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Air Forces comparison: Flag of Japan Japan vs Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Japan operates 1,397 active military aircraft vs 914 for Saudi Arabia.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of Japan JapanWorld #9 28.5
AIRS Index / 100

Saudi Arabia leads overall, ahead on 1 of 5 categories

Roundel of Saudi Arabia Saudi ArabiaWorld #5 33.0
  • 331 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · price 384
  • 533 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 262
  • 110 Transportweight ×10 46
  • 127 Special missionweight ×8 66
  • 296 Trainersweight ×1 156
Japan Saudi Arabia 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
Japan Saudi Arabia Ratio
Official name Japan Air Self-Defense Force Royal Saudi Air Force
Active aircraft 1,397 914 🇯🇵 1.5×
Aircraft on order 353 319 🇯🇵 1.1×
Combat aircraft 331 384 🇸🇦 1.2×
Combat share of fleet 23.7 % 42.0 % 🇸🇦 1.8×
Aircraft types in service 31 26 🇯🇵 1.2×
Main supplier United States · 67 % United States · 59 %
Show full breakdown · 4 more rowsHide the 4 extra rows
Helicopters 533 262 🇯🇵 2.0×
Transport aircraft 110 46 🇯🇵 2.4×
Special-mission aircraft 127 66 🇯🇵 1.9×
Trainers 296 156 🇯🇵 1.9×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇯🇵 JapanF-15 Eagle ×199UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" ×140UH-60 Black Hawk ×101
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaF-15E Strike Eagle ×148F-15EX Eagle II ×84Tornado ×81
Fleet evolution · Japan
Fleet evolution · Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia vs Egypt Air Forces

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has more military aircraft with 1,397 active aircraft compared to Saudi Arabia's 914, a difference of 483 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has more combat aircraft with 384 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Japan's 331.
Which country has more military helicopters, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan operates more military helicopters with 533 compared to Saudi Arabia's 262.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has more transport aircraft with 110 compared to Saudi Arabia's 46.
How do the Japan and Saudi Arabia air forces compare in size?
Japan's air force is 2.4 times larger than Saudi Arabia's in terms of total active aircraft (110 vs 46).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has 353 aircraft on order compared to Saudi Arabia's 319.