lemontree

W.r.t PLAAF, the 29 divisions includes fighter and transport sqn.
Fighter divisions
1 fighter wing has 4 ac.
3 x fighter wings = 1 sqn.
3 x sqn = 1 regiment.
3 x regt = 1 division.
Bombers and transports sqns have 3 ac per wing.

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Cheers!...on the rocks!!

lemontree

I was quite surprised that you had left out Isreal in your earlier list. They are a much more potent force than the InAF due to their AWAC capabilities.

Anon

LOL, i honestly forgot about them.

troung

"If size counts then the Indian Air Force is the 4th largest in the World and it stand amonsgt the top ten of the world.
My list without any order:-
1. USAAF.(best)
2. Russian AF.(lacking money)
3. PLAAF.(reduced to 29 Divisions from earlier 50 Divisions)
4. Indian Air Force.
5. RAF.
6. Israeli Air Force.(the best trained)
7. French Air Force.
8. Australia
9. Luftwaffe
10. Taiwan/Japan/Spain/Italy"

I dunno the ROCAF is not only bigger but rather more high tech then the RAAF (RAAF has 70ish fighters and no AWACs), the InAF (in service AWACs and number of modern fighters 330ish vs. 170ish), France (ROCAF has more advanced M2Ks) and in some ways better off then the RAF (budget cut backs in the force and half assed intergating of ASRAAM and AMRAAM on ADVs). Ahh Taiwan sold short by the world...

Would not know where to put Russia as they are more and more becoming a flying club and lack ARH-BVR s******* in any numbers, lack airtime, lack money to fly, and so forth... on paper they might look nice but wars are not won by paper...

Ahh top ten lists so hard to compare everyone when you get down to things... makes it easy to nitpick...

An honorable mention would be the ROKAF (SK) with its KF-16s which have the AIM-120 and AGM-88, the F-4Es with the Popeye and "soon" (in a couple years) to have the F-15K and AWACs (can't count either one today)...

Dima

but the flying hours for Russian pilots has gone higher, that's at least a sign of improvement, it will take them a long time to get back to their Soviet level of 150-180 hours per year from their current 60-70 hours, it's better than their 1996-1998 flight hours of 20-30

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for MOTHER MOLDOVA

Fury

Sweden in 10th place Sniper? okey then You might as well add Finnish air force there if you're not looking at number of aircrafts. We do happen to have F-18 with pilots trained by US personnel after all they can't be that bad

-{SpoonmaN}-

In all fairness, I don't think the RAAF counts in the top ten. And I am Australian so this is not a biased opinion. After all, we only have 71 operational F-18s and something like 34 F-111s and they are old and none too reliable. Canada has F-18s and more of them, and I'm sure they have equally well trained pilots (Although from a moral stand point our's are always the best) as do some European Air Forces. And seriously, how many combat aircraft does the USMC reserve have?

Anon

The RAAF doesn't belong anywhere near the top 10.

Agreed.

Sweden has probably the best AWACs in the world, and a high level of digitial integration, plus the Grippen.

No.10 is not far off, if it's off at all.

Anon

"And seriously, how many combat aircraft does the USMC reserve have?"

A lot more than the RAAF, especially if you include helicopters.

Anon

US Marine Corps
... Top ...

* 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
* 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
* 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
* 4th Marine Aircraft Wing

* HMM-161 'Greyhawks'
* HMM-162
* HMM-163 'Evil Eyes'
* HMM-164 'Flying Claymores'
* HMM-165 'World Famous White Knights'
* HMM-166
* HMLA-167
* HMM-261 'Raging Bulls'
* HMM-263
* HMM-264 'Black Knights'
* HMM-266 'Fighting Griffins'
* HMLA-267 'Black Aces'
* HMM-268 'Red Dragons'
* HMLA-269 'Gunrunners'
* HMT-302 'Phoenix'
* HMT-303 'Atlas''
* HMH-361 'Flying Tigers'
* HMM-364 'Purple Foxes'
* HMM-365
* HMLA-367 'Scarface'
* HMLA-369 'Gunfighters'
* HMH-461
* HMH-462 'Heavy Haulers'
* HMH-464 'Condors'
* HMH-465
* HMH-466 'The Wolfpack'
* HMM-764
* HMH-769 'Titans'
* HMH-772 'Hustlers'
* HMLA-775 'Coyotes'
* HMLA-775 Det A
* HMX-1
* MALS-11
* MALS-13
* MALS-14
* MALS-26 'Patriots'
* MALS-31 'Stingers'
* MALS-29 'Wolverines'
* MALS-39
* MALS-41
* MALS-49
* Marine Aircraft Group 11
* Marine Aircraft Group 12
* Marine Aircraft Group 13
* Marine Aircraft Group 14
* Marine Aircraft Group 16
* Marine Aircraft Group 24
* Marine Aircraft Group 26
* Marine Wing Support Group 27
* Marine Air Control Group 28
* Marine Aircraft Group 29
* Marine Aircraft Group 31
* Marine Aircraft Group 36
* Marine Aircraft Group 39
* Marine Aircraft Group 41
* Marine Aircraft Group 46
* Marine Aircraft Group 49
* Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico
* Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
* Marine Corps Base Hawaii
* Marine Forces Reserve
* MCAB Camp Pendleton
* MCAS Beaufort
* MCAS Cherry Point
* MCAS Futenma
* MCAS Miramar
* MCAS New River
* MCAS Yuma
* Military Connections
* US Marine Corps
* US Marine Corps Gallery (Unofficial)
* US Navy and Marine Corps Online
* United States Marine Corps Unit Links
* United States Marine Corps Units by Location
* USMC Aviation / AV8 Harrier Page
* VMAQ-1 'Banshees'
* VMAQ-2
* VMAQ-3 'Moondogs'
* VMAQ-4 'Seahawks'
* VMFAT-101 'Sharp S*******'
* VMFA-112
* VMFA-115 'Silver Eagles'
* VMFA-121 'Green Knights'
* VMFA-122 'Crusaders'
* VMFA-134
* VMAT-203
* VMA-211
* VMFA-212 'Lancers'
* VMA-214 'Black Sheep'
* VMA-223 'Bulldogs'
* VMFA(AW)-224 'Bengals'
* VMFA-225 'Vikings'
* VMA-231 'Ace of Spades'
* VMFA-232 'Red Devils'
* VMFA-242 'Bats'
* VMFA-251
o VMFA-251 'Thunderbolts'
o VMFA-251 Past, Present and Future!
* VMA-311 'Tomcats'
* VMFA-312 'Checkerboards'
* VMFA-314 'Black Knights'
* VMFA-321 'Hells Angels'
* VMFA-323 'Death Rattlers'
* VMFA(AW)-332 'Moonlighters'
* VMFA-451
* VMA 513 'Nightmares'
* VMFA-531 'Grey Ghosts'
* VMFA(AW)-533 'Hawks'
* VMA-542 'Tigers'
* VMGR-234
* VMGR-252
* VMGRT-253 'Titans'
* VMGR-352 'Raiders'
* VMGR-452 'Yankees'
* VMMT-204

That big enough for you?

-{SpoonmaN}-

Yeah I figured. Why give the USMC fixed wing aviation at all though, since the Army seems to deal without it.

Anon

I often wonder the same thing myself.

jgetti

Certainly this has been a topic of debate in the days of the Pentagon where $$$$$ is king. The marines have long argued, however, that their effectiveness is partially due to their ability to self sustain during special missions.

Dima

JAS=39 aircraft are incredible, especially the JAS-39D

personally, i think that it's better than the F-16E Block 60

Jewe377

Just wait until the NORA Aesa/Ew suite is ready for the Gripen, then we can talk about a whole new lewel of nasty.

But isen't this a bit off topic?