Air Forces comparison: 
Nicaragua vs 
Panama
Panama's air force fields 40 active aircraft — 2.4:1 Nicaragua's 17.
AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Nicaragua
Panama
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
| Nicaragua | Panama | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | Nicaraguan Army Air Force | Panamanian National Aeronaval Service | |
| Active aircraft | 17 | 40 | 🇵🇦 2.4× |
| Combat aircraft | 0 | 0 | — |
| Combat share of fleet | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | — |
| Aircraft types in service | 5 | 14 | 🇵🇦 2.8× |
| Main supplier | Ex-USSR · 82 % | United States · 65 % |
Show full breakdown · 4 more rowsHide the 4 extra rows
| Helicopters | 11 | 25 | 🇵🇦 2.3× |
| Transport aircraft | 4 | 11 | 🇵🇦 2.8× |
| Special-mission aircraft | 1 | 3 | 🇵🇦 3.0× |
| Trainers | 1 | 1 | — |
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
Fleet evolution · Nicaragua
Fleet evolution · Panama
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Nicaragua or Panama?
Panama has more military aircraft with 40 active aircraft compared to Nicaragua's 17, a difference of 23 aircraft.
Which country has more military helicopters, Nicaragua or Panama?
Panama operates more military helicopters with 25 compared to Nicaragua's 11.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Nicaragua or Panama?
Panama has more transport aircraft with 11 compared to Nicaragua's 4.
How do the Nicaragua and Panama air forces compare in size?
Panama's air force is 2.8 times larger than Nicaragua's in terms of total active aircraft (11 vs 4).