This World Power Has Almost Double the Attack Helicopters of Its Closest Rival

Known as Huangyan Dao to China and Bajo de Masinloc/Panatag Shoal to the Philippines, the Scarborough Shoal is a disputed territory located in the South China Sea. This area, which is rich in natural resources and represents a vital shipping and trade pathway, has been hotly contested for years. China believes that the Scarborough Shoal falls under its sphere of influence. In February 2025, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang of the Chinese Defense Ministry stated that the territorial guidelines of the Philippines as set forth in the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the U.S. and Spain, the 1900 Treaty between the U.S. and Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Convention between the United Kingdom and the U.S do not encompass the Scarborough Shoal. However, Philippine officials disagree. In 2016, three years after the Philippines first began arbitration, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no historical rights to the area. But China refuses to back down. After what the Philippines views as continued aggression from China in the area, including what was described on February 18 as a “dangerous” maneuver of a Chinese naval helicopter, the Philippine government has shared that it will defend itself if needed.

Helicopters play an important role in military strategy. Many countries around the globe hold large attack helicopter fleets to be used to project power and defend against enemies. While China’s naval helicopter did not attack any Philippine forces or media in the Scarborough Shoal area in February, attack helicopters can be used in naval deployments. Attack helicopters can be used in anti-ship capacities, to disarm suspicious vessels, or to perform reconnaissance. 24/7 Wall St. wanted to identify which Asian countries had the most significant helicopter armies. To do so, we sourced data from Global Firepower’s 2025 Military Strength Report. This report ranks 145 countries around the world based on current available firepower. Each nation is assigned an overall PowerIndex score; the closer to 0.000 the score is, the more powerful a nation’s military capabilities are. We listed the 33 countries in order from least to most attack helicopters, and excluded countries with no helicopter fleets. In situations where countries tied on the amount of attack helicopters, we broke the tie by the total overall number of helicopters and other aircraft. (These are the helicopters that dominate today’s battlefields.)

This previously published article was updated on March 13, 2025 based on newly reported conflicts between China and the Philippines, as well as updated 2025 data from Global Firepower.

Why We’re Talking Attack Helicopters Now

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Helicopters play an important role in military strategy given their versatility and maneuverability. Russia knows how important these tools can be. After losing over 100 attack helicopters during the war with Ukraine, Russia — which spans both Eastern Europe and North Asia — has had to adapt its military strategy. But Russia is not alone. All you have to do is look at today’s news to see that conflicts are erupting across the globe, and especially across Asia. Military power is the law of the land, from disputes in the South China Sea to the contested borders in South Asia. By recognizing which countries have the largest attack helicopter fleets, you can gain a better understanding of which countries are prepared for emerging conflicts and which might suffer in battle.

These are the largest attack helicopter fleets in Asia: