Air Forces comparison: 
New Zealand vs 
United States
United States's air force fields 12,891 active aircraft — 293:1 New Zealand's 44.
AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
New ZealandWorld #87
3.4
AIRS Index / 100
United States leads on 7 of 7 categories
United StatesWorld #1
100.0
New Zealand
United States
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
| New Zealand | United States | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | Royal New Zealand Air Force | United States Air Force | |
| Active aircraft | 44 | 12,891 | 🇺🇸 293× |
| Aircraft on order | 7 | 3,084 | 🇺🇸 441× |
| Combat aircraft | 0 | 3,002 | 🇺🇸 |
| Combat share of fleet | 0.0 % | 23.3 % | 🇺🇸 |
| Aircraft types in service | 8 | 87 | 🇺🇸 11× |
| Main supplier | United States · 70 % | United States · 94 % |
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
| Bombers | 0 | 147 | 🇺🇸 |
| Helicopters | 18 | 5,504 | 🇺🇸 306× |
| Transport aircraft | 7 | 1,369 | 🇺🇸 196× |
| Special-mission aircraft | 8 | 1,222 | 🇺🇸 153× |
| Trainers | 11 | 1,454 | 🇺🇸 132× |
| UAVs | 0 | 193 | 🇺🇸 |
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
Fleet evolution · New Zealand
Fleet evolution · United States
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,891 active aircraft compared to New Zealand's 44, a difference of 12,847 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,002 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 5,504 compared to New Zealand's 18.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, New Zealand or United States?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,369 compared to New Zealand's 7.
How do the New Zealand and United States air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 293.0 times larger than New Zealand's in terms of total active aircraft (12,891 vs 44).
Which country has more aircraft on order, New Zealand or United States?
United States has 3,084 aircraft on order compared to New Zealand's 7.