 It was superior to the Ki-43 in that it was capable of matching Allied aircraft in climbs and dives, giving pilots more flexibility in combat and greater pilot confidence than the Ki-43; the basic armament of four 12.7mm machine guns or two 12.7mm guns and two 20 mm cannons (or, in a few aircraft, two Ho-301 40mm cannons of limited range) was far more powerful to the older Ki-43's two 12.7mm machine guns.Production of the Ki-44 would terminate in late 1944 in favour of the more advanced Nakajima Ki-84, and when the war ended, only three Sentai units were still equipped with them.Despite more than 1,200 aircraft built, none have survived the war.