20 Largest Air Forces in The World

10. Japan

Number of combat aircraft: 287

The Japanese have a long history of combat aviation. They were the first to realize the power of naval aviation and use it on a massive scale in Pearl Harbor. For a while, famous Zero fighters wreaked havoc on Allied pilots unfortunate enough to find themselves pitted against one of the most successful fighters in the early parts of WWII. Today, the Japanese air force consists mostly of U.S-made equipment, with some hybrid designs thrown into the mix. Like several other nations, Japan is also pursuing its own 5th generation fighter, regardless of the fact that it has F-35s on order.

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