A recent report published on a GlobalFirePower.com website has ranked the world’s most powerful air forces based on their aircraft inventory, including fighter jets, helicopters and support aircraft.
The United States was identified as the strongest air force globally, followed by Russia and China in second and third place, respectively. India ranked fourth, South Korea fifth and Japan sixth, with Pakistan securing seventh place.
The report noted that the U.S. Air Force is unmatched, with a fleet that exceeds the combined air capabilities of Russia, China, India, South Korea, and Japan. It operates 5,737 helicopters, 1,854 fighter jets and 3,722 support aircraft with an annual budget of $800 billion, accounting for nearly 40% of global military spending.
Russia, with a third of the US air force, operates 1,554 helicopters, 809 fighters and 610 support aircraft. However, it has suffered losses, with 220 aircraft destroyed since the start of the Ukraine War in 2022.
China, ranked third, has invested heavily in modernizing its air force and recently added its sixth-generation fighter jets to its fleet. The country is also working on supersonic aircraft.
India, South Korea and Japan follow with 2,296, 1,576 and 1,459 aircraft respectively. Pakistan, ranked seventh, operates 1,434 fighter jets, helicopters and support aircraft. Egypt, Turkey and France round out the top ten with respective inventories of 1,080, 1,069 and 972 aircraft.
The report highlights the evolving landscape of air power, where countries such as China are rapidly advancing their technological capabilities, while others, such as Russia, face challenges in maintaining their fleets due to ongoing conflicts.
