Over the past few years, China has been rallying its military might in the Pacific, possibly with the intent of taking back Taiwan. By building up its navy and air force, the People’s Liberation Army is seeking to project power and gain influence on the global stage.
The rise of China in global politics has been accompanied by the expansion of its military capabilities. One significant aspect of this development is the modernization of the Chinese air force. With an impressive array of active planes, the Chinese air force is playing a key role in extending China’s dominance in the region and beyond. See where China ranks on this list of the largest air forces in the world.
To identify all of the planes in active service in the Chinese air force, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the 2023 report World Air Forces from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. We ranked aircraft by the number of units in active service. We excluded combat helicopters and trainer aircraft from this list. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft and how many are in active service came from FlightGlobal. Data on each aircraft’s first flight came from various military and historical sources.
Large portions of China’s air power consist of combat aircraft, ranging from air superiority fighters and multi-role combat jets to ground attack and bomber planes. The primary function of these aircraft is to contest aerial superiority by engaging enemy aircraft and to carry out strategic and precision strikes. The J-10, J-11, J-16, Su-27, and J-7 are among the most prominent operational Chinese combat aircraft, strategically designed and developed to cover a wide range of air missions.
The J-20 stealth fighter stands out from the rest of the fleet as a fifth-generation fighter jet. It boasts low-observability, radar-evading airframes, and advanced avionics, which enable the aircraft to effectively avoid enemy detection. (Also see, the U.S. military’s fastest planes.)
Transport aircraft are another essential element of the Chinese air force. Large transport aircraft, such as the Y-20, Y-9, and Il-76, have the crucial responsibility of supplying troops during conflicts, helping with humanitarian aid operations, and conducting strategic airlifts.
The Chinese air force’s active fleet is demonstrative of China’s dedication to investing in and advancing its military power. Whether it is via combat planes, transport aircraft, or special mission aircraft, China is ready to prove itself on the world stage.
Here is a look at all the active aircraft within the Chinese air force.
20. Boeing 737
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 2
> First flight: April 1967
> Top speed: 544 mph
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19. An-30 Clank
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 3
> First flight: August 1967
> Top speed: 336 mph
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18. IL-78 Midas
> Type: Tanker
> Active in Chinese air force: 3
> First flight: June 1983
> Top speed: 528 mph
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
17. Challenger 870
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 5
> First flight: August 2006
> Top speed: 542 mph
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16. Tu-154 Careless
> Type: Transport, special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 9
> First flight: October 1968
> Top speed: 590 mph
Source: Flight Video & Photo / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
15. Harbin Y-12
> Type: Transport
> Active in Chinese air force: 11
> First flight: July 1982
> Top speed: 205 mph
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Source: Dmitry Malov / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
14. Xian MA60
> Type: Transport
> Active in Chinese air force: 16
> First flight: August 2006
> Top speed: 320 mph
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
13. Chengdu J-20 Black Eagle
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 19
> First flight: January 2011
> Top speed: 1,305 mph
12. IL-76 Candid
> Type: Transport, special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 30
> First flight: March 1971
> Top speed: 559 mph
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11. Xian Y-20 Kunpeng
> Type: Transport, tanker
> Active in Chinese air force: 33
> First flight: January 2013
> Top speed: 572 mph
10. Shaanxi Y-9
> Type: Transport, special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 38
> First flight: November 2010
> Top speed: 350 mph
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9. Xian Y-7
> Type: Transport
> Active in Chinese air force: 48
> First flight: February 1984
> Top speed: 314 mph
8. Xian JH-7 Flounder
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 69
> First flight: December 1988
> Top speed: 1,118 mph
7. Shenyang J-8
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 96
> First flight: June 1984
> Top speed: 1,453 mph
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Source: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons
6. Shaanxi Y-8 Yunshuji-8
> Type: Transport, special mission
> Active in Chinese air force: 110
> First flight: December 1974
> Top speed: 410 mph
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
5. Nanchang Q-5 Fantan
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 118
> First flight: June 1965
> Top speed: 739 mph
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4. Xian H-6
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 120
> First flight: August 1959
> Top speed: 652 mph
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3. Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 235
> First flight: March 1998
> Top speed: 1,452 mph
2. Shenyang J-11 Flanker
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 315
> First flight: March 1998
> Top speed: 1,553 mph
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Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
1. Chengdu J-7 Fishcan
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Chinese air force: 387
> First flight: January 1966
> Top speed: 1,367 mph
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