The number of military pilots in the air forces around the world is changing as fleets shrink and grow. Some nations have expanded greatly in recent years, like the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Meanwhile, recruiting shortages see others shrinking, like the United States and Russia. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, one fact that has remained constant is that the USA is the undisputed world champion of air power.
The US military has more pilots and aircraft between the US Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army than the next four members of the top five combined. The closest near-peer adversary to the US Armed Forces would be Russia, but the comparison heavily favors the US. The USAF has a particularly large airlift and tanker fleet, which mans it has the most pilots of any air force in the world, by far.
The Leaderboard: Fleet Sizes
Photo: PRC MOD
The US Armed Forces being on top by quite a wide margin will not come as a surprise if you are familiar with global defense trends. The Department of Defense (DOD) has four distinct branches that all fall in the top ten by fleet count if even if evaluated independently. One trend is common across all entries on the list of the top five: recruiting and training consistently fall short of the ideal staffing levels authorized by their respective commands. Below is the list of the top five air force rankings by nation:
Ranking
Aircraft Fleet Count
1. USA
14,486
2. Russia
4,211
3. China
3,304
4. India
2,296
5. Japan
1,459
This analysis will strive to provide the best estimate possible despite a shortage of publicly published manning numbers, especially by secretive powers such as Russia and China. This analysis will also not consider the highly subjective qualitative aspect of the forces, which sources like World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) attempt to provide with various ratings. The manpower of these forces follows roughly in line with the numbers of aircraft in their fleets. Some have deeper rosters of aircrew than others relative to the number of airframes.
Four Air Forces In One: The American Aviators
Photo: US Navy
The US Armed Forces has around 37,000 pilots despite shortages across all branches that leave jobs like flying fighter jets unfulfilled. The Air Force has approximatley 13,000 pilots, including those in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. The Navy and Marines have around 10,000 pilots and naval flight officers, while the Army has about 14,000 helicopter pilots.
The US Air Force is unquestionably the largest air power in the world, with over 5,200 military aircraft and almost 330,000 active-duty troops. The staggering force of the US Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force are individually greater than many nations’ entire military aircraft fleets.
Photo: US Air Force
According to the WDMMA, the USAF operates 5,004 aircraft and 400 ICBMs. With a nearly $200 billion budget, it is the world’s largest air force and the second-largest service branch of the Department of Defense (DOD), after the Army.
The US Army Aviation Branch has over 4,000 helicopters, like the CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawk, and AH-64 Apache. The Army also has a vast arsenal of small, man-portable, and light drones. Next up is the US Navy combined with the US Marines, which are armed with a total of 3,752 aircraft.
Photo: US Navy
The US Navy fields the world’s largest fleet of bluewater aircraft carriers, with 10 supercarriers in active service. Split between the Nimitz and Ford classes, the fleet of enormous warships has yet to be equaled by any rival or allied navy to date. The F-35B vertical-takeoff-or-landing (VTOL) and F-35C CATOBAR variants joined the fleet in recent years, arming it with fifth-generation stealth fighters.
The Russian Aerospace Forces have around 170,000 personnel, including pilots, ground crew, support staff, and other roles. The branch is part of the larger Russian Armed Forces, which has a total active personnel of around 1.32 million. The total fleet size of 4,211 aircraft allows us to interpret that the force has between 4,000 and 5,000 pilots, assuming sufficiently full rosters to meet average readiness standards.
The VVS has a fleet stocked with iconic names like Sukhoi, Mikoyan-Gurevich, Beriev, Kamov, Mil, Ilyushin, Tupolev, Yakolev, and Antonov. Russia has a large number of military aircraft, including fighters, attack aircraft, and helicopters, such as the Su-27, Su-30, and Su-35 fighters. Pilot training and availability are crucial for maintaining operational readiness, and the Russian military faces challenges in pilot retention and ensuring a sufficient number of qualified pilots to fly its aircraft.
As with all the other major world powers, Russia is pushing fiercely in pursuit of stealth technology innovations, unmanned platforms, and hypersonic weapons technology. The Russian Navy once had ambitions to become a bluewater force to rival the US, but never achieved that dream, instead, its carriers have mostly been sold off. As the National Interest covered earlier this year, the Admiral Kusnetsov is likely never to leave dry dock again. Instead, the VVS has focused on drones in the conflict with Ukraine.
People’s Liberation Army: A Growing Force
Photo: PRC MOD
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) military is thought to have tens of thousands of pilots, however the precise number is hard to determine. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which is part of the PRC military, has a large and grown air force and navy. Sources like the EurAsian Times have reported that the PLA is also increasing its naval aviation capabilities, including the construction of aircraft carriers, which calls for a rise in the number of pilots.
The People’s Liberation Army‘s main aerial combat service is the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), commonly referred to as the Chinese Air Force. The total estimated fleet of the PLAAF is 3,304 military aircraft, according to the WDMMA. The shroud of secrecy surrounding the PLA means that we can only use this figure to estimate a force of about 3,500-4,000 pilots.
Photo: PRC MOD
The 2024 Zhuhai Air Show in Guangdong, China, was a spotlight for the PLAAF that showed significant strides toward fifth-generation fighter technology, modernized aerial refueling, and jet-powered airlift platforms, as well as new helicopter models and various aircraft equipment.
The PLA Navy (PLAN) also operates one of the few ski-jump carriers in the world, originally receiving its first carrier from the Soviet Union, like India. Its third aircraft carrier, known as Fujian, will be China’s first indigenously designed carrier, and its first capable of catapult-assisted take-offs (CATOBAR), like the French and US navies.
India’s Air Force & Naval Air Arm: Evolving Capability
Photo: US Air Force
There is a lack of pilots in the Indian Air Force (IAF) as the authorized strength is 4,239 but there are only 3,834 pilots, according to the Hindustan Times. The IAF uses a variety of aircraft for training, including the Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II, Kiran MkI/IA, and Hawk Mk-132 advanced jet trainer. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been modernizing its fleet since the late 1990s, with the goal of raising its strength to 42 squadrons.
Roughly 650 pilots strong, the Indian Navy’s (IN) naval air arm welcomed its first female pilot in 2019. It operates 21 air squadrons, with ten operating fixed-wing aircraft, eight helicopter squadrons, and three equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The IN operates one of the few ski-jump aircraft carriers in the world, INS Vikramaditya, which carries over thirty aircraft, including: MiG 29K fighters, Kamov 31, Kamov 28, and Sea Kings helicopters.
Photo: US Air Force
The IAF and IN have a famously varied fleet of western, eastern, and domestically produced airframes in their inventory. The fighter range includes: Dassault Rafale and Mirage 2000, HAL Tejas, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, SEPECAT Jaguar, as well as the Mikoyan MiG-29 and MiG-29K. According to Lockheed Martin, they are in negotiations to begin a joint-production variant of the F-16 with domestic assembly lines in India, dubbed the F-21.
Japanese Air Self-Defense Force: Peace Through Deterrence
Photo: US Air Force
Airmen and civilian officials make up the estimated 49,913 members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has a diverse fleet of aircraft, including fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters, and other units for air defense, support, and training. The fleet has a total of 1,459 aircraft according to WDMMA which means we can estimate 2,000 to 2,500 trained pilots and aircrew.
Key fighter aircraft include the Mitsubishi F-15J, Mitsubishi F-2, and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The JASDF also operates air refueling and transport aircraft like the Boeing KC-767 and Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, as well as various helicopters like the UH-60J Black Hawk. The UH-60J Black Hawk is the primary helicopter used for search and rescue operations.
Photo: US Air Force
The JASDF is organized into three commands: the Air Defense Command, Air Support Command, and Air Training Command. The Air Defense Command oversees overall air defense operations, while the Air Support Command supports air strategy, transportation, control, and maintenance. The Air Training Command focuses on the education and training of JASDF personnel. The fleet also includes other aircraft for electronic warfare and maritime patrol.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (specifically the Boeing 787-9 variant) is currently the most popular widebody aircraft on the market. It was built to replace the Boeing 767, complement the Boeing 777, and compete with the Airbus A330 (now A330neo) and the A350 that entered service four years after the Dreamliner. It also helped to doom the Airbus A380 as well as the Boeing 747-8i.
Even though Boeing slashed production of the 787 during the pandemic by shutting the assembly line in Seattle, it is currently being delivered in higher numbers than other widebody aircraft. Boeing is also working to expand its production in North Charleston, South Carolina, and ramp up production. Here is what to know about the Boeing 787’s deliveries in 2025 and beyond.
The Number Of Boeing 787s Delivered By Mid-2025
Photo: eric1207cvb | Shutterstock
As of mid-2025, Boeing’s records show it has a total unfulfilled backlog of 993 Boeing 787s on order from a total of 2,199 firm orders. This has made the Boeing 787 the best-selling widebody aircraft in history. But while Boeing wins that accolade, Airbus’ A320 family is the best-selling commercial jet in history and is becoming the most delivered commercial jet.
When it comes to deliveries, Boeing has delivered 399 of its 787-8 variant Dreamliners, 681 of its mid-sized 787-9s, and 126 of the 787-10s. That is a total of 1,206 Boeing 787s delivered since the first example entered service in 2011. While the rival Airbus A350, which entered service in 2015, has proven to be a popular aircraft, the Dreamliner has continued to outperform it in both orders and deliveries. A total of 1,428 A350s have been ordered, of which 669 have been delivered.
Orders for the Dreamliner continue to roll in, and in 2025, Boeing has amassed a total of 243 new orders for its Dreamliners. These are thanks in large part to Qatar Airways, which ordered 120 new 787s, while British Airways and Korean Air have also placed substantial orders. All orders have been for its 787-9 and 787-10 variants, and none are for the 787-8.
Boeing’s Past Dreamliner Delivery Rate
Photo: Peter Krocka | Shutterstock
Before the pandemic, the Boeing 787 was delivered in much larger numbers. Boeing was building them in both Everett in Seattle, and in North Charleston. In 2019, the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, Boeing delivered a total of 158 aircraft. In 2020, that dropped to just 53 and to only 14 examples in 2021. In the pandemic, Boeing shut down its Seattle assembly line for the 787.
In 2022, deliveries recovered somewhat to 31 examples and grew to around half the prepandemic rate of 73 in 2023. 2024 was another bad year for Boeing deliveries, with its total deliveries falling back to just 348 commercial aircraft (Airbus delivered 766 that year). In 2024, Boeing delivered 51 Dreamliners, although it has delivered 45 by mid-year 2025.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner deliveries by year since 2019 (per Boeing)
2019
158
2024
51
2020
53
2025 (mid-year)
45
2021
14
2025 (estimated)
75-80
2022
31
Planned end of 2025 rate
84 (seven per month)
2023
73
Total delivered (mid-2025)
1,206
While 2019 was the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, 2018 was the last “normal” year for Boeing’s commercial aircraft overall. In 2019, the second Boeing 737 MAX crashed, and Boeing’s deliveries have not recovered since. From 2015-2017, Boeing delivered between 748 and 763 aircraft, rising to 806 in 2018. Since then, the most it has delivered was in 2023, when it shipped 528 aircraft.
At the start of 2025, Boeing projected deliveries of 75 to 80 Dreamliners in 2025. That number includes both new-build jets and those currently in inventory that it has been unable to deliver. At the start of 2025, Boeing had an estimated 25 Boeing 787s built in previous years but stored before delivery. If those jets are delivered, then Boeing’s 2025 production would be 50-55 new aircraft.
787 orders and deliveries per Boeing mid-2025
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Total
Total number ordered (per Boeing, may include orders later canceled)
In 2019, Boeing was delivering the Dreamliner at a rate of 14 per month; by the start of 2025, that was just five per month, with plans to increase it to seven per month. Even so, that is only half of the pre-pandemic levels. Part of the issue is that Boeing is trying to restore its world-class quality control to its aircraft to ensure things like the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout don’t happen again.
Leeham News says that when the expansion is finished in 2028, Boeing will have the capacity to reach a rate of 16 per month. If Boeing could deliver the aircraft at a rate of 16 per month, that would translate to 192 aircraft a year.
Story Of The Boeing 787-8
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
The Boeing 787-8 was the first to debut, and it attracted a large percentage of the orders. However, the 787-9 hit the market in 2014, and since then it has attracted more orders, with new orders for the Boeing 787-8 drying up over time. Boeing only has 28 orders for the 787-8 remaining on its order book, over half (15) of which are for Emirates.
Since 2020, Boeing has only recorded eight new orders for the 787-8 variant. This suggests that the Boeing 787-8 may soon go out of production. Increased Dreamliner production means more 787-9s and 787-10s and not 787-8s. One of the reasons why the 787-9 is more popular is that the wings are better optimized for that variant than the 787-8 or 787-10.
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Range
7,305 nautical miles
7,565 nautical miles
6,330 nautical miles
Typical 3-class seating
248
296
336
Length
186 feet
206 feet
224 feet
The 787-9 is the longest ranged variant with a range of 7,565 nautical miles, compared with the 787-8’s 7,305 nautical mile range and the 787-10’s reduced 6,330 nautical mile range. The 787-8 is being outcompeted by both the 787-9 and the cheaper-to-operate but still large and long-range Airbus A321XLR. The A321XLR comes with a range of 4,700 nautical miles.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Production To Recover By 2028
Photo: Mehdi Photos | Shutterstock
After a decade-long dip in production due to the pandemic and lingering concerns with Boeing’s quality controls, the Dreamliner appears set to meet and even exceed its previous delivery rates around 2028. In 2025, the Dreamliner’s deliveries will remain around half that of pre-pandemic numbers but above that of 2024.
The 2025 final delivery rate will hinge to some degree on when Boeing can move the already-built Lufthansa Dreamliners and any others it has lying around. The future appears bright for the Dreamliner (except the 787-8) with large numbers of orders continuing to be placed and Boeing looking to restore its previously high levels of production. One of the major areas of uncertainty for the Dreamliner and Boeing aircraft in general is the ongoing trade war.
Both Boeing and Airbus are part of the supply chain integrity coalition, which aims to change how parts are tracked from the production line to the boneyard.
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The Airbus A330-800neo is one of two variants in the Airbus A330neo family, with the other being the A330-900neo. The A330neo is an upgrade over the original A330 variants, with new engines, updated wingtips, interior improvements, and software upgrades. The A330-900, directly succeeding the A330-300, has proven effective and has even found love in the United Statesat Delta Air Lines. Contrastingly, the A330-800 has been shunned in the US.
In some ways, you can consider the start of the A330neo to be the original A350 program. To compete against the Boeing 787, Airbus took the A330 family and added new engines along with a carbon-composite wing and a new cockpit. Airlines largely rejected the concept, prompting Airbus to create a clean-sheet aircraft, the A350 XWB, and move up in size. The A330neo was developed in the 2010s to slot underneath the A350 in price and capability.
The Airlines That Don’t Want The Airbus A330-800
Photo: Dirk Daniel Mann | Shutterstock
The A330-800 is Airbus’s smallest widebody, and given that the US is home to more Boeing 767s (a similarly-sized twinjet) than any other nation in the world, you’d expect the European manufacturer to make significant efforts to sell this jet here. However, Airbus hasn’t sold a single A330-800to a US airline. This is especially surprising considering that the prior A330-200 has been reasonably successful in the country, being operated by Delta, Hawaiian, and, previously, American Airlines.
United Airlines currently flies 53 aging Boeing 767s, but has committed to the 787 to replace these planes. Hawaiian Airlines, a current A330-200 operator, ordered Boeing 787-9s to replace its Airbus widebodies, although these planes are now slated to remain in service while the Dreamliners get transferred to Alaska Airlines. For American Airlines, meanwhile, its 767 and A330 fleets were fully retired during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 787 serving as their replacement.
Only four airlines in the US operate passenger widebodies in scheduled service, and by and large, they have opted for the similarly sized Boeing 787. This is despite the fact that these planes are replacing the Boeing 767 or Airbus A330, which are optimized for medium-haul routes, similar to the Airbus A330neo. Notably, Hawaiian Airlines formerly held orders for six Airbus A330-800s, but cancelled them in favor of the Dreamliners.
Why Delta Air Lines Isn’t Buying Them
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
Delta Air Lines is the largest operator of the Airbus A330-900 in the world and the largest operator of the A330 series as a whole. It operates 11 A330-200s, 31 A330-300s, and 37 A330-900s with two more on order, but has never ordered the A330-800, and has not announced plans to obtain more A330neos. What’s surprising is that the A330-900s were slated to partially replace the Boeing 767-300ER fleet, an aircraft significantly smaller than the A330-900.
You’d expect Delta to replace these aircraft with the A330-800, given that it would be far closer in size to the 767. However, going with the larger A330-900 instead was a conscious choice. Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, replacing A320s and 737s with A321neos and 737 MAX 10s, while 767s are to be replaced with larger widebodies. Delta is looking to lower per-seat economics, and larger aircraft variants are cheaper to operate per-seat than smaller variants.
Aircraft Types In Service With Delta
Aircraft Types On Order By Delta
Airbus A220-100
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A321neo
Airbus A319-100
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A320-200
Airbus A350-900
Airbus A321-200
Airbus A350-1000
Airbus A321neo
Boeing 737 MAX 10
Airbus A330-200
Airbus A330-300
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A350-900
Boeing 717-200
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-900ER
Boeing 757-200
Boeing 757-300
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 767-400ER
Delta only has two A330-900s left on order. It’s expected that at least part of its remaining A350 order will displace existing A330-900s that can replace the remaining 767-300ERs, which would again be a system-wide upgauge. Meanwhile, it’s been heavily speculated that the Atlanta-based carrier is looking to order Boeing 787-10s. With a possible delivery date in the early 2030s, these could replace older A330s and the Boeing 767-400ER, while also being a significant upgauge over both types.
Why The Airbus A330-800 Is Not Selling
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock
In the US, Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, while other carriers are focusing on the Boeing 787. However, the A330-800 has also sold poorly around the world, with only eight total orders, while the A330-900 has received nearly 440. Seven have already been delivered: four to Kuwait Airways, two to Uganda Airlines, and one to Air Greenland. One more example is reported to have been ordered in an executive configuration.
The A330-800 is a direct replacement for the Airbus A330-200, which, in Delta’s premium-heavy configuration, seats 223 passengers. At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaiian’s leisure-focused A330-200s seat 278. With the new winglets and more efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000, the A330-800 now has a range of 8,100 NM (15,000 km) at a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 251 tonnes, and this is the issue.
The A330-200 that the A330-800 is based on was developed as a shrink of the original A330-300 (replaced by the A330-900). As such, the A330-200/800 is more expensive to operate per-seat than its larger counterparts. In the past, the A330-200 sold due to its additional range, but as the A330-300 grew more capable, sales for the A330-200 dried up. With the A330-900 now having up to 7,350 NM (13,600 km) of range, almost no airline is willing to sacrifice economics for the extra miles.
The Decline Of Short-Fuselage Variants
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
In airliner design, manufacturers typically create the base design (Airbus A320, Boeing 757-200, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777-200), then they will either shrink the fuselage (Airbus A319, Airbus A330-200) or stretch the fuselage (Boeing 757-300, Boeing 777-300). Shrinking typically results in a more capable plane with higher per-seat costs, while a stretched variant boasts the best per-seat costs but also has less range.
Manufacturers don’t always develop their aircraft in this manner (both Airbus A350 variants are optimized for their size), but this is typically how commercial aircraft are designed. This approach generally proved successful, as the A330-200 made up 46% of passenger A330ceo sales, while the A319, A320, and A321 were all popular. For first-generation A320 variants, only the A318 was a sales flop, with this variant being a shrink of a shrink.
Today, however, the A330-800 is far from the only reengined shrink that’s been unpopular. The A319neo has only received 57 orders, while slightly over 300 orders have been received for the Boeing 737 MAX 7. The 777-8’s development has been paused, and even sales for the Boeing 787-8 have slowed down dramatically. As the larger version of an airliner becomes more capable, such as during a re-engine program, demand for the shrink disappears.
Why Airbus Doesn’t Care About Selling A330-800s
Photo: EA Photography | Shutterstock
From a manufacturer’s position, a shrink allows you to capture a broader segment of the market by addressing the shortcomings of the original model. However, such jets are priced lower than a larger model, but cost practically the same to produce, thereby generating lower profit margins. Manufacturers prefer to sell larger variants whenever possible, as they generate the highest profits.
When significant demand exists for a smaller aircraft that is more capable, manufacturers will price it competitively. The sale price is a significant component in whether an airliner wins an order, and, as such, selling an A330-200 may have yielded lower profits than an A330-300 in the past, but this was still preferable over losing an order to the Boeing 767.
With the A330-800, however, airlines aren’t lining up to buy it, and Airbus spent little on developing it. The A330-900 captures nearly all of the market, and this variant generates higher profit margins. As such, Airbus is incentivized to price the A330-900 competitively, while the A330-800 has low demand and generates lower profits, so Airbus likely budges little on pricing. This lowers demand for the A330-800 even further, but Airbus would still rather sell more A330-900s.
The Bottom Line
The Airbus A330-800 has been sold to three airlines. This is the only widebody in Air Greenland’s fleet and is used for flights to Copenhagen, directly replacing an Airbus A330-200. For Kuwait Airways and Uganda Airlines, the type serves as a small, efficient, cheap widebody that has incredible capability. Kuwait Airways also operates the A330-900, making it easier for the airline to integrate it into the fleet.
While the A330-800 has so far proven a sales dud, Airbus is not focused on the variant’s individual orderbook. Rather, Airbus aims to make money on the A330neo program as a whole, and selling more A330-900s appears to be a winning strategy for the European planemaker. As such, the A330-800 will likely go down as one of the industry’s rarest birds, similar to other reengined shrinks like the Airbus A319neo.
Boeing
Delta Air Lines
