Largest Air Forces in the World 2022

Aviation has transformed military operations in the same way that the transportation sector has. An air force of military aircraft has altered the world’s armed forces in little over a century, becoming not just conceivable but essential.

When it comes to the contemporary battlefield, aircraft are so integral to military operations that they frequently have their air fleets. The following three tables are to be compared:

Flight International’s 2022 Top 10 Largest Air Forces in the World (based on the number of military aircraft):

1. United States Air Force – 5,217
2. Russian Air Force – 3,863
3. People’s Liberation Army Air Force (China) – 1991
4. Indian Air Force – 1,715
5. Egyptian Air Force – 1,062
6. Korean People’s Army Air Force (North Korea) – 946
7. South Korean Air Force – 898
8. Pakistan Air Force – 810
9. Japan Air Self-Defense Force – 746
10. Royal Saudi Air Force – 690

The 10 largest militaries in the world, as measured by the number of military aircraft, are listed below:

1. United States Air Force – 5,217
2. United States Army Aviation – 4,409
3. Russian Air Force – 3,863
4. United States Navy – 2,464
5. People’s Liberation Army Air Force (China) – 1,991
6. Indian Air Force – 1,715
7. United States Marine Corps – 1,157
8. Egyptian Air Force – 1,062
9. Korean People’s Army Air Force (North Korea) – 946
10. South Korean Air Force – 898

List of the 10 countries with the most military aircraft (all branches combined) in 2022 compiled by Flight International:

1. United States – 13,247 (5,217 Air Force, 4,409 Army, 2,464 Navy, 1,157 Marines)
2. Russia – 4,173 (3,863 Air Force, 310 Navy)
3. China – 3,285 (1,991 Air Force, 857 Army, 437 Navy)
4. India – 2,186 (1,715 Air Force, 232 Army, 239 Navy)
5. South Korea – 1,595 (898 Air Force, 611 Army, 69 Navy, 17 Marines)
6. Japan – 1,449 (746 Air Force, 392 Army, 311 Navy)
7. Pakistan – 1,386 (810 Air Force, 544 Army, 32 Navy)
8. Egypt – 1,062 (1,053 Air Force)
9. Turkey – 1,057 (612 Air Force, 398 Army, 47 Navy)
10. France – 1,055 (570 Air Force, 306 Army, 179 Navy)

Metrics comparison: actual air power versus. number of military aircraft

In the same way that not all naval ships are equal, not all military planes are equal. For example, a contemporary fighter jet is quite distinct from an unarmed training helicopter. A country’s air power can only be gauged to some extent by the quantity of aircraft it owns.

The TrueValue Rating, or TvR, was developed by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) to provide a more nuanced and accurate rating.

It considers the total number of aircraft, their make, model, year of manufacture, condition, and level of readiness. TvR has a big impact on the hierarchy:

Military Services with the Most Powerful Air Forces, According to TrueValue Ratings, WDMMA 2021 lists the following 15 services:

1. United States Air Force – 242.9
2. United States Navy – 142.4
3. Russian Air Force – 114.2
4. United States Army Aviation – 112.6
5. United States Marine Corps – 85.3
6. Indian Air Force – 69.4
7. People’s Liberation Army Air Force (China) – 63.8
8. Japan Air Self-Defence Force – 58.1
9. Israeli Air Force – 58.0
10. French Air Force – 56.3
11. British Royal Air Force – 55.3
12. South Korean Air Force – 53.4
13. Italian Air Force – 51.9
14. Royal Australian Air Force – 51.7
15. People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (China) – 49

Compare the United States, Russia, and China’s military air power.

The United States air fleet

The United States Air Force is the strongest in the world by a wide margin. US Air Force (USAF) has 5217 operating aircraft in late 2021, making it the most technologically sophisticated and powerful air force in the world as of late 2021.

There are also 13,247 military aircraft in the United States, including those from the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps. This dwarfs the combined air fleets of the following five nations.

Regarding total aircraft numbers and TvR ratings, however, four of the top five slots go to the United States’ four major military services. 5,463 combat helicopters (or 41% of the total aircraft) make up most of the US air fleet (especially in the non-Air Force branches).

Besides these, the United States Air Force has 2,660 trainers, 2,740 combat aircraft, 744 special purpose aircraft, 627 tankers, and 982 types of transport.

Russia’s air fleet

There are 3,863 military aircraft in the Russian Air Force, which is second only to the United States Air Force in terms of military aircraft (with another 310 allotted to the Navy).

As a rival to the United States in the Cold War, Soviet air power remained such until Russia’s formation of the Russian Federation in 1991, when its budget was drastically cut.

The Russian Air Force, on the other hand, has progressively improved since the start of the twenty-first century and still has enough antecedents to maintain possession of the #2 slot for the time being.

China’s air fleet

At 3,285, China’s air force ranks as the third biggest in the world, equipped with 1,991 military planes, 857 army planes, and 437 navy planes (for a total of 3,285).

Despite having fewer aircraft than Russia, China’s Air Force is far larger. In addition, the PLAAF has improved the most in the previous two decades than any other air force in the world.

The PLAAF began with a stale fleet of Soviet-built combat aircraft from the second or third generation, which were essentially out of date on a global scale.

On the other hand, China has taken things into its own hands in the new century, mimicking US Air Force models and building its own fourth-generation aircraft that approach—and in some instances outperform—their US Air Force inspirations in terms of inventiveness and technical skill.

As of 2021, China is the third-largest economy in the world, but given its growth trajectory, it may soon overtake Russia and challenge the United States for the top slot.

Also See: Dfars Countries 2022

A New Space Force Is Being Created

All aspects of modern military operations are not confined to space. Several nations have recently begun developing a space force program, either as an enlargement of their current air force or as a separate branch, that aims to expand their military dominance into outer space and its infinite borders.

Even though most of these projects are still in their infancy, governments are preparing to beef up their military might by sending astronauts into space.