Air Forces comparison: United States vs Russia
Overview
United States's air force fields 12,784 active aircraft — 3.0x Russia's 4,300.
The breakdown includes 3,101 vs 1,524 combat aircraft, 147 vs 152 bombers, 5,442 vs 1,604 helicopters, 1,483 vs 515 transport aircraft, 1,598 vs 442 trainers (United States vs Russia). United States has 3,432 aircraft on order vs 677 for Russia.
The United States air force is officially the United States Air Force, while Russia's is the Russian Air Force.
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 12784 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3432 |
| Roundel |
|
Russian Air Force 🇷🇺
| Official Name | Russian Air Force |
| Local Name | Военно-воздушные cилы (Voenno-vozdushnye sily) |
| Active aircraft | 4300 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 677 |
| Roundel |
|
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
3101 | |
Bomber
|
147 | |
Helicopter
|
5442 | |
Training
|
1598 | |
Transport
|
1483 | |
Other
|
1013 | |
Russian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1524 | |
|
Bomber
|
152 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1604 | |
|
Training
|
442 | |
|
Transport
|
515 | |
|
Other
|
63 | |
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Evolution of Russian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United States or Russia?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,784 active aircraft compared to Russia's 4,300, a difference of 8,484 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United States or Russia?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,101 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Russia's 1,524.
Which country has more military helicopters, United States or Russia?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,442 compared to Russia's 1,604.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United States or Russia?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,483 compared to Russia's 515.
How do the United States and Russia air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 2.9 times larger than Russia's in terms of total active aircraft (1,483 vs 515).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United States or Russia?
United States has 3,432 aircraft on order compared to Russia's 677.