The amount of military equipment in different countries. Powerful and strongest armies in the world. Armies of different countries: number, composition of troops and combat readiness
If you want peace, prepare for war.
Cornelius Nepos, Roman historian
Armies of different countries: number, composition of troops and combat readiness
To guarantee the safety of citizens and the inviolability of borders, all countries of the world are acquiring armed forces - on a conscript or contract basis. Depending on the size of the state, the size of the population and the annual budget, their armies also differ - in the number of military personnel (personnel), as well as in the number and level of weapons.
So, “who is the strongest in the world?” It’s not easy to answer, because all rankings of the world’s armies are compiled on the basis of the data that each state considers necessary to report. At the same time, it can either overestimate its successes in the hope of intimidating possible opponents, or underestimate them, not wanting to dedicate the world community to the details of its military industry.
In our article about the most powerful armies in the world in 2017, we will provide data from open sources, but it is worth remembering that they may differ significantly from real ones. In addition, it is not the number of tanks and aircraft that determines the combat readiness of troops - trained personnel and morale are much more important. Fortunately, this is all right in the Russian army!
Here's what the top ten most powerful armies in the world look like:
- 1st place - US Army;
- 2nd – Russian Army;
- 3rd – Chinese army;
- 4th – Indian Armed Forces;
- 5th – British troops;
- 6th – French army;
- 7th – German troops;
- 8th – Turkish Army:
- 9th – South Korean Army;
- 10th – Japanese armed forces.
Types of troops and weapons
Most armies in the world include the following types of troops:
- ground troops;
- tank forces;
- military aviation;
- navy, including aircraft carriers and submarines.
The presence of nuclear warheads in the arsenal determines membership in the so-called “nuclear club”. Of the large countries it does not include:
- Germany;
- Türkiye;
- South Korea;
- Japan.
Quantitative data from different sources on the volume of lethal weapons may vary: often this information is classified. Our pride is 8,484 nuclear warheads versus 7,506 for the United States, although the United States ranks first in the overall ranking.
Personnel
The size of the world's armies often depends not only on the population of the state, but also on who has more personnel - professionals or conscripts. The largest army is the Chinese: the number of ground forces in the Middle Kingdom is approximately 1.6 million soldiers. The age of service is impressive: they are called up from the age of 19, and soldiers remain in the reserve until they are 50 years old. In total, China has more than one and a half billion people in reserve! In terms of numbers, the Russian army ranks second in the world.
Military equipment
The strongest armies in the world in 2017 have thousands of units of military equipment at their disposal. The Russian army has only one aircraft carrier against ten American ones, but we have more tanks than other countries - 15,000 units, while the UK has only 407. For comparison: the leader of the dozens, the US Army, has 8,325 tanks in service . If we talk about the power of weapons, the German Leopard 2A7 tank is considered the best in the world, and the Russian T-14 Armata is in 5th place.
The most powerful navy is that of the United States (more than 270 units); at the end of the top ten, the Indonesian Navy dropped anchor. Russia, according to various estimates, is approximately in 5th place.
Fleet of different countries of the world
The armed forces of Germany, Turkey and South Korea do not have aircraft carriers. Experts agree that the best submarines are American ones, such as the Seawolf. Russian submarines of Project 885 Yasen are in 4th place. Since 2016, other leaders have been afloat in the United States - Zamvolt-class destroyers.
World military aviation
Superiority in battles is unthinkable without combat aircraft - all the strongest armies in the world are capable of fighting in the skies. The three best cars are “Americans”. Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a 5th generation fighter - multi-role and the most expensive in the world. The second to fly is the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter. Third place goes to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet: the aircraft is equipped with an electronic digital engine control system. The Russian MiG-31 occupies 8th place in the ranking of “air fighters”.
F-22 Raptor How much does defense cost?
The United States does not skimp on the army: the defense budget is 662 billion dollars, and in Russia it is only 50. This is less than China’s - 191.8, but significantly more than Turkey’s - 18 billion.
Debt to the Motherland
The most powerful armies in the world are aimed at transitioning to professional personnel. Since 2005, compulsory conscription has been abolished in Italy, Slovakia, Macedonia and Montenegro. It is also in the past for Romania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Poland. Young people are free from military service in Albania and Serbia, Sweden and Germany. Information has emerged that Georgia will also follow this path.
The terms of conscription service in modern armies of the world are different and differ significantly from those practiced by the armies of antiquity. “Life-long conscription” existed both in Ancient Rome and in Tsarist Russia - they served for about 25 years. Some sources claim that Genghis Khan's soldiers were required to serve for 53 years.
Today they have time to both serve and live in civilian life:
- in Greece they pay back their debt to their homeland for 9 months;
- in Finland, the length of service depends on the rank and ranges from 165 to 347 days;
- In Estonia, service lasts from 8 to 11 months.
The strongest army in the world is American - professional. But in case the US Congress deems it necessary to restore the draft, all men from 18 to 25 years of age (regardless of American citizenship) will be required to register with the military. They serve voluntarily under contract in Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg, and France.
In Russia, guys are escorted for a year, and in neighboring Belarus - depending on their education: if you get a higher education, serve for 12 months, if not, give the army 18 months. In Ukraine they conscript for a year and a half.
The only professional army based on compulsory conscription is the Israeli one. Men serve for 3 years, women for 2. There are three types of troops in the Israeli army:
- rear;
- combat (those that conduct constant military operations on the front line);
- combat support troops.
After a three-year course, the service continues under a contract and lasts at least 7 years.
Service in North Korea is not for the faint of heart: in the ground forces - from 5 to 12 years, in aviation and air defense forces - 3-4 years, in the navy - from 5 to 10 years.
Technologies and personnel
In terms of high technology, the top armies are again led by the United States. Having scattered its military bases around the world, America continues to diligently develop new types of weapons and confidently leads the world.
Russia has no less potential, but the budget is the main obstacle to the development of the Russian army. It is 8 times smaller than the American one. In our army, everything is decided by personnel. The qualifications and combat experience of military personnel, special highly mobile units ready to go into battle immediately upon receipt of an order are an undoubted plus of our country’s defense capability.
Interesting facts about the armies of the world
The army is not just dry numbers. Military history is full of interesting and even funny facts.
- For example, Peter I ordered buttons to be sewn onto the sleeves of soldiers' uniforms. For what? It’s all very simple: the buttons prevented the servicemen from wiping their mouths with their sleeves after eating! Most of the soldiers of that era came from peasant families and had corresponding habits. Peter fought for the safety of uniforms made of expensive cloth.
- And in Ancient Greece, according to some historians, special detachments of “gay” heroes fought. How can you be afraid or disgrace yourself when your beloved is among your “fellow soldiers”? The units were considered invincible and preferred death on the battlefield to defeat.
- The modern Romanian army, which also includes women, is considered the most beautiful in the world.
- A detachment of huskies patrols the Greenland coast. Dog sleds are the only means of transportation in these parts, and furry fighters are called into service.
- The Pentagon has gone even further - it has bees in its arsenal! The winged warriors discover certain explosives that neither humans nor dogs are susceptible to.
This is the modern world “in the optical sight.” As you can see, the question of which is the strongest army in the world remains open. We hope that we and our descendants will never have to find out this experimentally.
From time immemorial there have been many states on Earth. Almost every century their number is renewed: some countries split into several, while others, on the contrary, unite. Each state, depending on the goals of its political leaders, has its own army, usually consisting of infantry, military equipment, and so on.
Nowadays, the armed forces are mainly needed to preserve the sovereignty of a particular country, that is, to maintain the status of independence. There are countries that are not capable of maintaining a large number of troops. For example, the army of Luxembourg does not exceed 1000 people. But there are several states where the number of manpower serving in the army is very large.
10. Vietnam
Vietnamese troops are among the most advanced armed forces. The latest NATO developments and those of other origins, a huge amount of equipment, a large defense budget. According to the latest data, the manpower of Vietnamese troops has already exceeded 482 thousand people.
According to the leaders of this state, this quantity is enough, especially since military equipment will soon be serviced by a much smaller number of soldiers. Moreover, several decades ago, when the troops of the United States of America attacked Vietnam, Vietnam managed to win. There are more than 5 million people in reserve.
9. Türkiye
One of the strongest countries in the North Atlantic alliance. The defense budget amounts to several tens of billions of dollars. Just like many NATO countries, there is a large amount of modern military equipment and weapons. In this situation, 511 thousand people The Turkish Armed Forces have enough personnel. In general, the military is well trained and can professionally not only repel an attack within the country, but also fight extremism abroad. The reserve of the Turkish army is about 379 thousand people.
8. Republic of Iran
Approximately 523 thousand people serves in the Iranian army. Of course, most of them are ground forces, since Iran is a state that is actively conducting ground operations against ISIS (banned in Russia). Basically, the Iranian army uses the development of military equipment and small arms of the Soviet Union and Russia. The army reserve is small: 350 thousand people. Most likely, this is due to the activity of the regular Iranian army and it is impossible to keep many people in reserve.
7. Republic of Korea
The South Korean army is just over 630 thousand soldiers. At the moment, South Korea is not a militaristic state, unlike its northern neighbor. But, despite this, a huge reserve was created - about three million.
Perhaps, just in case North Korea decides to have a good fight. At least, it has been threatening for a long time. Therefore, the reserve contains a relatively large number of people.
6. Pakistan
The Republic of Pakistan has a fairly large population. Few people know that India and Pakistan were at enmity with each other very deep in history (the western part of India professes Islam, like the whole of Pakistan). Pakistan Army has 644 thousand military personnel and 513 thousand reservists. Basically, they use weapons from the times of the USSR. Sometimes there are developments from the People's Republic of China, as well as many neighboring countries.
5. Russian Federation
831 thousand people, serving in the Russian army. Despite the fact that the Russian Federation is the largest state in the world, the army is small if you count manpower. The Ministry of Defense previously stated that Russia is actively developing military equipment, which involves reducing the number of military personnel serving it. Also, do not forget that cooks and other people needed for housework in military units are now civilians, and not military, as before. There are more than two million people in the reserve.
4. DPRK
North Korea, or rather its president, said that the army of this country should take first place in the number of military personnel. It is not surprising, because this state is one of the most aggressive towards Japan, the USA and its southern neighbor. 1,200,000 military personnel. This state gives almost all the funds from its budget to the KPA (Korean People's Army).
Despite the impressive number of people serving in the KPA, this state may well lose the war to South Korea. This is because the KPA's weapons have long since become obsolete. Until now, this country supplies military units with developments that were used during the Second World War. To these are added units manufactured in the USSR, Japan and China. The Korean People's Army reserves number approximately 4 million.
3. India
A state with a high population density. Indian Army includes 1,346,000 soldiers who are in military service. Very high number of border troops, especially on the border with Pakistan. The weapons are mostly American, although India is quite successfully developing its own small arms and military equipment. The reserve is also large: 1,155,000 people.
2. USA
In second place in the ranking in terms of the number of military personnel. The United States has always tried to constantly increase its influence in foreign policy. She has a lot of both soldiers and military equipment. 1,382,000 people serves in the US Armed Forces.
Despite the fact that the American military industry is also heading towards reducing the number of service personnel, the United States is not going to reduce the number of military personnel. That is, he is trying to increase everything: the amount of military equipment, the number of soldiers. The weapons are powerful. The US armed forces reserve is 845 thousand people.
1. China
First in terms of population, and, of course, in terms of army size in the whole world. Moreover, both military equipment and manpower are ahead of everyone. 2,183,000 people serves in the ranks of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China.
The manpower of China's troops is constantly increasing. Small arms and military equipment are produced right in this country. True, either under a license from the country of the inventor, or analogues of existing weapons, but slightly modified in structure and properties. The reserve is small; according to the latest data, it numbers no more than half a million people.
A powerful and combat-ready army is the key to a country’s significant weight in the international arena. Moreover, in connection with the well-known events in Syria and Ukraine, the closest attention is increasingly being paid to the military power of different countries. Many people ask the question: “Who will win the world war?”
Today we present an annually updated, official ranking of the world's armies, a list that includes the most powerful armies in the world in 2017.
When compiling the rating, the following are compared:
- the number of armies of the world (regular number of troops, reservists)
- weapons (airplanes, helicopters, tanks, navy, artillery, other equipment)
- military budget, resource availability, geographical location, logistics.
Nuclear potential is not taken into account by experts, but recognized nuclear powers receive an advantage in ranking.
By the way, San Marino has the weakest army in the world in 2017 – only 80 people.
10 South Korea
The Korean army is the third largest in Asia - 630 thousand troops. The country has a very high number of military personnel per thousand inhabitants - 14.2 people. Korea's defense budget is $33.7 billion.
9 Germany
The country's military budget is $45 billion. The number of German armed forces is 186,500 people. The German army is completely professional, i.e. There has been no compulsory conscription in the country since 2011.
8 Türkiye
The Turkish army is the best in the Middle East. The number of the country's armed forces is 510,000 people. Turkey's military budget is $18 billion. There are just over 7 military personnel per thousand residents of the country.
7 Japan
The Japanese army is seventh in the list of the best. The combat-ready part of the army numbers 247 thousand military personnel. With such a large armed force, the country has a huge defense budget - $49 billion.
6 UK
The country's military budget is $53 billion. The size of the British armed forces is 188,000 military personnel - this is the smallest army in the ranking. But the Royal Navy of Britain is the second in the world in terms of tonnage.5 France
Opens a list of the 5 most powerful armies in the world. The country's military budget is $43 billion. The number of French armed forces is 222,000 people. The key to the combat effectiveness of this army is the presence in it of a full range of weapons of its own production, from warships to helicopters and small arms.
4 India
The country's military budget is $46 billion. The number of Indian armed forces is 1,346,000 people, the country's army is the third largest in the world.3 China
The largest army in the world ranking is the Chinese army, numbering 2,333,000 troops. Wikipedia shows that there are 1.71 military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. China's military budget is $126 billion.
2 Russia
The Russian armed forces are superior to almost all armies of the world in terms of weapons power in all branches of the military - air, ground and sea. The size of the Russian army for 2017 is 798,000 people. Military budget - $76 billion. Among the superpowers, Russia has a very high rate of the number of military personnel per 1000 inhabitants - 5.3 people.
1 USA
The most powerful army in the world, according to Globalfirepower, is American. By the way, it is not the largest in terms of numbers, but the most powerful in terms of available weapons, including nuclear potential, which is not taken into account by experts. The US Army has a strength of 1,492,200 people and a defense budget of $612 billion.Which army is the strongest in the world? This question interests many people.
Of course, the easiest way to identify the best among the most powerful armies in the world is through war.
An extreme measure is absolutely unacceptable, so we will look at the best armies on Earth in terms of their numbers, weapons and the budget that states spend on them.
Israel is in tenth place. This state is located in a very turbulent place - among not very friendly neighbors, so Israel, unfortunately, had a lot of military practice in the twentieth century. So it is not surprising that the state spends a decent amount of $15 billion on maintaining the army.
The army is well equipped with a significant amount of modern military equipment; its strength is constantly 240,000 soldiers, among whom there are many girls, because compulsory military service in Israel covers young people of both sexes.
9 Japan
The ninth place of the most powerful armies in the world is occupied by the Land of the Rising Sun.
As you know, after the Second World War, during which Japan was an ally of Nazi Germany, this country was prohibited from maintaining a large army, as well as from conducting offensive battles.
Japan is located in close proximity to a rather aggressive neighbor - the DPRK. Therefore, without being able to increase the size of the army, the state improves its equipment as much as possible.
The Japanese army is one of the most technically advanced armies in the world; it owns a large amount of modern military equipment: about 5,000 aircraft alone. There are approximately 200,000 soldiers in service. Of course, the Japanese spend significant amounts of money on weapons - about 50 billion dollars, and according to some reports, even more.
France is in the eighth month in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world. Although this country itself is small and located in prosperous Europe, it still considers it necessary to maintain a fairly large army, the number of which is about 230 thousand people.
The Russian army is among the top three strongest armies in the world. The military of the Russian Federation 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.
15. 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, with no particular rival neighbors, Australia is considered one of the safest countries, since land 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.
14. 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 the Ethiopian Civil War, the Angolan Civil War, the Bosnian War and the Afghan War.
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.
13. 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.
12. UK
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 more than half the world, including India, New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, but the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has become 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.
11. 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 reinforcement.
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. The calling card of the IDF is 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.
10. 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.
9. 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.
8. 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) allow the Turkish army to be considered the strongest among the Muslim countries of the 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 of a large number of well-trained military personnel, 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.
7. 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.
6. 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 title “War against America to support the Korean people.” In 1952-53, a lot changed in the world (a 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.
5. 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.
4. 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.
3. 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. The Russian ground 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. The number of tactical nuclear warheads is unknown and could 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 the latest 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.
2. China
Budget: $216 billion
Number of active army: 2,333,000
Tanks: 9,150
Aviation: 2,860
Submarines: 67
The People's Liberation Army of China is the official name of 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.
1. 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. The 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. A third of the country's gross income goes to 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.
