Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs China
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 631 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 139 |
| Roundel |
|
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3144 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
144 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
266 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
52 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
13 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1705 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
398 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
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 3,144 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 631, a difference of 2,513 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,705 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 144.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to United Kingdom's 266.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 398 compared to United Kingdom's 52.
How do the United Kingdom and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 7.7 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (398 vs 52).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or China?
United Kingdom has 139 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.