Air Forces comparison: United States vs Japan
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 |
|
Japan Air Self-Defense Force 🇯🇵
| Official Name | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Local Name | 空自 (Kūji) |
| Active aircraft | 1397 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 310 |
| Roundel |
|
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
3120 | |
Bomber
|
147 | |
Helicopter
|
5479 | |
Training
|
1598 | |
Transport
|
1507 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
1009 | |
Japanese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
331 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
533 | |
|
Training
|
296 | |
|
Transport
|
112 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
125 | |
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Evolution of Japanese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United States or Japan?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,860 active aircraft compared to Japan's 1,397, a difference of 11,463 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United States or Japan?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,120 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Japan's 331.
Which country has more military helicopters, United States or Japan?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,479 compared to Japan's 533.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United States or Japan?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,507 compared to Japan's 112.
How do the United States and Japan air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 13.5 times larger than Japan's in terms of total active aircraft (1,507 vs 112).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United States or Japan?
United States has 3,389 aircraft on order compared to Japan's 310.