© Photo from the website of the Ministry of Defense
Military and economic experts regularly determine the global index of military power - the Global Firepower Index. Of course, comparing the armies of the world based on statistical indicators is not an ideal solution, but there is no more objective rating (for example, to test everyone in a real war) yet. The GFP takes into account 66 different indicators: from the geographical location of the country to the degree of industrial development.
A new report for 2018 was released in November. This year, experts analyzed the armed forces of 136 states.
When compiling the Global Firepower Index, not only is a scrupulous count of tanks, aircraft and warships carried out, but also the number of personnel in the army and its reserves, the level of military funding, the country's transport infrastructure, oil production, the size of public debt and even the length of the coastline are taken into account - in a word , all factors that can affect the combat effectiveness of the national army.
The presence of a nuclear arsenal is not taken into account, but states with nuclear weapons receive a “bonus”. The top three - the USA, Russia and China - have remained unchanged for four years.
America has long been ahead of everyone else in military spending. In second place in terms of military budget, also for many years, is China. Russia is in third. The Chinese army is the largest in the world. Russia is the first in the world in the number of tanks.
This is what the top 10 most militarily powerful countries in the world look like in 2018.
10. Germany
Defense budget - $45.2 billion
432 tanks
Aircraft carriers - 0
714 aircraft
The size of the army is 208,640 people.
9. Türkiye
Defense budget - $10.2 billion
2446 tanks
Aircraft carriers - 0
1056 aircraft
Army strength: 710,500
8. Japan
Defense budget - $44 billion
679 tanks
4 helicopter carriers
1508 aircraft
Army strength - 310457
7. South Korea
Defense budget - $40 billion
2654 tanks
1 aircraft carrier
1560 aircraft
Army size - 625,000
6. UK
Prince Harry during his military service. Royal Navy Marine Instagram photo.
Defense budget - $50 billion
227 tanks
2 aircraft carriers
832 aircraft
Army strength: 279,230
5. France
Photo: page French Armed Forces on Facebook.
Defense budget - $40 billion
406 tanks
1305 aircraft
Navy - 118 (1 aircraft carrier and 3 helicopter carriers)
Army size - 388635
4. India
Defense budget - $51 billion
4426 tanks
1 aircraft carrier (project 1143 aircraft-carrying cruiser, former Admiral Gorshkov)
2185 aircraft
Army size - 1362500
3. China
Defense budget - $151 billion
7716 tanks
1 aircraft carrier (“Liaoning” - completed “Varyag”)
3035 aircraft
Army size - 2663000
2. Russia
Photo: website of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Defense budget - $47 billion
20300 tanks
3914 aircraft
Navy - 352 (the only aircraft carrier out of service)
The size of the army is 1013628.
1. USA
Photo website army.mil.
Defense budget - $647 billion
5,884 tanks
20 aircraft carriers
13362 aircraft
The total number of naval vessels is 415
Army size - 1281900
It is worth noting that the most important criterion for evaluating an army is combat operations. And the Global Firepower Index does not take this parameter into account. Russia and the United States also have a clear advantage here, for example, over China. Russia fought with Georgia and, how can I put it, probably with Ukraine. Plus he is conducting a military operation in Syria. And the United States fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is also participating in operations in Syria.
The GFP ranking only considers the amount of government spending on defense, without taking into account what percentage of the country's GDP they make up. The top three ranking figures (data from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute - SIPRI) for 2017 are as follows: China spends 1.9% of GDP on defense, Russia - 4.3%, USA - 3.1%. Only Russia spends more on defense in the world (as a share of GDP) Saudi Arabia — 10%.
The other day, experts from an international analytical group published a rating of the world's armies according to the level of military power, Global Firepower (the analytical structure itself is often called the same). The level of military power was determined by the classification of the mentioned group. The index of military superiority of some armies over others is published in Lately annually and takes into account such indicators of the armed forces of various countries as the ratio of the number of armed forces to the population of the country, the composition of the Air Force, Navy (Navy), the number of tanks, as well as the volume of the defense budget. It is important that the level of military power in this case does not take into account the country’s nuclear potential.
In total, in 133 countries of the world, the armies of each of them are assigned a certain coefficient. Moreover, in this case, the principle of inverse proportionality works: the lower this coefficient, the greater the total power of the armed forces of a particular state is considered.
The top three countries in terms of global power in this ranking are as follows.
At the first place - USA. Stated indicators: coefficient 0.0857, population – 323.9 million people, number of armed forces – 2.36 million, of which 990 thousand are reservists. The number of aviation assets is 13,762 airplanes and helicopters, of which 2,296 are fighters, 947 are attack helicopters. The total number of tanks in the US Army is 5884 units. The number of warships of the US Navy is 415, of which 19 are aircraft carriers and 70 are submarines. The defense budget of the American army, as is known even without the compilers of this rating, cannot be compared with the military budgets of other countries in the world. Its total volume, named in Global Firepower for 2017, amounted to $588 billion. And this is only the “unclassified” part of the Pentagon treasury.
The ranking compilers place in second place Russia with a coefficient of 0.0929. Russian population figures (about 142 million people are indicated) differ from official data in the Russian Federation for the reason that foreign analysts continue to pretend that Crimea is not part of Russia.
Indicators for the RF Armed Forces in Global Firepower: numerical strength – as many as 3.37 million people. They decided to include in this value everyone who is not only in the personnel of the country’s Armed Forces, but also reservists plus civilian personnel. Direct personnel composition is indicated at the level of 798.5 thousand military personnel. Just a few days ago, information was published about the full strength of the RF Armed Forces according to data not from foreign specialists, but directly from the RF Ministry of Defense. The statistics (published by TASS Global Firepower) are actually as follows: 1 million 13 thousand 628 military personnel.
As you can see, the spread with the data of foreign “partners” differs not only in population size, but also in the numerical composition of the Armed Forces themselves.
The statistics in Global Firepower for Russia are as follows: aviation assets - 3794, of which 806 are fighters, 490 attack (attack) helicopters. Number of tanks: 20216. Number of warships in the Navy: 352, including one aircraft-carrying cruiser (Admiral Kuznetsov) and 63 submarines. The military budget of the Russian Defense Ministry in 2017 is estimated at $44.6 billion.
Rounding out the top three is People's Republic of China. The coefficient in this case is 0.0945. The indicated population is 1.373 billion people. The strength of the PLA (People's Liberation Army of China) is 3.7 million, of which 1.45 million are listed as reservists.
The number of military aircraft in China is 2955, of which 1.271 thousand are fighters and 206 attack helicopters. If you believe these statistics, then the Chinese army has caught up and surpassed the US army in the number of fighter aircraft, and surpassed it by almost 50%. This information from Global Firepower contradicts information in Chinese official sources. The Chinese themselves state that the number of fighters of various modifications, including Russian Su-27 and Su-30, is no more than 950 units, of which about 500 are Chengdu J-7. Wikipedia gives almost 1.5 thousand fighters, including in their total number aircraft that are not physically in the PLA Air Force, but for which contracts have been concluded.
The number of tanks in the Chinese People's Liberation Army, according to the compilers of the global rating in question, is 6457. The number of warships is 714. If you believe this value, it turns out that China's combat fleet is almost twice as large as the combat ships of the US Navy. It is clarified that among these 714 warships there is 1 aircraft carrier, 51 frigates, 68 submarines, 35 corvettes, etc. The Chinese defense budget is said to be $161.7 billion. The official defense budget statistics published by Chinese media are as follows: $151.8 billion.
The top five countries in terms of military power include: India(4th place) and France(5th). It is noted that India's population is approximately 110 million less population China, while the total number of armed forces, including reservists, is stated at 4.2 million people, which is half a million more than in China. India's defense budget exceeds Russia's, amounting to approximately $51 billion. For comparison: the military budget of France, with the 5th declared line in military power, amounted to 35 billion US dollars at the end of 2017.
Places from 6th to 10th were distributed as follows: Britain, Japan, Türkiye, Germany and (quite unexpectedly) Egypt. Moreover, in the section “Egyptian military navy"The presence of two aircraft carriers is indicated. We are talking about helicopter carriers that France sold to Cairo after the notorious sanctions against Russia. The presence of these ships, according to the compilers of the rating, allows Egypt, with a military budget of $4 billion and 454 thousand personnel military personnel, to overtake in the rating, for example, Pakistan And South Korea.
The rating compilers put it in 15th position Israel, noting that the country's military budget is one of the most impressive per capita in the world. With a population of 8.1 million and a military force of 168,000, the budget is more than $15.5 billion.
The DPRK was given 23rd place (and why then do the USA, Japan and South Korea flinch?..). And the “coolest” army in Europe – the Ukrainian – has the 30th position. By military power Ukraine assessed so that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are already 14th position higher than the army Syria, 19 lines above the army The Republic of Belarus and 28 above the sun Azerbaijan.
Since ancient times, the armed forces have been the main and fundamental guarantor of the independence of any country and the security of its citizens. Diplomacy and interstate treaties are also important factors of international stability, but as practice shows, when it comes to military conflict, they often do not work. Events in Ukraine are obvious proof of this. Indeed, who wants to shed the blood of their soldiers for the interests of others? Today we will try to answer the question - whose army is the strongest in the world, whose military power is unrivaled?
As Russian Emperor Alexander III once said: “Russia has only two reliable allies - its army and navy.” And he is one hundred percent right. Naturally, this statement is true not only for Russia, but also for any other state.
Today in the world there are more than 160 armies of varying sizes, weapons and military doctrines.
One of the greatest commanders in history, the French Emperor Napoleon I believed that “the big battalions are always right,” but in our time the situation has changed somewhat.
It should be understood that the strength of a modern army is determined not only by its numbers; it largely depends on the effectiveness of its weapons, the training of its fighters, and their motivation. The time of mass conscription armies is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Modern armed forces are a very expensive pleasure. The cost of the latest tank or fighter is tens of millions of dollars, and only very rich countries can afford a large and strong army.
There is another factor that arose after the end of World War II - nuclear weapons. Its power is so terrifying that it still keeps the world from starting another global conflict. Today, two states have the largest nuclear arsenals - Russia and the United States. A conflict between them is guaranteed to lead to the end of our civilization.
Disputes often flare up on the Internet about which is the strongest army in the world. This question is somewhat incorrect, since only a full-scale war can compare armies. There are too many factors that determine the strength or weakness of certain armed forces. When compiling our rating, we took into account the size of the armed forces, their technical equipment, the development of the military-industrial complex, army traditions, as well as the level of funding.
When compiling the top 10 most powerful armies in the world, the factor of the existence of nuclear weapons was not taken into account.
So, meet the strongest armies in the world.
10. Germany. Our ranking of the top 10 most powerful armies on the planet opens with the Bundeswehr – the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the ground forces, navy, aviation, medical service and logistics service.
The armed forces of the Bundeswehr number 186 thousand people, the German army is completely professional. The country's military budget is $45 billion. Despite its rather modest size (compared to other participants in our rating), the German army is very highly trained, equipped with the latest types of weapons, and Germany’s military traditions can only be envied. It should be noted the highest level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - German tanks, aircraft, and small arms are deservedly considered among the best in the world.
Germany could count on more high place in the top 10, but the foreign policy of this country is peaceful. Apparently, the Germans have fought enough in the last century, so they are no longer drawn to military adventures. In addition, Germany has been a member of NATO for many years, so in the event of any military threats, it can count on the help of the United States and other allies.
9. France. In ninth place in our ranking is France, a country with rich military traditions, a very advanced military-industrial complex and significant armed forces. Their number is 222 thousand people. The country's military budget is $43 billion. France's military-industrial complex allows it to provide its army with almost all the necessary weapons - from small arms to tanks, aircraft and reconnaissance satellites.
However, it should be noted that the French, like the Germans, do not seek to resolve foreign policy issues by military means. France has no disputed territories with its neighbors, nor any frozen conflicts.
8. Great Britain. In eighth place in our ranking is Great Britain, a country that managed to create a world empire on which the sun never set. But that's in the past. Today the number of British armed forces is 188 thousand people. The country's military budget is $53 billion. The British have a very decent military-industrial complex, which is able to produce tanks, airplanes, warships, small arms and other types of weapons.
England has the second largest navy (after the USA) in terms of tonnage. It includes nuclear submarines, and two light aircraft carriers are being built for the country's Navy.
British special operations forces are considered one of the best in the world.
Great Britain participates in almost all military conflicts where the United States is present (the first and second conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan). So the experience of the British army is not lacking.
7. Türkiye. The army of this country is considered the strongest among the Muslim armies of the Middle East. The descendants of the warlike Janissaries managed to create very combat-ready armed forces, which in the region are second in power only to the Israeli army. That is why Türkiye is in seventh place in our ranking.
6. Japan. In sixth place in our top 10 ranking is Japan, which formally does not have an army at all; its functions are performed by the so-called “self-defense forces.” However, don’t let this name fool you: the country’s armed forces number 247 thousand people and are the fourth largest in the Pacific region.
The main rivals that the Japanese fear are China and North Korea. In addition, the Japanese still have not concluded a peace treaty with Russia.
Japan has a significant air force, ground forces and an impressive navy, which is considered one of the strongest in the world. Japan has more than 1,600 combat aircraft, 678 tanks, 16 submarines, and 4 helicopter carriers.
This country has the third largest economy in the world, so it is not difficult for Japan to allocate serious money for the maintenance and development of its army. Japan's military budget is $47 billion, which is quite good for a military of its size.
Separately, it should be noted the high level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - in terms of its technical equipment, the Japanese armed forces are considered one of the best in the world. Today in Japan they are creating a fifth-generation fighter, and it will probably be ready in the coming years.
In addition, Japan is one of the United States' closest allies in the region. There are American bases on the country's territory; the United States supplies Japan with the latest types of weapons. However, despite this, Japan plans to further increase its defense spending. Well, the descendants of samurai are not short of experience and fighting spirit.
5. South Korea. Fifth place in our top 10 ranking is occupied by another Southeast Asian state – South Korea. This country has an impressive armed forces with a total strength of 630 thousand people. It is in third place in the region, second only to China and the DPRK. South Korea has been at war for more than sixty years—peace has never been concluded between Pyongyang and Seoul. The armed forces of the DPRK number almost 1.2 million people; the North Koreans consider their southern neighbors to be their main enemy and constantly threaten them with war.
It is clear that in such a situation, South Korea has to pay a lot of attention to the development of its own army. $33.7 billion is allocated annually for defense needs. The South Korean army is considered one of the best equipped not only in its region, but also in the world. South Korea is one of the closest and most loyal US allies in the region, which is why Americans supply Seoul the latest designs weapons, there are US bases in the country. Therefore, if a conflict between the DPRK and South Korea does begin, it is not a fact that the northerners (despite their numerical superiority) will emerge victorious.
4. India. In fourth place in our top 10 ranking are the Indian Armed Forces. It's huge populous country with a booming economy, it has a military force of 1.325 million and spends approximately $50 billion on defense.
In addition to the fact that India is the owner of nuclear weapons, its armed forces are the third largest in the world. And there is a simple explanation for this: the country is in a state of permanent conflict with its neighbors: China and Pakistan. IN modern history India has had three bloody wars with Pakistan and a huge number of border incidents. There are also unresolved territorial disputes with a strong China.
India has a serious navy, which includes three aircraft carriers and two nuclear submarines.
Every year the Indian government spends significant sums on the purchase of new weapons. And if earlier Indians mainly purchased weapons made in the USSR or Russia, now they increasingly prefer higher-quality Western models.
In addition, recently the country's leadership has been paying a lot of attention to the development of its own military-industrial complex. A few years ago, a new strategy for the development of the defense industry was adopted, which goes under the motto “Make in India”. Now, when purchasing weapons, Indians give preference to those suppliers who are ready to open production facilities in the country and share the latest technologies.
3. China. In third place in our ranking of the top 10 strongest armies is the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA). This is the largest armed force on the planet - its number is 2.333 million people. China's military budget is the second largest in the world, second only to the United States. It amounts to $126 billion.
China is striving to become the second superpower after the United States, and it is impossible to do this without powerful armed forces; it certainly cannot do without the largest army in the world.
Today the Chinese are armed with 9,150 tanks, 2,860 aircraft, 67 submarines, a large number of combat aircraft and multiple launch rocket systems. There has been debate for quite some time about how many warheads the PRC has in stock: the official figure is several hundred, but some experts believe that the Chinese have an order of magnitude larger number.
The Chinese army is constantly improving its technical level. If ten to fifteen years ago most types of military equipment in service with the PLA were outdated copies of Soviet models, today the situation has changed dramatically.
Currently, the PRC is working on the creation of a fifth-generation fighter; its latest developments in the field of tank building and missile weapons are not much inferior to models made in Russia or the West. Much attention is paid to the development of naval forces: recently the first aircraft carrier (the former Varyag, purchased from Ukraine) appeared in the Chinese Navy.
Considering the enormous resources (financial, human, technological) that China has, the armed forces of this country will become a formidable rival in the coming years for the countries that occupy the first positions in our ranking.
2. Russia. In second place in our top 10 ranking are the Russian armed forces, which in many respects remain the strongest on the planet.
In terms of the number of personnel, the Russian army ranks only fifth, behind the United States, China, India and the DPRK. Its population is 798 thousand people. The budget of the Russian defense department is $76 billion. However, at the same time, it has one of the most powerful ground forces in the world: more than fifteen thousand tanks, a huge number of armored vehicles and combat helicopters.
1. USA. The United States of America is in first place in the top 10. In terms of the number of personnel, the US Army is second only to China (albeit significantly), its strength is 1.381 million people. At the same time, the US military department has a budget that generals of other armies can only dream of - $612 billion, which allows it to be the most strong country peace.
The strength of modern armed forces depends largely on their funding. Therefore, the huge American defense budget is one of the main components of its success. It allows the Americans to develop and purchase the most modern (and most expensive) weapons systems, supply their army with the highest level, simultaneously conduct several military campaigns in different parts of the world.
Today, the US Army has 8,848 tanks, a huge number of armored vehicles and other military equipment, and 3,892 military aircraft. While during the Cold War, Soviet strategists focused on tanks, the Americans actively developed combat aviation. Currently, the US Air Force is rightfully considered the strongest in the world.
The United States has the most powerful navy, which includes ten aircraft carrier groups, more than seventy submarines, a large number of aircraft and auxiliary ships.
The Americans are leaders in the development of the latest military technologies, and their range is very wide: from the creation of lasers and robotic combat systems to prosthetics.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
The analysis of military power assessed the number of armed forces (5% of the total score), tanks (10%), attack helicopters (15%), aircraft (20%), aircraft carriers (25%) and submarines (25%).
The assessment determines military power solely in quantitative terms and does not take into account the actual potential of weapons and the level of training of personnel. Thus, the placement of some countries on the list may come as a surprise.
Here are the ten most powerful armies peace.
10. Türkiye
- Defense budget: $18.2 billion
- Number of personnel: 410.5 thousand people
- Tanks: 3778
- Aircraft: 1020
- Submarines: 13
Turkey's armed forces are among the largest in the eastern Mediterranean. Despite the lack of aircraft carriers, Turkey is second only to five countries in the number of submarines.
In addition, Turkey has an impressively large number of tanks, aircraft and attack helicopters. The country is also involved in a joint program to develop the F-35 fighter jet.
9. UK
- Defense budget: $60.5 billion
- Number of personnel: 146.9 thousand people
- Tanks: 407
- Aircraft: 936
- Submarines: 10
Although the UK plans to reduce the size of its armed forces by 20% between 2010 and 2018, it is powerful enough to make itself a force to be reckoned with around the world.
The Royal Navy plans to commission the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2020. Its take-off deck area exceeds 18 thousand m², and 40 F-35B strike fighters are accommodated on board.
8. Italy
- Defense budget: $34 billion
- Number of personnel: 320 thousand people
- Tanks: 586
- Aircraft: 760
- Submarines: 6
The Italian Army ranked high on the list thanks to the presence of two active aircraft carriers. In addition to the relatively high number of submarines and attack helicopters, they significantly increased Italy's ranking.
7. South Korea
- Number of personnel: 624.4 thousand people
- Tanks: 2381
- Aircraft: 1412
- Submarines: 13
South Korea has no choice but to have a large and strong army in the face of a possible invasion from the North. Therefore, the country's army is armed with submarines, helicopters, and a large number of personnel.
South Korea also has a powerful tank force and the sixth largest air force in the world.
6. France
- Defense budget: $62.3 billion
- Number of personnel: 202.7 thousand people
- Tanks: 423
- Aircraft: 1264
- Submarines: 10
The French army is relatively small, but well trained, professional and mobile.
The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle most recently entered service, and France regularly participates in military operations in Africa, fighting extremism and supporting local governments.
5. India
- Defense budget: $50 billion
- Number of personnel: 1.325 million people
- Tanks: 6464
- Aircraft: 1905
- Submarines: 15
India is one of the largest military powers on the planet. In terms of the number of personnel, it is second only to China and the United States, and in terms of the number of tanks and aircraft it surpasses all countries except the United States, China and Russia.
The country also has nuclear weapons in its arsenal. By 2020, India is expected to be the world's fourth largest defense spender.
4. Japan
- Defense budget: $41.6 billion
- Number of personnel: 247.1 thousand people
- Tanks: 678
- Aircraft: 1613
- Submarines: 16
In absolute terms, the Japanese army is relatively small. However, she is extremely well armed.
Japan has the fourth largest submarine fleet in the world. There are also four aircraft carriers in service, although they are equipped only with helicopters.
In terms of the number of attack helicopters, the country is inferior to China, Russia and the United States.
3. China
- Defense budget: $216 billion
- Number of personnel: 2.333 million people
- Tanks: 9150
- Aircraft: 2860
- Submarines: 67
Over the past few decades, the Chinese military has grown greatly in size and capabilities. In terms of personnel, it is the largest army in the world. It also has the second largest tank force (after Russia) and the second largest submarine fleet (after the United States).
China has made amazing progress in its military modernization program and is currently developing a range of unique military technologies, including ballistic missiles and fifth-generation aircraft.
2. Russia
- Defense budget: $84.5 billion
- Number of personnel: 766 thousand people
- Tanks: 15,398
- Aircraft: 3429
- Submarines: 55
The Russian Armed Forces rank second in the world. The country has the largest tank fleet on the planet, the second largest air force (after the United States) and the third largest submarine fleet (second only to the United States and China).
Since 2008, the Kremlin's military spending has increased by almost a third. The country demonstrated its mobile capabilities by deploying a military force in Syria.
1. USA
- Defense budget: $601 billion
- Number of personnel: 1.4 million people
- Tanks: 8848
- Aircraft: 13,892
- Submarines: 72
Despite budget sequestration and spending cuts, the US spends more on defense than the other nine countries in the Credit Suisse index combined.
America's main military advantage is its fleet of 10 aircraft carriers. For comparison, India ranks second - the country is working on creating its third aircraft carrier.
The US also has more aircraft than any other power. Hi-tech like the Navy's new high-speed gun and a large and well-trained army - not to mention the world's largest nuclear arsenal.
The Russian army is among the top three strongest armies in the world. The Russian military was assessed on a par with other armies and shared the winner's podium with China and the United States. Typically, such ratings are compiled based on data from Global Firepower or Credit Suisse. The military power of each state is assessed according to various criteria; nuclear potential or its absence is not taken into account.
How to determine the real balance of power among states participating in military conflicts? When compiling a ranking of armies, parameters such as budget, army size, and number of weapons (armored vehicles, aircraft, aircraft carriers and submarines) are usually taken into account. The technical level of weapons affects the position on the list to a lesser extent, and it is almost never possible to assess the real combat capability of the army. Nuclear potential or its absence was not taken into account in this list. The place occupied was also influenced by the economic situation of the countries.
Global Firepower evaluates the military capabilities of more than one hundred countries using 50 different criteria. In 2016, the United States was first in the world in such parameters as the country with the largest military budget, the largest number of aircraft carriers and the largest fleet. Russia leads in the number of tanks (15 thousand) and nuclear warheads (8,484 units). China is ahead of everyone in terms of army size.
Not long ago, the National Interest magazine made a forecast for the combat power of the world's armies in 15 years. The analysis was carried out based on the following parameters: access to innovation and other important national resources, support from politicians and the ability of the armed forces to learn and improve in a peaceful environment. As a result, the top five most powerful armies, in their opinion, will include the armed forces of India, the USA, France, China and Russia.
This rating compiled by the American portal The Richest may raise some questions. For example, the Israeli army is inferior to Egypt by one position, mainly due to the number of soldiers and tanks. However, in all clashes, the first country always prevailed over the second, despite the numerical superiority. It is also strange that Iran, with its half a million soldiers, 1,500 tanks and 300 combat aircraft, is not included in the list. Our readers will probably have many more questions for the authors of this list.
Australia
Budget: $26.1 billion
Number of active troops: 58 thousand people
Tanks: 59
Aviation: 408
Submarines: 6
The Australian Army has a long and proud history, having participated in both the First and Second World Wars as part of the British Empire. Australian military personnel consistently take part in all NATO operations. In accordance with national doctrine, Australia must be able to stand alone against external invasion. Situated on the edge of the world, without much neighboring competitors, Australia is considered one of the most... safe countries, since a ground invasion is impossible. The Australian Defense Force is relatively small but technologically advanced. They are formed on a professional basis only from Australian citizens, are technically well equipped, have a modern fleet and many combat helicopters. With a small number of personnel, but with a serious budget, the Australian Armed Forces are capable of deploying their troops to several locations simultaneously if necessary.
Germany
Budget: $40.2 billion
Number: 180 thousand people
Tanks: 408
Aviation: 663
Submarines: 4
After World War II, Germany did not have its own army for 10 years. During the confrontation between the West and the USSR, the Bundeswehr numbered up to half a million people, but after the unification of East and West Berlin, the authorities abandoned the doctrine of confrontation and sharply reduced investments in defense. Apparently, this is why in the Credit Suisse rating, for example, the armed forces of the GDR ended up behind even Poland (and Poland is not included in this rating at all). At the same time, Berlin actively sponsors its eastern NATO allies. After 1945 Germany was never directly involved in major operations, but they sent troops to their allies in support during civil war in Ethiopia, the Angolan civil war, the Bosnian war and the war in Afghanistan.
Whenever we hear about the German military, it is somehow impossible not to remember Adolf Hitler, who was responsible for the death of about 6 million Jews and many millions of people of other nations...
The Germans today have few submarines and not a single aircraft carrier. The German army has a record number of inexperienced young soldiers, making it weaker; They are now planning to restructure their strategy and introduce new processes for recruitment.
Italy
Budget: $34 billion
Number of active army: 320 thousand people.
Tanks: 586
Aviation: 760
Submarines: 6
The totality of the military forces of the Italian Republic intended to protect the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of the state. Consists of the ground forces, navy, air force and carabinieri corps.
Italy has not been directly involved in armed conflicts in any countries in recent times, but has always participated in peacekeeping missions and deployed troops in the war on terrorism.
Weak during World War II, the Italian Army currently operates two active aircraft carriers, housing a large number of helicopters; they have submarines, which allows them to be included in the list of the most powerful armies. Italy is not currently at war, but is an active member of the UN and willingly transfers its troops to countries that ask for help.
Great Britain
Budget: $60.5 billion
Number of active army: 147 thousand.
Tanks: 407
Aviation: 936
Submarines: 10
After the end of World War II, Great Britain abandoned the idea of military dominance around the world in favor of the United States, but the Royal Armed Forces still have significant power and take part in all NATO operations. After World War II, Great Britain had three big wars with Iceland, which were not victorious for England - it was defeated, which allowed Iceland to expand its territories.
The United Kingdom once ruled over half the world, including India. New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, but the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is becoming much weaker over time. The UK's military budget has been cut due to BREXIT and they are planning to reduce the number of their soldiers between now and 2018.
Her Majesty's fleet includes several nuclear submarines with strategic nuclear weapons: a total of about 200 warheads. By 2020, the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth is expected to be commissioned, which will be able to carry 40 F-35B fighters.
Israel
Budget: $17 billion
Number: 160 thousand.
Tanks: 4,170
Aviation: 684
Submarines: 5
The main enemy of the Arabs, Israel has been fighting for its independence since 1947; it is constantly in a continuous war with Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and other Arab countries.
Israel has won five straight victories in previous wars against Hamas and Palestine since 2000, with heavy US military support.
A country that is not recognized by 31 countries (of which 18 are Arab) is still fighting against its enemies. By law, all Israeli citizens, including those with dual citizenship and living in another country, as well as all permanent residents of the state, upon reaching 18 years of age, are subject to conscription for service in the IDF. The term of military service is 36 months - 3 years (32 months for combat units), for women - 24 months (2 years). After completing regular service, all privates and officers can be called up annually for reservist training for up to 45 days.
The IDF's greatest strength is its use of technology in modernizing its missile defense systems. The army consists of 3 types of armed forces: ground, air force and naval. The implementation of the decision to create a fourth type of armed forces - cyber forces - has begun. Business card IDF - female soldiers who have proven that the weaker sex with a machine gun is no less effective than the stronger. Not to mention the fact that, according to unverified data, Israel has about 80 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
Israel is traditionally the most undervalued participant in the Credit Suisse rating. The IDF won all the conflicts in which it participated, and often the Israelis had to fight on several fronts against an enemy many times larger than them. In addition to the huge amount of the latest offensive and defensive weapons of its own design, the rating does not take into account the fact that the country has several hundred thousand reservists with combat experience and high motivation.
Egypt
Budget: $4.4 billion
Army size: 468 thousand.
Tanks: 4,624
Aviation: 1,107
Submarines: 4
Having fought on the side of the Arab alliance against Israel in 4 wars, Egypt has never fought major battles against any other countries, but has participated several times in operations against the ISIS terrorist groups. As in Israel, military service is compulsory for Egyptian men, sometimes for 9 years. Today, Egypt is trying to maintain peace in its own country and fight the war on terrorism.
The Egyptian army was ranked due to its numbers and quantity of equipment, although, as the Yom Kippur War showed, even a threefold superiority in tanks is offset by high combat skills and the technical level of weapons. As of 2014, contracts were initialed or signed for a total amount of more than $3 billion for the supply from the Russian Federation of 24 MiG-29m/m2 fighters, air defense systems, anti-tank Cornet, combat helicopters: Ka-25, Mi-28 and Mi-25, Mi-35 . Light weapons. Coastal anti-ship systems. All contracts began after the suspension of military and financial assistance to Egypt from the United States. At the same time, it is known that about a thousand “Abrams” of the Egyptian Armed Forces are simply mothballed in warehouses. If Cairo acquires Mistral-class helicopter carriers and combat helicopters for them, this will make Egypt a truly serious military force.
Pakistan
Budget: $7 billion
Number of active army: 617 thousand.
Tanks: 2,924
Aviation: 914
Submarines: 8
The first major war was fought in 1965 against the largest enemy - India, military operations were quite successful, India withdrew its troops. The second war was due to the internal politics of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), when the Indian army took revenge for 1965 and played its cards, breaking the country into two parts. Pakistan has not yet reached an agreement on borders with India: the territories of the states of Jammu and Kashmir remain disputed, formally the countries are in a state of conflict, within which they are engaged in an arms race.
The Pakistani army is one of the largest in the world, it has many tanks and aircraft, and the United States supports Islamabad with equipment. The main threat is internal; local leaders and the Taliban rule in hard-to-reach areas of the country. Pakistan has medium-range ballistic missiles and about a hundred nuclear warheads. Packs have unlimited love and respect for their armed forces, and often seek justice from the army (instead of the courts and government). Pakistan is said to have friendly relations with superpowers including the US, China and Turkey, which are always ready to support them. Recently, joint military exercises with the Russian army have made the Pakistani military much stronger, although its biggest enemy India was supported by Russia in previous wars against Pakistan.
Türkiye
Budget: $18.2 billion
Number of active army: 410, 500 thousand.
Tanks: 3,778
Aviation: 1,020
Submarines: 13
Türkiye is an active member of the UN; she took part in the Korean War between China and Korea. They fought two major battles with Cyprus in 1964 and 1974 and won, occupying 36.2% of the territory of Cyprus. They are still involved in the ongoing wars in Afghanistan against the Taliban and ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Türkiye claims to be a regional leader, so it is constantly building up and updating its armed forces. A huge number of tanks, aircraft and a large modern fleet (though without aircraft carriers) allows the Turkish army to be considered the strongest among Muslim countries Middle East.
The half-European, half-Asian power, which has the second largest army in NATO after the United States, is one of the best trained military forces in the world. Turkey owns a treasure trove of more than 200 F-16 aircraft, its second largest fleet after the United States. Despite the presence large quantity Well-trained military, the Turkish Armed Forces are not particularly popular among the people. When the military attempted a coup in early 2016, it was defeated by ordinary citizens who took to the streets and restored the elected government.
France
Budget: $62.3 billion
Number of active army: 205 thousand.
Tanks: 623
Aviation: 1,264
Submarines: 10
France is one of the few countries whose armed forces have almost the full range of modern weapons and military equipment of their own production - from small arms to attack nuclear aircraft carriers (which, besides France, only the United States has). France is the only country (other than Russia) that owns a radar guided missile system.
The military history of France lasts more than 3000 years. France took part in the First and Second World Wars and faced major defeats. Other major events in the military history of this country: the French-Thai War, the Tunisian War of Independence, the Algerian War of Independence in 1954-1962. After this, France did not participate in major battles, but sent its troops to the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The French army is still the main military force in Africa and continues to actively intervene in local conflicts.
In 2015, the reform of the armed forces, begun in 1996, was completed in France. As part of this reform, conscription was abolished and a transition to a mercenary army, less numerous but more effective, took place. The overall strength of the French armed forces was significantly reduced.
The nuclear attack aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was recently commissioned. Currently, France has approximately 300 strategic nuclear warheads, which are located on nuclear submarines. There are also 60 tactical warheads.
South Korea
Budget: $62.3 billion
Number of active army: 625 thousand.
Tanks: 2,381
Aviation: 1,412
Submarines: 13
The main war in which this country participated was the Korean War in 1950. This Cold War conflict is often seen as a proxy war between the United States and its allies and the forces of China and the USSR. The northern coalition included: North Korea and its armed forces; the Chinese army (since it was officially believed that the PRC did not participate in the conflict, regular Chinese troops were formally considered units of the so-called “Chinese people’s volunteers”); The USSR, which also did not officially participate in the war, but largely took over its financing, as well as supplying Chinese troops. Numerous military advisers and specialists were recalled from North Korea even before the start of the war, and during the war they were sent back under the guise of TASS correspondents. From the South, South Korea, the USA, Great Britain and a number of other countries took part in the war as part of the UN peacekeeping forces. Interestingly, China uses the name “War against America to support the Korean people.” In 1952-53, a lot changed in the world ( new president in the USA, the death of Stalin, etc.), and the war ended with a truce.
South Korea's military is highly supported by the US military, making it stronger. South Korea retains numerous armed forces, although in terms of quantitative indicators in everything except aviation, it continues to lose to its main potential enemy, the DPRK. The difference, of course, is in the technological level. Seoul has its own and Western latest developments, Pyongyang has Soviet technology 50 years ago.
Interestingly, North Korea is considered the leader in the number of submarines (35th place in the Global Firepower ranking), which has 78 units. However, it is noted that they are almost completely unusable. A third of North Korea's submarines are noisy Romeo diesels, which were obsolete in 1961.
India
Budget: $51 billion
Number of active army: 1,408,551
Tanks: 6,464
Aviation: 1,905
Submarines: 15
Currently, India is confidently among the top ten world powers in terms of its military potential. India's armed forces are inferior to the armies of the US, Russia and China, they are strong and numerous. Speaking about the Indian armed forces, it is worth remembering that India is the world's largest importer of weapons (as of 2012), and also possesses nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. In addition to the direct armed forces, India has a variety of paramilitary forces, which serve more than a million people: national security forces, special border forces, special paramilitary forces. The fact that India has approximately a hundred nuclear warheads, three aircraft carriers and two nuclear submarines in service makes it the fifth most powerful country.
Japan
Budget: $41.6 billion
Number of active army: 247, 173
Tanks: 678
Aviation: 1,613
Submarines: 16
The last battle of World War II was a nightmare for Japan, which suffered a nuclear attack from the United States. After defeat in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army was disbanded and military factories and educational institutions were closed. The occupation authorities even banned martial arts. There was also a ban on the manufacture of Japanese swords, which lasted until 1953. In 1947, the Constitution of Japan was adopted, which legally enshrined Japan's refusal to participate in military conflicts. The only country that suffered from nuclear attacks is not allowed to create its own army.
However, already during the period of the American occupation, the creation of armed formations began: in 1950, a reserve police corps was created; it was converted into a security corps in 1952, becoming the Japan Self-Defense Forces in 1954. The Japan Self-Defense Forces is the modern name for the Japanese armed forces. The armed forces include: ground forces, sea and air self-defense forces of Japan. It can be argued that today Japan has very large and relatively modern armed forces, quite powerful in the Asia-Pacific region and capable of solving almost any problem. On September 19, 2015, the Japanese Diet authorized the use of the Self-Defense Forces to participate in military conflicts abroad.
Japan's high-tech military is equipped with cutting-edge gadgets and the latest weapons, making them one of the strongest on this list. Japan recently deployed troops to South Sudan for the first time since World War II as part of UN peacekeeping missions. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces have 4 helicopter carriers and 9 destroyers. However, Japan does not have nuclear weapons and this, coupled with a small number of tanks, makes some experts think that the position of this army is overestimated.
Russia
Budget: $84.5 billion
Number of active army: 766,033
Tanks: 15,398
Aviation: 3,429
Submarines: 55
It would be disrespectful to Russian military history to try to retell it in one paragraph.
The great power has just under a million military personnel. Ground Russian army is rightfully considered the most powerful in the whole world, which is provided with the latest military equipment. The budget allocated by the state for the needs of the army, production and purchase of military equipment is more than 84 billion dollars. The air force includes over 3 thousand aircraft. The navy is no less equipped, consisting of 55 submarines and 1 aircraft carrier. The country has more than 8 thousand nuclear warheads and 15 thousand armored vehicles in stock.
Syria has demonstrated once again that Russia rightly continues to hold a firm place among the strongest, as many experts believe. The Russian Armed Forces are second only to China in terms of the number of submarines. And if the rumors about China's secret nuclear stockpile are not true, then it is far ahead in this area. It is believed that Russia's strategic nuclear forces have about 350 delivery vehicles and about 2 thousand nuclear warheads. Number of tactical nuclear charges unknown and may be several thousand.
One of the three most powerful and experienced armies in the world, the Russian army is a great threat to China and the United States. Russia is constantly investing in its military budget and producing newest aircraft, helicopters and ammunition. By 2020, Russia plans to add six more army air bases to the existing eight. In addition, more than a thousand new helicopters are planned to be put into operation.
China
Budget: $216 billion
Number of active army: 2,333,000
Tanks: 9,150
Aviation: 2,860
Submarines: 67
Chinese People's Liberation Army - official name the armed forces of the People's Republic of China, the largest in number in the world. China is the most populous country in the world with the largest number of soldiers; Approximately 2,333,000 people serve (this is only 0.18% of the country's population). China increases its military budget by 12% every year to become a superpower and counter the US. The legislation provides for military service for men from 18 years of age; Volunteers are accepted up to 49 years of age. The age limit for an Army Reserve member is 50 years. The armed forces of the People's Republic of China are divided into five military command zones and three fleets, organized according to territorial principles: east, north, west, south and center.
After the surrender of Japan, the USSR transferred captured weapons to the Kwantung Army to the PLA: ships of the Sungari River Flotilla, 861 aircraft, 600 tanks, artillery, mortars, 1,200 machine guns, as well as small arms, ammunition and other military equipment.
Chinese officials say that in the course of weapons development, China does not exceed the feasible level that the economy and society can withstand, and certainly does not strive for an arms race. However, Chinese defense spending increased sharply in 2001-2009.
The second economy in the world has the largest active army, but in terms of the number of tanks, planes and helicopters it is still noticeably inferior not only to the United States, but also to Russia. But the defense budget exceeds the Russian one by 2.5 times. As far as is known, China has several hundred nuclear warheads on alert. However, some believe that in reality the PRC may have several thousand warheads, but this information is classified.
USA
Budget: $601 billion
Number of troops: 1,400,000
Tanks: 8,848
Aviation: 13,892
Submarines: 72
The United States has been directly or indirectly involved in almost every war that has occurred on planet Earth since the discovery of America. The US military budget is comparable to previous countries in the ranking. Navy has 10 powerful aircraft carriers, half of which are considered the largest in the world. The superpower has 1.4 million military personnel in reserve. Third gross income The country spends on the development of the army and military equipment - this is about 600 billion dollars. American soldiers have the most modern military equipment at their disposal, which is periodically updated. The United States has a nuclear potential that includes 7.5 thousand nuclear warheads. The country is also famous for its tanks, and their armored vehicles number more than 8 thousand units. The state also has the largest air force in the world, which numbers about 13,682 aircraft.
Some experts say that the US can never be captured as it has the strongest navy with the maximum number of ships and submarines. The American army owns about 15 million hectares of land throughout the United States and the Americans have their military bases almost all over the world (there are at least 158 of them). In 2011, an Army Newsletter reported that they estimated that they wasted about 22 gallons of fuel per day per soldier.
The US invests billions of dollars in the development of the latest military technologies, thanks to which the US remains a leader in the field, for example, robotics. Recently, the US Army has been looking to create new cyber corps and increase soldiers in the cyber crime department. Their responsibility will be to ensure the security of networks and information systems databases and protect against cyber attacks.
