As of 2025, the United States maintains its position as the global leader in military aviation, operating more aircraft than the next nine countries combined. This dominance spans across all branches of the U.S. military — the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps — with operations based at key installations such as Joint Base Andrews and Nellis Air Force Base.
Russia and China rank second and third, respectively, with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) and China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) making up their air power. Despite modernisation efforts by several countries, the United States continues to outpace all others in both quantity and technology.
Top 5 Largest Air Forces by Total Military Aircraft (2025)
Rank Country Total Aircraft Fighter Aircraft Strategic Bombers Helicopters Transport Aircraft.
1 USA 14,486 2,600+ 140 5,509 1,020
2 .Russia 4,211 ~1,200 120 1,551 462
3 China 3,304 ~1,100 209 68 270
4 India 2,296 600+ 0 498 282
5 Japan 1,459 ~300 0 72 44
U.S. Branch-Wise Breakdown.Each branch of the U.S. military would individually rank among the world’s largest air forces:
U.S. Air Force (USAF): 5,004 aircraft
U.S. Army Aviation: 4,333 aircraft
U.S. Navy (USN): 2,504 aircraft
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC): 1,211 aircraft
Other countries typically consolidate their aircraft within a single national air force, often lacking the depth and variety of U.S. assets, particularly in transport, refueling, and rotary-wing capabilities.
Fighter Aircraft: U.S. Leads in Quality and Quantity
The United States commands the world’s largest and most advanced fleet of fighter aircraft, with over 2,600 active combat jets, including fifth-generation platforms like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
Fighter Fleet Rankings:
1. USA – 2,600+ (including advanced stealth fighters)
2. Russia – Approx. 1,200 (Su-35s, limited Su-57s)
3. China – Approx. 1,100 (J-10, J-20 stealth jets)
4. India – Over 600 (Su-30MKIs, Rafales)
5. Japan – Around 300 (F-15s, F-35s)
India and Japan are rapidly modernizing their fleets, incorporating platforms like the Rafale and F-35, respectively.
Strategic Bombers: A Rare Asset
Only three countries operate strategic bomber fleets — the U.S., China, and Russia.
China leads numerically with 209 H-6 bombers but lacks stealth capability.
The USA operates 140 strategic bombers, including stealth B-2 Spirits and B-52 Stratofortresses.
Russia has 120 bombers (Tu-95 and Tu-160), but many face maintenance and aging issues.
Helicopter Power: U.S. Army on Top
The United States operates the largest and most capable helicopter fleet globally, totaling over 5,500 helicopters. Key assets include the AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47 Chinook, and the V-22 Osprey — the latter being unmatched in other air forces.
Helicopter Strength Rankings:
USA – 5,509
Russia – 1,551 (including Mi-24 and Ka-52)
India – 498 (Apaches, Chinooks)
Japan – 72 (including some Ospreys)
China – 68 (smaller and still developing)
While Russia maintains a sizeable helicopter fleet, it lags in modernization and operational reliability compared to the
U.S.With over 14,000 military aircraft, the United States remains the undisputed global air power leader, combining scale, diversity, and cutting-edge technology. Though Russia and China continue to build and modernize their fleets, the gap in capability, particularly in fifth-generation fighters and airlift, keeps the U.S. far ahead. India and Japan, meanwhile, are emerging as key regional powers with ambitious upgrade programs.