10 Largest Air Forces In The World, Ranked By Military Aircraft Numbers

The strength of the armed forces, be it the navy or air force, instills a different sort of pride in a nation and its people. A large, disciplined air force is a defining feature of any country and can tell us a lot about its hold over world politics and affairs. This is why it is integral for nations around the world to invest in their forces and present them as a depiction of power and might in the international community.

So which nations have the largest air forces in the world and how many military aircraft in their possession? Data provided by Flight Global and presented in their 2024 World Air Forces report after extensive research includes some interesting countries on the list. Some of these names might even come as a surprise to you. Still, each is a powerful and respected member of world organizations.

Of course, the number of military aircraft owned by a country's air force alone is not a true depiction of its superiority. What actually matters is the planning and the clever usage of these aviation resources to create an unmatched air force. Planes and jets are just machines that are of no use until someone with good strategic skills knows exactly how to use them to their advantage. With that in mind, here are the world's largest air forces.

For a country that played such a critical role in both World Wars, it might come as a surprise that France ranks 10th on this list. After all, the French Air Force was another early air force, having been formed as a part of the French Army in 1909 to protect the country from military invasion. Today, however, it has a military fleet of fewer than 1,000 aircraft — 972 to be exact. In an attempt to improve its air fleet, the French Air Force is expected to add 39 French F4.1 Rafale jets to the French Air Force by 2025. Multi-role fighters in the FAF unit amount to nearly 38% of its total strength, which also includes the French Rafale, M2000D and M2000-5F.

France also recently received two Airbus H225M helicopters, which will come in handy in search and rescue operations. On top of this, the FAF also uses a four-engine transport aircraft, the A400M Airbus. Finally, due to rising tensions worldwide the FAF has also stepped up its military training programs to prepare the force for any sudden threats.

The Turkish Air Force represents the strength, expertise, and power of the Turkish Armed Forces. The country has its own technologically advanced air maintenance factory that looks after the maintenance and repair of its military fleet. Interestingly, the Turkish Air Force is among the oldest military aviation forces, as it was founded by the Ottoman Empire in 1911, making it well over 110 years old!

It is in command of an impressive fleet of 1,069 aircraft. The latest addition to the Turkish Air Force is the fifth-generation stealth fighter known as the KAAN. This modern marvel is the work of the Turkish Aerospace Industries and is equipped with high-precision sensors, missile systems and weaponry to stand out from the traditional, outdated fighters.

Moreover, the TAI started 2025 with ambitions plans to acquire 40 new Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Britain in the coming years. In 2024, Turkey also secured a deal with the U.S. to add F-16 jets to its existing force. At this pace, it will not take long before Turkey moves up a few ranks in the worldwide list of the largest air forces.

Egypt has a strong foothold in the region in the Middle East. Since the country is among the core negotiators for some of the most impactful conflicts of the modern era, it makes sense for Egypt to have a solid air force to rely on. The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) has a well-organized military fleet consisting of 1,069 military aircraft.

Egypt has turned to European partners to refresh its air fleet. In 2018, Egypt purchased 30 Rafale fighters from France in 2021. However, the EAF needed more to secure its country amid the possibility of a regional war in the Middle East. As of 2025, the EAF has 179 F-16 fighters and 75 Dassault Mirage 5, which are some of the most advanced aircraft in the force. However, the maintenance and repair of its aircraft fleet remain a challenge for EAF due to the diversity of aircraft procured from different nations. 

Pakistan is in command of a very skilled and powerful air force, consisting of 1,434 active fleet capable of defending the nation whenever necessary. The long-term alliance between Pakistan and the U.S. against the Soviet Union in the 1950s proved to be a turning point for the PAF. During the four decades of partnership, Pakistan replaced its outdated military aircraft with the newest fighter jets, bombers and trainers and became a world-class air force in a matter of years.

Today, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is responsible for the repair and maintenance of PAF aircraft. It has multiple units serving different purposes, like the Mirage Rebuild Factory and Avionics Production Factory. The JF-17 Thunder, F-16, J-10C and French Mirage all add to an extensive range of military aircraft owned by the PAF. Further broadening its aircraft fleet, Pakistan announced the establishment of a joint factory with Turkey to develop the fifth-gen KAAN fighter jet.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has 1,459 active aircraft, making it the sixth largest air force in the world. The JASDF boasts a modern collection of military warfare that includes 127 fifth-gen F-35 Lightning II aircraft on top of 105 multi-role F-2 Support Fighters, both of which are manufactured by Lockheed Martin. To keep up with the modernization efforts, Japan needs to replace its F-2 fighters with contemporary fifth or sixth-gen aircraft in its fleet. Other than this, the force owns an array of trainer aircraft, including the T-7.

In December 2024, the Japanese government approved the biggest-ever defense budget of 8.7 trillion yen — $55.1 billion — for the fiscal year 2025. The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force plans to add the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II pilot trainer and retire its long-serving Fuji/Subaru T-7 aircraft, a basic pilot trainer. The country also collaborated with the U.K. and Italy on a project to develop a joint company to design and manufacture sixth-gen combat fighter jets.

South Korea is recognized not only for its entertainment industry but also for its military strength. A country that makes it mandatory for every eligible male to serve two years of military service is definitely very serious about its armed forces. No wonder the Republic of Korean Air Force, also referred to as the South Korean Air Force, has marked its foothold on our list with a large fleet of 1,576 aircraft.

The government selected the latest fifth-gen F-35A aircraft as the next addition to their air force in 2014, and 20 more of these stealth fighters were built after the first ones were delivered in 2019. In November 2024, a $6.2 billion deal was finalized between the U.S. and South Korea focused on upgrading the current military fleet of F-15K fighter jets, enhancing its long-range mission capabilities and radar systems for more controlled attacks.

The ongoing KF-21 Boramae program is aimed at equipping the South Korean Air Force with multi-role KF-21 fighter jets to replace the outdated and recently retired F-4E Phantom II fleet. Data predicts that the South Korean defense expenditure will increase from $45.2 billion in 2024 to an estimated $54.7 billion in 2029, with a large portion used to modernize its military fleet.

India has firmly established itself as one of the leading developing nations, placing a core focus on its military strength. With 2,296 active military fleet, the Indian Air Force has an impeccable range of fighters, UAVs, surveillance drones, and jets — all of which come together to showcase the Indian dominance in the region.

India is home to one of the most highly advanced fleet of military aircraft in the world, including the MiG-21, the Mirage 2000, the Su-30, and the Dassault Rafale multirole twin-jet fighter. However, the F-21 — which is a variant of the F-16 manufactured by Lockheed Martin – stands out in the Indian collection of fighter aircraft. It is built and designed with custom specifications, keeping in mind the requirements of the IAF. Each part is put together to serve a special purpose in the force. 

That isn't the only unique aircraft in the Indian fleet — in a stunning reveal, the IAF presented two C-295 transport aircraft in the IAF Republic Day Fly-Past 2025, both of which were completely made in India.

China is not only an economic giant but also has the ownership of the third-largest air force globally. The People's Liberation Army Air Force owns 3,304 military aircraft, a total that includes 1,207 fighters, which is about 6% of the world's share. This makes China the biggest aviation superpower in Asia.

The capabilities of the PLA Air Force are rapidly improving, especially after the unveiling of the J-35A stealth fighter and its excellent combat capabilities at the China Air Show 2024.  Like Russia, China also holds the Sukhoi Su-35 in its military aircraft collection, along with the sixth-gen Chengdu J-36, a stealth jet designed with utmost precision to glide like an eagle in the skies. 

The addition of such modern warplanes also means that China can retire its old-gen fighters, such as the J-10 and J-11 fleet. The constantly evolving PLA Air Force could soon shift the global power dynamics if it continues to add such versatile fighters to its inventory. 

Like America, Russia is also backed by a state-of-the-art military fleet. The nation's air force is the second-largest in the world, with 4,255 aircraft in its inventory ready to engage. On top of this, the country manufactures several combat jets per year.

It also owns one of the best-looking fighter jets, the MiG-29, developed in the '70s in response to American F-15 and F-16 fighters. Over time, most of the 1,600 MiG-29 produced since the late '70s were retired after the fourth-generation fighter jets served their purpose for over 40 years. In 2024, Russia showed off the Sukhoi Su-57, its finest fifth-gen military aircraft yet, at the 2024 Airshow China, marking the plane's debut on a global stage.

Unfortunately, the close-up view of the aircraft has garnered worldwide criticism from military experts. Greg Bagwell, a former senior commander of the U.K. Royal Air Force, told The Kyiv Independent that he observed a "poor level of engineering workmanship" in the stealth aircraft. Meanwhile, Dr. Matthew Powell, an air power historian and teaching fellow at RAFC Cranwell, felt that the assembly "looks very slapdash." 

Despite the lack of international confidence, the Russian Air Force continues to fly missions with the Su-35 and Su-57, two of its most advanced fighter jets in the fleet.

It's no shocker that the U.S. owns the highest number of military aircraft of any nation in the world, and it is one of the core reasons why it has such vast domination over international affairs. The force is admired globally for its gorgeous jets built with the utmost precision and finesse. Flight Global's research puts the world's biggest superpower at 13,209 active aircraft under its command, although the U.S. had more than 14,000 military craft in its inventory in 2019 — the number has been decreasing as a part of a planned reduction.

The U.S. spends a huge chunk of its budget on the military, as the government is serious about retaining its title of the world's biggest superpower. Continuing that legacy, the Department of the Air Force put forward a budget request of $217.5 billion for 2025, which was more than $2.4 billion more than the budget requested in the previous year. The procurement budget will be spent on acquiring and advancing modern airplanes, such as the F-35A and T-7A advanced pilot trainer. Consequently, soon we can expect to see notable changes in the U.S. military fleet in 2025.

While the U.S. Air Force fields the most advanced fleet of aircraft in the world, it is still home to some old-school propeller aircraft. Of course, it also has a sweet collection of some of the most advanced flight technology in the world. The F-35A Lightning II by Lockheed Martin, for instance, is capable of achieving a top speed of Mach 1.6 (1227.2 mph). It is also integrated with a highly capable sensor package that helps the pilot make informed decisions in the sky.