Air Forces comparison: Vietnam vs China
China's air force fields 3,440 active aircraft — 17:1 Vietnam's 205. The breakdown includes 71 vs 1,986 combat aircraft, 42 vs 1,019 helicopters, 17 vs 413 transport aircraft, 75 vs 16 trainers (Vietnam vs China). Vietnam has 0 aircraft on order vs 130 for China. The Vietnam air force is officially the Vietnam People's Air Force, while China's is the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Vietnam People's Air Force 🇻🇳
| Official Name | Vietnam People's Air Force |
| Local Name | Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam |
| Active aircraft | 205 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
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|
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3440 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
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Vietnamese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
71 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
42 | |
Training
|
75 | |
Transport
|
17 | |
Other
|
0 | |
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
1986 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
|
Training
|
16 | |
|
Transport
|
413 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of Vietnamese Air Force fleet
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Vietnam or China?
China has more military aircraft with 3,440 active aircraft compared to Vietnam's 205, a difference of 3,235 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Vietnam or China?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,986 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Vietnam's 71.
Which country has more military helicopters, Vietnam or China?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to Vietnam's 42.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Vietnam or China?
China has more transport aircraft with 413 compared to Vietnam's 17.
How do the Vietnam and China air forces compare in size?
China's air force is 24.3 times larger than Vietnam's in terms of total active aircraft (413 vs 17).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Vietnam or China?
China has 130 aircraft on order compared to Vietnam's 0.