Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs Japan
Japan's air force fields 1,397 active aircraft — 2.2x United Kingdom's 640. The breakdown includes 151 vs 331 combat aircraft, 259 vs 533 helicopters, 59 vs 112 transport aircraft, 156 vs 296 trainers (United Kingdom vs Japan). United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order vs 310 for Japan. The United Kingdom air force is officially the Royal Air Force, while Japan's is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 640 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 41 |
| Roundel |
|
Japan Air Self-Defense Force 🇯🇵
| Official Name | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Local Name | 空自 (Kūji) |
| Active aircraft | 1397 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 310 |
| Roundel |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
151 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
259 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
59 | |
Other
|
15 | |
Japanese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
331 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
533 | |
|
Training
|
296 | |
|
Transport
|
112 | |
|
Other
|
125 | |
Evolution of British Air Force fleet
Evolution of Japanese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan has more military aircraft with 1,397 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 640, a difference of 757 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan has more combat aircraft with 331 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 151.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan operates more military helicopters with 533 compared to United Kingdom's 259.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan has more transport aircraft with 112 compared to United Kingdom's 59.
How do the United Kingdom and Japan air forces compare in size?
Japan's air force is 1.9 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (112 vs 59).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan has 310 aircraft on order compared to United Kingdom's 41.