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Air Forces comparison: Flag of Kenya Kenya vs Flag of South Africa South Africa

Kenya operates 158 active military aircraft vs 194 for South Africa.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of Kenya KenyaWorld #77 4.8
AIRS Index / 100

South Africa leads on 5 of 6 categories

Roundel of South Africa South AfricaWorld #56 7.4
  • 23 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 25
  • 83 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 84
  • 18 Transportweight ×10 24
  • 1 Special missionweight ×8 4
  • 6 UAVsweight ×10 0
  • 27 Trainersweight ×1 57
Kenya South Africa Bars: weighted contribution to the AIRS Index (airframes × category weight; combat and bombers by generation tier, helicopters by era; the enabler, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active airframes at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
Kenya South Africa Ratio
Official name Kenya Air Force South African Air Force
Active aircraft 158 194 🇿🇦 1.2×
Aircraft on order 2 0 🇰🇪
Combat aircraft 23 25 🇿🇦 1.1×
Combat share of fleet 14.6 % 12.9 % 🇰🇪 1.1×
Aircraft types in service 17 17 —
Main supplier United States · 50 % South Africa · 25 %
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Helicopters 83 84 🇿🇦 ≈
Transport aircraft 18 24 🇿🇦 1.3×
Special-mission aircraft 0 4 🇿🇦
Trainers 27 57 🇿🇦 2.1×
UAVs 6 0 🇰🇪
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇰🇪 KenyaMD-500 ×45F-5E Tiger II ×23SA330 Puma ×13
🇿🇦 South AfricaAtlas Oryx ×37JAS 39 Gripen ×25AW109 ×24
Fleet evolution · Kenya
Fleet evolution · South Africa
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Kenya vsUgandaSudanEritreaEthiopiaLibya
South Africa vsMoroccoNigeriaEgyptTunisiaAlgeria

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, Kenya or South Africa?
South Africa has more military aircraft with 194 active aircraft compared to Kenya's 158, a difference of 36 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Kenya or South Africa?
South Africa has more combat aircraft with 25 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Kenya's 23.
Which country has more military helicopters, Kenya or South Africa?
South Africa operates more military helicopters with 84 compared to Kenya's 83.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Kenya or South Africa?
South Africa has more transport aircraft with 24 compared to Kenya's 18.
Which country has more aircraft on order, Kenya or South Africa?
Kenya has 2 aircraft on order compared to South Africa's 0.