A recent report published on the website globalfirepower.com 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 US Air Force is unrivaled, with a fleet that exceeds the combined air capabilities of Russia, China, India, South Korea and Japan. It operates 5,737 helicopters, 1,854 combat aircraft and 3,722 support aircraft, with an annual budget of $800 billion, representing almost 40% of global military spending.
Russia, with a third of American air power, operates 1,554 helicopters, 809 fighter jets and 610 support aircraft. However, it has suffered losses, with 220 aircraft destroyed since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022.
Third-place China has been investing heavily in modernizing its air force and recently added its sixth-generation fighter jet to its fleet. The country is also working on supersonic aircraft.
They are followed by India, South Korea and Japan with 2,296, 1,576 and 1,459 aircraft, respectively. Pakistan, which ranks seventh, operates 1,434 fighter jets, helicopters and support aircraft. Egypt, Türkiye and France round out the top ten, with respective inventories of 1,080, 1,069 and 972 aircraft.
The report highlights the changing landscape of air power, with countries like China rapidly advancing their technological capabilities, while others, like Russia, face challenges maintaining their fleets due to ongoing conflicts.
