Air Forces comparison: New Zealand vs United States
United States's air force fields 12,860 active aircraft — 274:1 New Zealand's 47. The breakdown includes 0 vs 3,120 combat aircraft, 0 vs 147 bombers, 21 vs 5,479 helicopters, 11 vs 1,507 transport aircraft, 11 vs 1,598 trainers (New Zealand vs United States). New Zealand has 0 aircraft on order vs 3,389 for United States. The New Zealand air force is officially the Royal New Zealand Air Force, while United States's is the United States Air Force.
Royal New Zealand Air Force 🇳🇿
| Official Name | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 47 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 12860 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3389 |
| Roundel |
|
New Zealand aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
0 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
21 | |
Training
|
11 | |
Transport
|
11 | |
Other
|
4 | |
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
3120 | |
|
Bomber
|
147 | |
|
Helicopter
|
5479 | |
|
Training
|
1598 | |
|
Transport
|
1507 | |
|
Other
|
1009 | |
Evolution of New Zealand Air Force fleet
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,860 active aircraft compared to New Zealand's 47, a difference of 12,813 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,120 fighters and attack aircraft compared to New Zealand's 0.
Which country has more military helicopters, New Zealand or United States?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,479 compared to New Zealand's 21.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,507 compared to New Zealand's 11.
How do the New Zealand and United States air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 137.0 times larger than New Zealand's in terms of total active aircraft (1,507 vs 11).
Which country has more aircraft on order, New Zealand or United States?
United States has 3,389 aircraft on order compared to New Zealand's 0.