GlobalMilitary.net Open-source military intelligence Updated daily
Head-to-head

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

Russia's air force fields 5,307 active aircraft — 5.4:1 France's 991.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of France FranceWorld #8 26.4
AIRS Index / 100

Russia leads on 7 of 7 categories

Roundel of Russia RussiaWorld #3 51.6
  • 0 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 116
  • 273 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 1,477
  • 408 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 1,585
  • 172 Transportweight ×10 506
  • 55 Special missionweight ×8 108
  • 31 UAVsweight ×10 1,074
  • 52 Trainersweight ×1 441
France 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
France Russia Ratio
Official name French Air and Space Force Russian Air Force
Active aircraft 991 5,307 🇷🇺 5.4×
Aircraft on order 321 405 🇷🇺 1.3×
Combat aircraft 273 1,477 🇷🇺 5.4×
Combat share of fleet 27.5 % 27.8 % 🇷🇺 ≈
Aircraft types in service 41 56 🇷🇺 1.4×
Main supplier France · 79 % Ex-USSR · 59 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 0 116 🇷🇺
Helicopters 408 1,585 🇷🇺 3.9×
Transport aircraft 172 506 🇷🇺 2.9×
Special-mission aircraft 55 108 🇷🇺 2.0×
Trainers 52 441 🇷🇺 8.5×
UAVs 31 1,074 🇷🇺 35×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇫🇷 FranceRafale ×153NH90 / Caiman ×91SA340 Gazelle ×80
🇷🇺 RussiaMi-8 Hip ×780Mi-24 Hind ×324Su-24 Fencer ×294
Fleet evolution · France
Fleet evolution · Russia
Explore this matchup
Go deeper · same matchup, other lenses
Military strength Navies Armies Ranks & insignia
Change opponent
France vsUnited StatesUnited KingdomGermanyItalyUkraine
Russia vsUkraineUnited StatesChinaPolandFinland
Related comparisons
Russia vs India Air Forces

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, France or Russia?
Russia has more military aircraft with 5,307 active aircraft compared to France's 991, a difference of 4,316 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, France or Russia?
Russia has more combat aircraft with 1,477 fighters and attack aircraft compared to France's 273.
Which country has more military helicopters, France or Russia?
Russia operates more military helicopters with 1,585 compared to France's 408.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, France or Russia?
Russia has more transport aircraft with 506 compared to France's 172.
How do the France and Russia air forces compare in size?
Russia's air force is 5.4 times larger than France's in terms of total active aircraft (5,307 vs 991).
Which country has more aircraft on order, France or Russia?
Russia has 405 aircraft on order compared to France's 321.