10 Best Air Forces in the World

Who is the king of the skies? Listing down the most powerful air forces in the world is no easy task. There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration like quality and quantity of aircraft, the operational readiness of the aircraft, the type and age of aircraft, where it is located etc.

• The United States Air Force – Equipped with the most sophisticated and robust force and aircrafts, the US Airforce tops the list! It is well-known for its size and capabilities. The USAF has 5,600 aircraft of all types, including F-22 Raptors, F-35, F-15 and F-16 fighters. Not just this, it also operates B-2, B-1 and B-52 strategic bombers, as well as C-5, C-17 and C-130 airlifters. Did you know it was the first air force worldwide to fly stealth combat aircraft, the first to fly fifth-generation fighters, and the first to commit to an all-stealth combat aircraft force. The USAF also manages two legs of the U.S. nuclear triad, which comprises 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles and the strategic bomber force.
  
• Russian Air Force – Russia owns a large number of fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, attack helicopters and bombers – none of it has been imported! It has 1,500 combat aircraft and 400 military helicopters. Additionally, it has 2176 fixed wing aircraft, 1319 fighters/multi roles, 181 bombers and 21 radar aircrafts.
  
• The Israeli Air force – Also known as ‘Air and Space Arm,’ the Israeli Air Force was founded on 28 May 1948, shortly after Israel’s Independence.It has a relatively small air force but it is super experienced and well-equipped with modern gear. It maintains a high level of readiness, with many of its pilots being some of the best trained in the world.
  
• Indian Air force – The fourth largest airforce in the world, IAF was established on October 8. 1932. has more than 1,850 aircraft in use and is also one of the world’s more potent air forces.The Indian Air Force has some modern aircraft in service, like the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30. India’s strong bilateral ties with Russia ensures its military equipment is always modern and top-notch.
  
• People’s Liberation Army Air Force – Popularly known as the Chinese Air Force, it has 395,000 active personnel as of 2020 3,370+ aircraft as of 2020. It is perhaps the only nation, after the United States, to possess fifth-generation fighters! The Chinese Air Force possesses 1,232 fighter jets, 371 dedicated attack crafts, 224 for transport, 314 trainers, 111 for special missions, 911 helicopters, and 281 attack helicopters.
  
• Japan Air Self-Defense Force – When talking about the top ten air forces in the world, we cannot forget about the Japanese Air Force. The country has over 300 air superiority and multirole fighters that are created toward defending Japan from threats in the air, land and at sea. As of 2019 the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has 12 fighter squadrons. Seven of these fly the Mitsubishi F-15J, three fly the Mitsubishi F-2, and two still fly the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
  
• Egyptian Air Force – The Egyptian Air Force is fairly large and is equipped with air machines. It is known to be the first international customer of the French built Rafales. As of May 2021, the Egyptian Armed Forces has signed a contract with French company Dassault Aviation to procure 30 Rafale fighter jets.
  
• Republic of Korea Air Force – Founded on 1 October 1949, the Korean Air Force (as of 2020) has 65,000 personnel and 740 aircraft. It replaced F-5s and F-4s with F-16s, and developed the T-50 Golden Eagle, which is a very capable advanced trainer, capable of turning into a multi-role fighter.
  
• German Air Force – German Air Force was founded on 9th January 1956 and has 27, 620 personnel (as of April 2020) and 465 aircraft. The Luftwaffe is the most battle-experienced air force which played an immense role in World War II.
  
• Royal Air Force – The United Kingdom’s Aerial Warfare Force was established on 1 April 1918. It is the first independent air force in the world. Today, the Royal Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft, described by the RAF as being “leading-edge” in terms of technology. It has 33,200 active personnel, 1,940 Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 3,300 reserve personnel, 832 operational aircraft.