Air Forces comparison: North Korea vs Japan
Korean People's Army Air Force 🇰🇵
| Official Name | Korean People's Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 공군 (Gonggun) |
| Active aircraft | 861 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
Japan Air Self-Defense Force 🇯🇵
| Official Name | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Local Name | 空自 (Kūji) |
| Active aircraft | 1443 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 335 |
| Roundel |
|
North Korean aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
575 | |
Bomber
|
80 | |
Helicopter
|
205 | |
Training
|
0 | |
Transport
|
1 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
0 | |
Japanese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
322 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
579 | |
|
Training
|
307 | |
|
Transport
|
110 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
125 | |
Evolution of North Korean Air Force fleet
Evolution of Japanese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, North Korea or Japan?
Japan has more military aircraft with 1,443 active aircraft compared to North Korea's 861, a difference of 582 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, North Korea or Japan?
North Korea has more combat aircraft with 575 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Japan's 322.
Which country has more military helicopters, North Korea or Japan?
Japan operates more military helicopters with 579 compared to North Korea's 205.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, North Korea or Japan?
Japan has more transport aircraft with 110 compared to North Korea's 1.
How do the North Korea and Japan air forces compare in size?
Japan's air force is 110.0 times larger than North Korea's in terms of total active aircraft (110 vs 1).
Which country has more aircraft on order, North Korea or Japan?
Japan has 335 aircraft on order compared to North Korea's 0.