Air Forces comparison: United States vs China
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 13043 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3435 |
| Roundel |
|
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3144 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
3308 | |
Bomber
|
135 | |
Helicopter
|
5496 | |
Training
|
1566 | |
Transport
|
1522 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
1016 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1705 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
398 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United States or China?
United States has more military aircraft with 13,043 active aircraft compared to China's 3,144, a difference of 9,899 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United States or China?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,308 fighters and attack aircraft compared to China's 1,705.
Which country has more military helicopters, United States or China?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,496 compared to China's 1,019.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United States or China?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,522 compared to China's 398.
How do the United States and China air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 3.8 times larger than China's in terms of total active aircraft (1,522 vs 398).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United States or China?
United States has 3,435 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.