Air Forces comparison: Maldives vs China
China's air force fields 3,440 active aircraft — 860:1 Maldives's 4. The breakdown includes 0 vs 1,986 combat aircraft, 2 vs 1,019 helicopters, 2 vs 413 transport aircraft, 0 vs 16 trainers (Maldives vs China). Maldives has 0 aircraft on order vs 130 for China. The Maldives air force is officially the Coast Guard Aviation Squadron, while China's is the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Coast Guard Aviation Squadron 🇲🇻
| Official Name | Coast Guard Aviation Squadron |
| Local Name | Maldives National Defence Force Air Wing |
| Active aircraft | 4 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3440 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
Maldivian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
0 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
2 | |
Training
|
0 | |
Transport
|
2 | |
Other
|
0 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1986 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
413 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of Maldivian Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Maldives or China?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to Maldives's 4, a difference of 3,436 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Maldives or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Maldives's 0.
Which country has more military helicopters, Maldives or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to Maldives's 2.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Maldives or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to Maldives's 2.
How do the Maldives and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 206.5 times larger than Maldives's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 2).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Maldives or China?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to Maldives's 0.