Hard/National Security/Air Power

Control of the Air

The capacity to win and hold control of the air where and when it is needed, including the suppression of enemy air defences.
factbase.org/cap/VVCRRBNY1M
World mean
4.9
of 20 · median 3.0
Range
0–20
middle half 1.0–8.0
Panel SD
±0.34
round 1 ±0.93 — the honest estimate
Leader
20
United States

Indicators

The measures seeded for this capability in the framework. They are candidate indicators: no cell in the index has a source document attached to it yet.

Band spread across 197 nations

Frontier 3
Advanced 13
Established 13
Transitional 19
Foundational 21
Nascent 31
Inception 97

All 197 nations

Best first. The score is the mean of the four adjudicators' round-3 integers, rounded to the nearest integer; ±SD is their spread on that cell. Where the spread is three points or more, read the number as a band rather than a value.

#NationRegionScoreBandPanel SD
1 🇺🇸United States Americas 20 Frontier ±0.00
2 🇫🇷France Europe 18 Frontier ±0.50
3 🇮🇱Israel Middle East 18 Frontier ±0.43
4 🇨🇳China Asia Pacific 17 Advanced ±0.00
5 🇰🇷South Korea Asia Pacific 17 Advanced ±0.43
6 🇬🇧United Kingdom Europe 17 Advanced ±0.00
7 🇦🇺Australia Asia Pacific 16 Advanced ±0.00
8 🇯🇵Japan Asia Pacific 16 Advanced ±0.00
9 🇩🇪Germany Europe 15 Advanced ±0.50
10 🇮🇹Italy Europe 15 Advanced ±0.50
11 🇳🇱Netherlands Europe 15 Advanced ±0.43
12 🇳🇴Norway Europe 15 Advanced ±0.50
13 🇷🇺Russia Europe 15 Advanced ±0.43
14 🇸🇬Singapore Asia Pacific 15 Advanced ±0.71
15 🇸🇪Sweden Europe 15 Advanced ±0.43
16 🇹🇷Türkiye Middle East 15 Advanced ±0.43
17 🇫🇮Finland Europe 14 Established ±0.00
18 🇬🇷Greece Europe 14 Established ±0.43
19 🇮🇳India Asia Pacific 14 Established ±0.00
20 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia Middle East 14 Established ±0.00
21 🇪🇸Spain Europe 14 Established ±0.50
22 🇹🇼Taiwan Asia Pacific 14 Established ±0.43
23 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates Middle East 14 Established ±0.50
24 🇨🇦Canada Americas 13 Established ±0.50
25 🇵🇰Pakistan Asia Pacific 13 Established ±0.50
26 🇵🇱Poland Europe 13 Established ±0.71
27 🇪🇬Egypt Africa 12 Established ±0.00
28 🇶🇦Qatar Middle East 12 Established ±0.43
29 🇨🇭Switzerland Europe 12 Established ±0.00
30 🇧🇪Belgium Europe 11 Transitional ±0.71
31 🇧🇷Brazil Americas 11 Transitional ±0.00
32 🇩🇰Denmark Europe 11 Transitional ±0.83
33 🇴🇲Oman Middle East 11 Transitional ±0.50
34 🇵🇹Portugal Europe 11 Transitional ±0.83
35 🇺🇦Ukraine Europe 11 Transitional ±0.43
36 🇩🇿Algeria Africa 10 Transitional ±0.71
37 🇨🇱Chile Americas 10 Transitional ±0.43
38 🇨🇿Czechia Europe 10 Transitional ±0.43
39 🇭🇺Hungary Europe 10 Transitional ±0.71
40 🇮🇩Indonesia Asia Pacific 10 Transitional ±0.50
41 🇰🇼Kuwait Middle East 10 Transitional ±0.43
42 🇲🇾Malaysia Asia Pacific 10 Transitional ±0.00
43 🇲🇦Morocco Africa 10 Transitional ±0.50
44 🇷🇴Romania Europe 10 Transitional ±0.71
45 🇹🇭Thailand Asia Pacific 10 Transitional ±0.43
46 🇯🇴Jordan Middle East 9 Transitional ±0.00
47 🇿🇦South Africa Africa 9 Transitional ±0.50
48 🇻🇳Vietnam Asia Pacific 9 Transitional ±0.43
49 🇧🇭Bahrain Middle East 8 Foundational ±0.83
50 🇧🇾Belarus Europe 8 Foundational ±0.43
51 🇭🇷Croatia Europe 8 Foundational ±0.43
52 🇮🇷Iran Asia Pacific 8 Foundational ±0.43
53 🇷🇸Serbia Europe 8 Foundational ±0.83
54 🇸🇰Slovakia Europe 8 Foundational ±0.43
55 🇦🇹Austria Europe 7 Foundational ±0.00
56 🇦🇿Azerbaijan Middle East 7 Foundational ±0.43
57 🇧🇬Bulgaria Europe 7 Foundational ±0.00
58 🇨🇴Colombia Americas 7 Foundational ±0.43
59 🇰🇿Kazakhstan Asia Pacific 7 Foundational ±0.71
60 🇲🇲Myanmar Asia Pacific 7 Foundational ±0.43
61 🇰🇵North Korea Asia Pacific 7 Foundational ±0.43
62 🇵🇪Peru Americas 7 Foundational ±0.43
63 🇦🇷Argentina Americas 6 Foundational ±0.83
64 🇧🇩Bangladesh Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.00
65 🇪🇹Ethiopia Africa 6 Foundational ±0.43
66 🇮🇶Iraq Middle East 6 Foundational ±0.50
67 🇳🇬Nigeria Africa 6 Foundational ±0.00
68 🇵🇭Philippines Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.71
69 🇻🇪Venezuela Americas 6 Foundational ±0.43
70 🇦🇴Angola Africa 5 Nascent ±0.43
71 🇨🇺Cuba Americas 5 Nascent ±0.00
72 🇪🇨Ecuador Americas 5 Nascent ±0.00
73 🇰🇪Kenya Africa 5 Nascent ±0.00
74 🇲🇽Mexico Americas 5 Nascent ±1.50
75 🇱🇰Sri Lanka Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±0.00
76 🇹🇳Tunisia Africa 5 Nascent ±0.43
77 🇺🇿Uzbekistan Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±0.43
78 🇦🇲Armenia Middle East 4 Nascent ±0.43
79 🇧🇼Botswana Africa 4 Nascent ±0.50
80 🇳🇿New Zealand Asia Pacific 4 Nascent ±2.86
81 🇸🇩Sudan Africa 4 Nascent ±0.00
82 🇹🇲Turkmenistan Asia Pacific 4 Nascent ±0.71
83 🇺🇬Uganda Africa 4 Nascent ±0.00
84 🇧🇴Bolivia Americas 3 Nascent ±0.50
85 🇨🇲Cameroon Africa 3 Nascent ±0.50
86 🇨🇾Cyprus Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.50
87 🇩🇴Dominican Republic Americas 3 Nascent ±0.87
88 🇸🇻El Salvador Americas 3 Nascent ±0.43
89 🇪🇷Eritrea Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
90 🇪🇪Estonia Europe 3 Nascent ±1.09
91 🇬🇪Georgia Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.43
92 🇬🇭Ghana Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
93 🇬🇹Guatemala Americas 3 Nascent ±0.50
94 🇭🇳Honduras Americas 3 Nascent ±0.71
95 🇱🇻Latvia Europe 3 Nascent ±1.09
96 🇱🇹Lithuania Europe 3 Nascent ±1.48
97 🇸🇮Slovenia Europe 3 Nascent ±1.30
98 🇸🇾Syria Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.50
99 🇹🇿Tanzania Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
100 🇿🇼Zimbabwe Africa 3 Nascent ±0.00
101 🇦🇱Albania Europe 2 Inception ±0.43
102 🇧🇦Bosnia & Herzegovina Europe 2 Inception ±0.43
103 🇧🇳Brunei Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.00
104 🇰🇭Cambodia Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.00
105 🇹🇩Chad Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
106 🇨🇬Congo Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
107 🇨🇮Côte d'Ivoire Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
108 🇨🇩DR Congo Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
109 🇬🇶Equatorial Guinea Africa 2 Inception ±0.00
110 🇬🇦Gabon Africa 2 Inception ±0.00
111 🇮🇪Ireland Europe 2 Inception ±0.50
112 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.43
113 🇱🇦Laos Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.43
114 🇱🇧Lebanon Middle East 2 Inception ±0.83
115 🇱🇾Libya Africa 2 Inception ±0.83
116 🇲🇱Mali Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
117 🇲🇹Malta Europe 2 Inception ±0.43
118 🇲🇳Mongolia Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.43
119 🇳🇦Namibia Africa 2 Inception ±0.00
120 🇵🇾Paraguay Americas 2 Inception ±0.50
121 🇷🇼Rwanda Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
122 🇸🇳Senegal Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
123 🇹🇯Tajikistan Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.50
124 🇺🇾Uruguay Americas 2 Inception ±0.43
125 🇿🇲Zambia Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
126 🇧🇿Belize Americas 1 Inception ±0.50
127 🇧🇯Benin Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
128 🇧🇫Burkina Faso Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
129 🇧🇮Burundi Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
130 🇨🇫Central African Rep. Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
131 🇩🇯Djibouti Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
132 🇸🇿Eswatini Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
133 🇫🇯Fiji Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.43
134 🇬🇳Guinea Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
135 🇬🇾Guyana Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
136 🇮🇸Iceland Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
137 🇯🇲Jamaica Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
138 🇽🇰Kosovo Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
139 🇱🇺Luxembourg Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
140 🇲🇬Madagascar Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
141 🇲🇼Malawi Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
142 🇲🇷Mauritania Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
143 🇲🇺Mauritius Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
144 🇲🇩Moldova Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
145 🇲🇪Montenegro Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
146 🇲🇿Mozambique Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
147 🇳🇵Nepal Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
148 🇳🇮Nicaragua Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
149 🇳🇪Niger Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
150 🇲🇰North Macedonia Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
151 🇵🇦Panama Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
152 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
153 🇸🇸South Sudan Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
154 🇹🇬Togo Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
155 🇹🇹Trinidad & Tobago Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
156 🇾🇪Yemen Middle East 1 Inception ±0.43
157 🇦🇫Afghanistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
158 🇦🇩Andorra Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
159 🇦🇬Antigua & Barbuda Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
160 🇧🇸Bahamas Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
161 🇧🇧Barbados Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
162 🇧🇹Bhutan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
163 🇨🇻Cabo Verde Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
164 🇰🇲Comoros Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
165 🇨🇷Costa Rica Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
166 🇩🇲Dominica Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
167 🇬🇲Gambia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
168 🇬🇩Grenada Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
169 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
170 🇭🇹Haiti Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
171 🇻🇦Holy See Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
172 🇰🇮Kiribati Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
173 🇱🇸Lesotho Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
174 🇱🇷Liberia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
175 🇱🇮Liechtenstein Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
176 🇲🇻Maldives Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
177 🇲🇭Marshall Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
178 🇫🇲Micronesia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
179 🇲🇨Monaco Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
180 🇳🇷Nauru Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
181 🇵🇼Palau Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
182 🇵🇸Palestine Middle East 0 Inception ±0.43
183 🇰🇳Saint Kitts & Nevis Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
184 🇱🇨Saint Lucia Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
185 🇻🇨Saint Vincent & Grenadines Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
186 🇼🇸Samoa Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
187 🇸🇲San Marino Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
188 🇸🇹São Tomé & Príncipe Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
189 🇸🇨Seychelles Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
190 🇸🇱Sierra Leone Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
191 🇸🇧Solomon Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
192 🇸🇴Somalia Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
193 🇸🇷Suriname Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
194 🇹🇱Timor-Leste Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
195 🇹🇴Tonga Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
196 🇹🇻Tuvalu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
197 🇻🇺Vanuatu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00

Others in Air Power

CapabilityWorld meanRangeLeader
Air Sovereignty & Policing6.20–20United States
Air Strike & Interdiction5.30–20United States
Airborne ISR, Early Warning & Battle Management3.90–20United States