Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs China
China's air force fields 3,440 active aircraft — 5.4x United Kingdom's 640. The breakdown includes 151 vs 1,986 combat aircraft, 259 vs 1,019 helicopters, 59 vs 413 transport aircraft, 156 vs 16 trainers (United Kingdom vs China). United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order vs 130 for China. The United Kingdom air force is officially the Royal Air Force, while China's is the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 640 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 41 |
| Roundel |
|
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 |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
151 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
259 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
59 | |
Other
|
15 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1986 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
413 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of British Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Kingdom or China?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 640, a difference of 2,800 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 151.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to United Kingdom's 259.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to United Kingdom's 59.
How do the United Kingdom and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 7.0 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 59).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or China?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to United Kingdom's 41.