The most powerful armies of the world are revealed
The ranking is based on data collected from the Global Firepower Index (GFI) and Credit Suisse.
Both studies focused on the number of available manpower, active aircraft carriers, naval power, land systems, resources, logistics, finances, and geography covered.
Analysts also focused on weapon diversity (i.e. fielding 100 minesweepers does not equal the strategic and tactical value of fielding 10 aircraft carriers).
Among the findings:
- The United States has the best-equipped military on the planet.
- Both Russia & China have been modernizing their armed forces, and while their equipment still lags behind top-end American technology, experts say the gap is closing.
- The French military is larger and arguably more capable than its traditional British rival.
- Italy is stronger than Germany in every area, from aircraft and land forces to seapower.
Possession of over 7000 nuclear weapons, 13000 weaponized aircraft and a spending of over $600 billion a year on defense makes the US the most powerful military in the world.
Budget: $601 billion Active Military Personnel: 1,477,896 Total Tanks: 8,848 Total Aircraft: 15,293 Total Naval Strength: 290 Aircraft Carriers: 10.
Russia comes in at second mostly because they possess the most number of tanks as well as nuclear warheads in the world.
15,000 tanks and 8,500 nuclear weapons to be specific.
Budget: $84.5 billion Active Military Personnel: 766,055 Total Tanks: 15,398 Total Aircraft: 4,498 Total Naval Strength: 352 Aircraft Carriers: 1.
The Chinese economy is second only to the United States, and their military capabilities are growing at a shocking speed.
In terms of raw manpower, it’s the largest military in the world.
It also has the second largest tank fleet behind Russia and the second largest submarine fleet behind the US.
Budget: $216 billion Active Military Personnel: 2,335,000 Total Tanks: 9,150 Total Aircraft: 5,048 Total Naval Strength: 714 Aircraft Carriers: 1.
India has successfully emerged as a major military power in the last two decades and has recently overtaken China as the fastest growing major economy in the world.
While their equipment has lagged behind in the past, India now has access to nearly the entire universe of military technology.
Russia, Europe, and the United States all sell their military hardware to India.
Budget: $50 billion Active Military Personnel: 1,325,000 Total Tanks: 6,464 Total Aircraft: 2,086 Total Naval Strength: 295 Aircraft Carriers: 2
The French have always been told by the British that they are weak but the reality is the modern French military is larger and more capable than Britain.
In addition to being highly trained, the French have power projection capabilities second only to the United States thanks to multiple bases around the globe.
Budget: $62.3 billion Active Military Personnel: 205,000 Total Tanks: 423 Total Aircraft: 1,282 Total Naval Strength: 118 Aircraft Carriers: 4.
The British military remains one of the most well funded and well-trained forces in the world.
Their manpower might be comparatively low, but the quality is high with very good equipment at their disposal.
Budget: $60.5 billion Active frontline personnel: 146,980 Total Tanks: 407 Total Aircraft: 879 Total Naval Strength: 76 Aircraft Carriers: 2.
Italian forces have gotten much better in the last few decades thanks to interventions in foreign lands (Somalia, Yugoslavia) which gave Italy real combat experience.
Their military placed highly on the report due to the country’s possession of two active aircraft carriers.
These carriers, in addition to the country’s relatively large submarine and attack helicopter fleets, drastically boosted Italy’s ranking.
Budget: $34 billion Active Military Personnel: 320,000 Total Tanks: 586 Total Aircraft: 785 Total Naval Strength: 179 Aircraft Carriers: 2.
Germany is one of the strongest economic forces in the world but the army’s condition seems to have deteriorated in the past few years.
Germany does not have an aircraft carrier and has relatively few submarines which lowered its ranking.
Budget: $40.2 billion Active Military Personnel: 180,000 Total Tanks: 408 Total Aircraft: 676 Total Naval Strength: 81 Aircraft Carriers: 0.
Even though Japan has officially denounced its right to declare war, it maintains a modern military that is extremely well equipped.
Japan could be a top-four military power if their constitution would allow them to also be an offensive force, not only defensive.
Budget: $41.6 billion Active Military Personnel: 250,000 Total Tanks: 678 Total Aircraft: 1,613 Total Naval Strength: 131 Aircraft Carriers: 3.
Turkey’s military is mighty in numbers – more than France and the UK combined – but their equipment and training are not as top-notch, but respectable and fully compatible with NATO.
In addition, the country can lay claim to an impressively large tank fleet as well as numerous aircraft and attack helicopters.
Budget – $18.2 billion Active Military Personnel – 425,500 Total Tanks – 3,778 Total Aircrafts – 1,007 Naval Strength – 194 Aircraft Carriers – 0
Others are;
11. South Korea
12. Pakistan
13. Egypt
14. Taiwan
15. Israel
16. Brazil
17. Indonesia
18. Australia
19. Vietnam
20. Thailand
21. Poland
22. Canada
23. Saudi Arabia
24. Algeria
25. Spain
26. Greece
27. Sweden
28. Ukraine
29. Mexico
30. Czech Republic
31. Myanmar
32. Malaysia
33. Argentina
34. Syria
35. Switzerland
36. Norway
37. Netherlands
38. Peru
39. Colombia
40. Ethiopia
41. Romania
42. Nigeria
43. Venezuela
44. South Africa
45. Chile
46. Uzbekistan
47. Belarus
48. Denmark
- North Korea and Iran have been omitted from the list because experts remain unsure about their true military power.
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