Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs Portugal
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 640 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 41 |
| Roundel |
|
Portuguese Air Force 🇵🇹
| Official Name | Portuguese Air Force |
| Local Name | Força Aérea Portuguesa |
| Active aircraft | 86 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3 |
| Roundel |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
151 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
259 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
59 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
15 | |
Portuguese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
25 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
22 | |
|
Training
|
11 | |
|
Transport
|
23 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
5 | |
Evolution of British Air Force fleet
Evolution of Portuguese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Kingdom or Portugal?
United Kingdom has more military aircraft with 640 active aircraft compared to Portugal's 86, a difference of 554 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or Portugal?
United Kingdom has more combat aircraft with 151 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Portugal's 25.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or Portugal?
United Kingdom operates more military helicopters with 259 compared to Portugal's 22.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or Portugal?
United Kingdom has more transport aircraft with 59 compared to Portugal's 23.
How do the United Kingdom and Portugal air forces compare in size?
United Kingdom's air force is 2.6 times larger than Portugal's in terms of total active aircraft (59 vs 23).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or Portugal?
United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order compared to Portugal's 3.