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

France operates 1,017 active military aircraft vs 778 for Italy.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of France FranceWorld #8 27.5
AIRS Index / 100

France leads on 5 of 6 categories

Roundel of Italy ItalyWorld #12 23.2
  • 264 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 190
  • 451 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 387
  • 167 Transportweight ×10 33
  • 59 Special missionweight ×8 5
  • 31 UAVsweight ×10 32
  • 45 Trainersweight ×1 131
France Italy 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
France Italy Ratio
Official name French Air and Space Force Italian Air Force
Active aircraft 1,017 778 🇫🇷 1.3×
Aircraft on order 323 112 🇫🇷 2.9×
Combat aircraft 264 190 🇫🇷 1.4×
Combat share of fleet 26.0 % 24.4 % 🇫🇷 1.1×
Aircraft types in service 37 32 🇫🇷 1.2×
Main supplier France · 79 % United States · 36 %
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Helicopters 451 387 🇫🇷 1.2×
Transport aircraft 167 33 🇫🇷 5.1×
Special-mission aircraft 59 5 🇫🇷 12×
Trainers 45 131 🇮🇹 2.9×
UAVs 31 32 🇮🇹 ≈
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇫🇷 FranceRafale ×146SA340 Gazelle ×104H125M / AS550 Fennec ×97
🇮🇹 ItalyNH90 / Caiman ×114Typhoon ×93F-35 Lightning II ×50
Fleet evolution · France
Fleet evolution · Italy
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, France or Italy?
France has more military aircraft with 1,017 active aircraft compared to Italy's 778, a difference of 239 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, France or Italy?
France has more combat aircraft with 264 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Italy's 190.
Which country has more military helicopters, France or Italy?
France operates more military helicopters with 451 compared to Italy's 387.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, France or Italy?
France has more transport aircraft with 167 compared to Italy's 33.
How do the France and Italy air forces compare in size?
France's air force is 5.1 times larger than Italy's in terms of total active aircraft (167 vs 33).
Which country has more aircraft on order, France or Italy?
France has 323 aircraft on order compared to Italy's 112.