Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs Ireland
United Kingdom's air force fields 640 active aircraft — 24:1 Ireland's 27. The breakdown includes 151 vs 0 combat aircraft, 259 vs 10 helicopters, 59 vs 9 transport aircraft, 156 vs 8 trainers (United Kingdom vs Ireland). United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order vs 0 for Ireland. The United Kingdom air force is officially the Royal Air Force, while Ireland's is the Irish Air Corps.
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 640 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 41 |
| Roundel |
|
Irish Air Corps 🇮🇪
| Official Name | Irish Air Corps |
| Local Name | Óglaigh na hÉireann Aerchór |
| Active aircraft | 27 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
151 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
259 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
59 | |
Other
|
15 | |
Irish aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
0 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
10 | |
|
Training
|
8 | |
|
Transport
|
9 | |
|
Other
|
0 | |
Evolution of British Air Force fleet
Evolution of Irish Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Kingdom or Ireland?
United Kingdom has more military aircraft with 640 active aircraft compared to Ireland's 27, a difference of 613 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or Ireland?
United Kingdom has more combat aircraft with 151 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Ireland's 0.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or Ireland?
United Kingdom operates more military helicopters with 259 compared to Ireland's 10.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or Ireland?
United Kingdom has more transport aircraft with 59 compared to Ireland's 9.
How do the United Kingdom and Ireland air forces compare in size?
United Kingdom's air force is 6.6 times larger than Ireland's in terms of total active aircraft (59 vs 9).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or Ireland?
United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order compared to Ireland's 0.