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