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Air Forces comparison: Flag of China China vs Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom

China's air force fields 3,921 active aircraft — 5.8:1 United Kingdom's 673.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of China ChinaWorld #2 53.0
AIRS Index / 100

China leads on 6 of 7 categories

Roundel of United Kingdom United KingdomWorld #14 24.0
  • 234 Bombersweight ×100 · price 0
  • 2,043 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · price 151
  • 1,019 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 259
  • 380 Transportweight ×10 49
  • 39 Special missionweight ×8 25
  • 190 UAVsweight ×10 19
  • 16 Trainersweight ×1 170
China United Kingdom Bars: weighted contribution to the AIRS Index (airframes × category weight; combat and bombers by unit price, helicopters by era) · figures: active airframes at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
China United Kingdom Ratio
Official name People's Liberation Army Air Force Royal Air Force
Active aircraft 3,921 673 🇨🇳 5.8×
Aircraft on order 130 49 🇨🇳 2.7×
Combat aircraft 2,043 151 🇨🇳 14×
Combat share of fleet 52.1 % 22.4 % 🇨🇳 2.3×
Aircraft types in service 48 24 🇨🇳 2.0×
Main supplier China · 86 % United States · 28 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 234 0 🇨🇳
Helicopters 1,019 259 🇨🇳 3.9×
Transport aircraft 380 49 🇨🇳 7.8×
Special-mission aircraft 39 25 🇨🇳 1.6×
Trainers 16 170 🇬🇧 11×
UAVs 190 19 🇨🇳 10×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-7 Fishcan ×417J-11 Responsive Dragon ×365J-20 Mighty Dragon ×300
🇬🇧 United KingdomTyphoon ×111AW159 ×62AW101 ×54
Fleet evolution · China
Fleet evolution · United Kingdom
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more military aircraft with 3,921 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 673, a difference of 3,248 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more combat aircraft with 2,043 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 151.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or United Kingdom?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to United Kingdom's 259.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or United Kingdom?
China has more transport aircraft with 380 compared to United Kingdom's 49.
How do the China and United Kingdom air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 7.8 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (380 vs 49).
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or United Kingdom?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to United Kingdom's 49.