 1.2×
UAVs 18 31 🇫🇷 1.7×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇪🇸 SpainF/A-18 Hornet ×81Typhoon ×68H215M / AS532 Cougar ×39
🇫🇷 FranceRafale ×146SA340 Gazelle ×104H125M / AS550 Fennec ×97
Fleet evolution · Spain
Fleet evolution · France
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, Spain or France?
France has more military aircraft with 1,017 active aircraft compared to Spain's 509, a difference of 508 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Spain or France?
France has more combat aircraft with 264 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Spain's 178.
Which country has more military helicopters, Spain or France?
France operates more military helicopters with 451 compared to Spain's 178.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Spain or France?
France has more transport aircraft with 167 compared to Spain's 77.
How do the Spain and France air forces compare in size?
France's air force is 2.2 times larger than Spain's in terms of total active aircraft (167 vs 77).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Spain or France?
France has 323 aircraft on order compared to Spain's 207.