29.06.2013

It's no secret that ever since the time the strength of the country was determined by the power of its army. Maintaining control within the state and protecting from external enemies is the main task. It is not for nothing that countries are so anxious about the issue of financing this area. Below are the ten most powerful world armies. This rating is compiled taking into account the number of the army, its modernity and the power of the equipment used and the budget. And of course, the most powerful armies are armed with,. So top 10

The most powerful armies in the world.

No. 10. Israel

240,000 soldiers and 600,000 people are in reserve, with a total population of 7.9 million people - a good indicator. The military equipment consists of 13,000 units, including 1964 air units and 64 naval ships. There are a large number of girls among the soldiers. The amount that is used for the military forces is 15 billion dollars.

No. 9. Japan

Another small country with a population of 127.8 million, including 247,000 military personnel, as well as 60,000 people who are now in reserve. Official data indicate the following figures: 5320 units of ground equipment, 1965 - all kinds of aircraft, 110 units of naval weapons. Unofficially, there are suspicions about the latest developments in the field of military science. Army financing - is 58 billion dollars.

No. 8. France

In France, there are 230,000 military personnel and 70,000 reserves, plus 105,000 police officers. 10,621 objects of ground defense equipment, 1,757 - air, as well as 289 ships. Financing is more than 44 billion euros. These are good indicators for a state with a population of 65.4 people. And she is in eighth place among the strongest and most powerful armies in the world.

No. 7. South Korea

There are 640,000 active military personnel, 2.9 million people in reserve, 13,361 ground military facilities, 1,568 airborne, and 170 naval facilities. It is not surprising, given the peculiarities of the neighbors. Financing 27 billion. dollars.

No. 6. Türkiye

There are 660 thousand people in the active servicemen, 579 thousand are in reserve, and this is with a total population of 74.7 million people. 69,744 units of ground equipment, 1940 - air, 265 - sea. Funding over $25 billion.

No. 5. England

Among the 62.2 million people living in the UK, 220 thousand are serving in the army, 181 thousand are in reserve. The armed forces have 11,630 ground equipment, 1,663 aircraft and 99 defense ships. Funding equates to $74 billion.

No. 4. India

It is strange to see India in fourth place with a population of 1.2 billion people. 1.325 million people in the asset, 2,142,821 people in the reserve. In addition, the country has 2,452 aircraft and 175 ships, with a total military funding of $48.9 billion. Fourth place in the Top 10 strongest armies in the world.

No. 3. China

China is famous for the most numerous army, which has 2.2 million people engaged in military activities and 800 thousand people who are on the reservation. Military equipment includes 57,575 ground vehicles, 5,176 aircraft and 972 ships. The total funding is more than 106 billion dollars.

No. 2. Russia

Russia is in the honorable second position. The population is 143.1 million people, of which more than 1 million are those who serve in the army and 20 million are reservists. In addition to 91,715 ground defense equipment, the defense forces have 2,747 air defense equipment, as well as 233 ships. The total funding is 74 billion dollars. Although she occupies second place in this ranking, she holds the first position among.

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No. 1. United States of America

The leading first place is the most powerful and strong world army, consisting of 560 thousand active employees in the army and 567 thousand reserve with a total population of 311 million people. Ground defense equipment is represented by 56,269 objects, air equipment - 18,234 units, of which 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as 32 satellites, marine equipment includes 2,384 ships. The total budget is 692 billion dollars.

Since the most ancient times, the armed forces have been the main and main guarantor of the independence of any country and the security of the citizens inhabiting it. Diplomacy, interstate treaties are also important factors of international security, but as practice shows, when it comes to a military conflict, they often do not work.

International analytical company GlobalFirepower annually publishes on its portal a rating of the strongest armies in the world. The ranking includes 133 countries. The top ten most powerful armies on the planet, according to Global Firepower, looks like this:

10. Egypt

Opens the rating of the top 10 most powerful armies on the planet Egypt, the total number of armed forces of which is 380 thousand people. There are 3,723 tanks, 60 warships (including missile boats and landing ships), 1,107 aircraft and 4 submarines in service.

The extent of the influence of the Egyptian military on the country's economy is shrouded in mystery: Egypt's military budget "is a secret, this industry, among other things, is not taxed"
As of 2015, the country's military budget was $5.5 billion.

The Egyptian army was in the ranking due to the number and quantity of equipment, although, as the Yom Kippur War showed, even a threefold superiority in tanks is offset by high combat skills and technical level of weapons. At the same time, it is known that about a thousand "Abrams" of the Egyptian Armed Forces are simply mothballed in warehouses. Nevertheless, Cairo acquired two Mistral-type helicopter carriers not supplied by France to the Russian Federation, and about 50 Ka-52 combat helicopters for them, which made Egypt a truly serious military force in the region.

9. Germany

In ninth place is the Bundeswehr - the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the ground forces, the navy, the air force, the medical and sanitary service and the logistics service.

The number of the Bundeswehr is 186 thousand people, the German army is completely professional. The military budget is $45 billion. Despite the rather modest size (compared to other participants in our rating), the German army is very highly trained, equipped with the latest types of weapons, but the military traditions of Germany can only be envied. It should be noted the highest level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - German tanks, aircraft, small arms are deservedly considered the best in the world.

Germany could count on a higher place in the top 10, but the foreign policy of this country is peaceful. Apparently, the Germans 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.

8. Türkiye

The army of this country is considered the strongest among the Muslim armies of the Middle East. The descendants of the militant Janissaries managed to create a very combat-ready armed forces, which in the region are second only to the army of Israel in their power. That is why Türkiye is in eighth place in the ranking.

The number of Turkish armed forces is 510 thousand people, however, the military budget of this country is only 18 billion dollars. The Turks are the closest US allies in the region, apart from Israel, of course.

Turkey has a large number of armored vehicles (3370 tanks) and combat aircraft (more than 1 thousand units). True, most of the tanks are obsolete. The Turkish navy is the strongest in the Black Sea, it has modern surface ships and submarines. The country is actively developing its military-industrial complex, with the help of the United States, Germany and France.

7. Japan

In seventh place in the top 10 is Japan, which formally does not have an army at all, its functions are performed by the so-called self-defense forces. However, do not let this name mislead you: the country's armed forces number 247 thousand people and are in fourth place in terms of numbers in the Pacific region.

The main rivals that the Japanese fear are China and North Korea. In addition, the Japanese have not yet concluded a peace treaty with Russia.

Japan has a strong air force, ground forces and an impressive navy, which is considered one of the strongest in the world. Japan has more than 1600 combat aircraft, 678 tanks, 16 submarines, 4 helicopter carriers.

This country has the third most powerful 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 pretty good for a military of this size.

Separately, it should be noted the high level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - in terms of their technical equipment, the Japanese armed forces are considered one of the best in the world. Today, Japan is working on the creation of a fifth-generation fighter, and it is likely that it will be ready in the coming years.

In addition, Japan is one of the closest US allies in the region. There are American bases on the territory of the country, the United States supplies Japan with the latest types of weapons. However, despite this, Japan plans to further increase defense spending. Well, the descendants of the samurai do not hold experience and fighting spirit.

6. UK

Sixth place in the ranking is occupied by Great Britain - a country that managed to create a world empire in which the sun did not set. But that's in the past. Today, the strength of the British armed forces is 188 thousand people. The country's military budget is $53 billion. The British have a very worthy military-industrial complex, which is able to manufacture tanks, aircraft, warships, small arms and other types of weapons.

England has the second (after the USA) navy in terms of tonnage. It includes nuclear submarines, today two light aircraft carriers are being built for the country's Navy.

The British Special Operations Forces are considered among the best in the world.

Great Britain participates in almost all military conflicts where the United States is present (the first and second Iraq, Afghanistan). So the experience of the English army does not hold.

5. France

In fifth place in the ranking is France - a country with the richest 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. The military-industrial complex of France makes it possible to provide its army with almost all the necessary weapons - from small arms to tanks, aircraft and reconnaissance satellites.

4. India

In fourth place in the top 10 rankings are the armed forces of India. This vast, populous, booming economy 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 the recent history of India, there have been three bloody wars with Pakistan and a huge number of border incidents. There are also unresolved territorial disputes with vast China.

Every year, the Indian government spends serious sums on the purchase of new weapons. And if before the Indians mainly bought 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 much 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 is carried out under the motto "Make in India". Now, when buying 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 is the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA). These are the largest armed forces on the planet - their number is 2.333 million people. China's military budget is the second largest in the world, second only to the United States. It is 126 billion dollars.

China aspires to become the second superpower after the United States, and it is impossible to do this without a powerful military.

Today, the Chinese are armed with 9150 tanks, 2860 aircraft, 67 submarines, a large number of combat aircraft and multiple launch rocket systems. There has been some debate about how many warheads the PRC has in stock for quite some time: the official figure is several hundred pieces, but some experts believe that the Chinese have an order of magnitude more.

The Chinese army is constantly improving its technical level. If ten or fifteen years ago most of the types of military equipment in service with the PLA were outdated copies of Soviet models, today the situation has changed dramatically.

At present, 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 samples made in Russia or in the West. Much attention is paid to the development of naval forces: recently, the first aircraft carrier (the former Varyag, bought from Ukraine) appeared in the PRC Navy.

In terms of the number of personnel, the Russian army ranks only fifth, behind the United States, China, India and North Korea. Its number 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.

The Russian Air Force is armed with 3,429 aircraft of various types and purposes. Among which there are strategic bombers capable of inflicting nuclear strikes on an enemy located at a distance of thousands of kilometers.

Russia has a powerful navy, and its submarines are especially dangerous. Their number is 60 units. The Russian surface fleet is somewhat outdated and is mainly represented by ships made back in the USSR, but in recent years the country's leadership has been spending huge amounts of money on updating it.

It should be noted the most powerful military-industrial complex, which Russia inherited from the Soviet Union. He is able to independently produce almost the entire range of weapons for the modern land army and navy. Russia is one of the largest arms exporters in the world, second only to the United States.

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 number 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.

The strength of modern military forces depends largely on their funding. Therefore, the huge American defense budget is one of the main components of its success. It allows Americans to develop and purchase the most advanced (and most expensive) weapons systems, supply their army at the highest level, and simultaneously conduct several military campaigns in different parts of the world.

Today, the US Army is armed with 8,848 tanks, a huge number of armored vehicles and other military equipment, and 3,892 military aircraft. If during the years of the Cold War, Soviet strategists focused on tanks, the Americans were actively developing combat aircraft. 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 support 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.

And now about those who very much want to be the most formidable, strong and dangerous, but something does not work out.

As for the mighty Ukrainian army, which the head of the independent Petro Poroshenko at the end of 2016 rashly called “the strongest in Europe”, it modestly hunkered down ... in 30th place (between eternally neutral Sweden and independent Myanmar). And the gallant army of Georgia hangs out somewhere in the convoy of the ninth decade. Where footcloths are dried by the dwarf armies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

30. Ukraine

According to the rating of military power for 2017, the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is 160 thousand people, reservists - 1 million. According to the GFP, the Ukrainian army is armed with 2809 tanks, 8217 armored combat vehicles, 1302 units of self-propelled artillery, 1669 units of cannon artillery and 625 multiple launch rocket systems. GFP experts counted 234 combat aircraft, including 39 fighters and 33 attack helicopters. According to the GFP, the Navy is armed with one frigate (Hetman Sahaidachny), one minesweeper and three coastal defense ships.

82. Georgia

The structure of the Georgian Armed Forces includes the Ground Forces, Special Operations Forces, the National Guard, as well as units and institutions of central subordination. Until 2008, it also included the Navy and the Air Force, but both of these types of the Armed Forces were practically destroyed during the "Five-Day War". Subsequently, the Air Force (in a small volume) was revived as a division of the Ground Forces. As for the Navy, the Georgian leadership decided not to restore it.

95. Lithuania

The ground forces number 8.2 thousand military personnel (one brigade of rapid reaction forces, two motorized infantry battalions, two mechanized battalions, one engineering battalion, one military police battalion, one training regiment and several territorial defense units), armed with 187 M113A1 armored personnel carriers; 10 BRDM-2; 133 105 mm field artillery guns; 61 120-mm mortars, up to 100 recoilless 84-mm Carl Gustaf guns, 65 anti-tank systems, 18 anti-aircraft guns and 20 RBS-70 portable anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as over 400 anti-tank grenade launchers of various systems.

The Air Force has 980 troops (three air bases and five squadrons), two L-39ZA aircraft, five transport aircraft (two L-410s and three C-27Js) and nine Mi-8 transport helicopters.

The navy has 530 personnel, one Project 1124M small anti-submarine ship, three Danish Fluvefisken-class patrol ships (P11 Zemaitis, P12 Dzukas, P14 Auksaitis), one Norwegian Storm-class patrol boat (P32 Skalvis), three other types of patrol boats, two British-built Lindau minesweepers (M53 and M54), one Norwegian-built mine-sweeping command ship (Jotvingis), one hydrographic vessel and one tugboat.
coast guard - 540 people and three patrol boats.

103. Latvia

The air force has 319 military personnel, three aircraft (one L-410 and two An-2) and six helicopters (four Mi-17 and two Mi-2)
The navy has 587 servicemen and five ships, the main task of which is the clearance of territorial waters.
The reserve of the armed forces is made up of Latvian citizens who have completed military service (5,000 people). In the event of general mobilization, the army will receive another 14 light infantry battalions, one air defense battalion, one artillery battalion and several auxiliary units.

110. Estonia

The authors of the study considered the Estonian army the least powerful among the Baltic countries, giving it the 110th line. During the year, despite the increase in defense spending, Estonia lost three positions in the ranking.
According to the draft state budget for 2017, military defense spending increased to 2.17% of GDP, amounting to 477 million euros.

133. Bhutan

The army of Bhutan (about 6 thousand people) is defending the rear guard - it has taken the last position. It is strange that the armed forces of Moldova did not get into the rating. They are clearly stronger than Bhutanese. In fact, such ratings always cause heated debate among military experts. Many of them believe that in today's world the main criterion for the strength of the army is the quantity and quality of nuclear weapons. And here, given the parity that has developed in this part between the United States and Russia, one can still argue about the place in the ranking ...

A powerful and combat-ready army is the key to a significant weight of the country in the international arena. Moreover, in connection with the well-known events in Syria and Ukraine, the military power of different countries is increasingly being given the closest attention. Many ask the question: "Who will win the world war?".

Today we present the annually updated, official ranking of the armies of the world, the complete list includes the most powerful armies in the world in 2018.

Read updated according to Globalfirepower.

Top 10 compiled according to a specialized resource.

  • the number of armies of the world (regular number of troops, reservists)
  • weapons (aircraft, helicopters, tanks, fleet, artillery, other equipment)
  • military budget,
  • resources, geographic location,
  • logistics.

The nuclear potential is not taken into account by experts, but the recognized ones get an advantage in ranking.

In 2018, the ranking included136 countries. Newcomers to the list are Ireland (116th), Montenegro (121st) and Liberia.(135 position).

By the way, San Marino has the weakest army in the world in 2018 - only 84 people.

10. German Army

The military budget of Germany increased from 45 to 46 billion dollars. At the same time, the number of military personnel decreased from186 up to 178 thousand people. The German army is completely professional, i.e. There has been no compulsory conscription in the country since 2011.

9. Turkish Armed Forces

In the past, the top armies of the world, the country of luxurious beaches and beautiful tomatoes, ranked eighth. The number of its armed forces is 350 thousand people, and the military budget is 10.2 billion dollars.

8Japan Self-Defense Force

The Land of the Rising Sun has worsened its military performance and dropped one line in the list of the best armies in the world. The military budget has decreased from 49 to 44 billion dollars, but the number of servicemen has not changed - over 247 thousand people.

7. Army of South Korea

Compared to the previous ranking, South Korea jumped from 10th to 7th place. There are 625,000 servicemen in the Korean army. The eternal rival - North Korea, the number of soldiers reaches 945 thousand people. And South Korea's defense budget is $40 billion.

6. British Army

Although the country's position in the list has not changed, it has improved its performance in terms of the size of the army (197 thousand people against 188 thousand people). Nevertheless, it still remains the smallest army in the ranking.

The military budget of England has decreased compared to 2017 from 55 to 50 billion dollars.

5. Army of France

The French army, which opened the top 5 most powerful armies in the world, is small in number. Currently, 205 thousand people serve in it. At the same time, the country's defense budget is $40 billion.

4. Indian Armed Forces

The country's military budget is $47 billion. The number of Indian armed forces is 1,362,000 people, the country's army is the third largest in the world.

3. Army of China

The Celestial Empire has the largest human military force in the ranking of the armies of the world. It serves 2,183,000 people. According to Wikipedia, there are 1.71 military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. And China's military budget is huge, to match the army - $ 151 billion (up from $ 126 billion compared to 2017).

2. Russian army

The Russian armed forces surpass almost all the armies of the countries of the world in terms of the power of weapons in all branches of the military - air, land and sea. The number of the Russian army for 2018 is 1,013,000 people. The military budget is $47 billion. Among the superpowers, Russia has a very high number of military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants - 5.3 people.

1. US Army


The strongest army in the world, according to Globalfirepower, 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 not taken into account by experts. The US Army has 1,281,900 men and a defense budget of $647 billion.dollars.

World Armies Comparison Table (Infographic)

No matter how armed the army is, the morale of the soldiers will play an important role in winning the world war. In this regard, it is a big mistake to consider the current distribution of seats as absolutely correct.

Comparing the military power of different states is a difficult but interesting problem.. Despite all the difficulties associated with assessing the power of the armed forces of a state, attempts are constantly being made to rank the most militarily strong states. Due to the constant tensions or open clashes that are constantly observed in different parts of the world, such ratings are in demand and attract the attention of the general public.

On July 10, the American edition of Business Insider published a material called The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World (“35 of the most powerful armies in the world”). As is clear from the title, the authors of the article tried to compare the armed forces of the leading countries and find out which state has the most powerful army. For convenience, the list was limited to only 35 positions, which is why the vast majority of countries in the world could not get into it.

According to Business Insider, the top ten most militarily powerful states are as follows: USA, Russia, China, India, UK, France, Germany, Turkey, South Korea and Japan. Keeping in mind recent events, it is necessary to note the position in the ranking of several other states. So, Israel could not enter the top ten and stopped at 11th place, Ukraine took 21st place, and immediately behind it in the ranking is Iran. The Syrian armed forces secured their country the 26th place in the world ranking. The last line in the list from Business Insider is occupied by the DPRK.

GFP rating

It should be noted that the authors of The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World did not independently conduct research on the armed forces of the world, but used the existing database. They took the well-known Global Firepower Index (GFP) as the basis for their work. This rating is considered one of the most famous and authoritative in the world.

The purpose of the GFP database is to collect information about the armed forces of the world, its analysis and summing up. The latest rating of the armies of the world at the moment was published in April this year and contains information about the armed forces of 106 states. In the future, the number of countries included in the ranking will increase.

To compare the military power of states, the authors of the Global Firepower Index use a complex assessment methodology that takes into account over 50 different factors. According to the results of the calculations, the army receives an estimate (Power index or PwrIndex), roughly reflecting its capabilities. At the same time, for greater objectivity of assessments, a system of bonus and penalty points is used. Besides, objectivity are designed to provide several additional conditions:

- the assessment does not take into account nuclear weapons;
- the assessment takes into account the geographical features of the state;
- the assessment takes into account not only the number of weapons and equipment;
- the assessment takes into account the production and consumption of certain resources;
- landlocked states do not receive penalty points for not having a navy;
- a fine is imposed for the limited capabilities of the navy;
- the assessment does not take into account the peculiarities of the political and military leadership of the country.

The result of the calculation is a decimal fraction with four decimal places. Ideally, the state index should be equal to 0.0000, however, achieving such high rates in reality is impossible. For example, the leader of the last rating, the USA, has an estimate of 0.2208, while Japan closes the top ten with PwrIndex 0.5586. Starting from the 25th place (Saudi Arabia), the scores of the states exceed one. Moreover, Tanzania, which is at the last 106th place in the rating, has a score of 4.3423.



Of course, the GFP rating has certain problems, but still allows you to build a relatively objective picture that takes into account many different factors. Let's turn to the Global Firepower Index database and look at what allowed countries to take the first 5 places in the ranking.

1. USA

The authors of the rating note that in recent years the United States has found itself in a difficult position. Two costly wars and difficulties with new projects, as well as cuts in the military budget, have left the Pentagon facing numerous difficulties. However, even in such conditions, the US military retained its first place in the GFP rating, with a score of 0.2208.

The total population of the USA is 316.668 million people. The total number of human resources available for service is 142.2 million. 120 million people aged 17-45 years, if necessary, can be drafted into the army. Every year, the number of potential recruits is replenished by 4.2 million people. Currently, 1.43 million people serve in the US armed forces, and the reserve is 850 thousand people.

Ground units of the armed forces have a large number of equipment of various classes and types. In total, the US uses 8,325 tanks, 25,782 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, etc., 1,934 self-propelled artillery mounts, 1,791 towed guns, and 1,330 multiple launch rocket systems.

The total number of aircraft in the Air Force, Naval Aviation and the Marine Corps is 13,683. These are 2,271 fighters, 2,601 attack aircraft, 5,222 military transport aircraft, 2,745 training aircraft, as well as 6,012 multipurpose and 914 attack helicopters.

The US Navy and other agencies currently operate more than 470 ships, submarines, boats and support vessels. 10 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 62 destroyers, 72 submarines, 13 coast guard ships and 13 minesweepers.

Despite the emergence of the latest weapons and equipment, the US military still needs oil and petroleum products. The United States oil industry currently produces 8.5 million barrels a day. Daily consumption is 19 million. Proven reserves in the US are 20.6 billion barrels.

The GFP ranking also takes into account the production and logistics capabilities of countries. The total US workforce is 155 million people. The country has 393 merchant ships (flying the American flag) that can use 24 major ports. The total length of roads is 6.58 million miles, railways - 227.8 thousand miles. 13.5 thousand airports and airfields are operated.

An important element of the rating is the financial component of the armed forces. US military budget - 612.5 billion dollars. At the same time, the country's external debt is equal to 15.9 trillion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves of the country - 150.2 billion dollars, purchasing power parity - 15.9 trillion.

To predict the capabilities of a country in a defensive war, the Global Firepower Index takes into account the geographical features of countries. The total area of ​​the USA is 9.8 million square meters. km. The coastline is 19.9 thousand km, the borders with neighboring states are 12 thousand km. Waterways - 41 thousand km.

2. Russia

The total population of Russia is 145.5 million people, 69.1 million of whom can serve. Every year the draft age reaches 1.35 million people. Currently, 766 thousand people are serving in the military, and the reserve of the armed forces is 2.48 million.

Russia has one of the largest fleets of armored vehicles. Its armed forces have 15,500 tanks, 27,607 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and similar vehicles, 5,990 self-propelled guns, 4,625 towed guns and 3,871 MLRS.

The total number of aircraft in the armed forces is 3082 units. Of these, 736 fighters, 1289 attack aircraft, 730 military transport, 303 training aircraft, as well as 973 multipurpose and 114 attack helicopters.

More than 350 ships, boats and auxiliary vessels are used in the Navy and the border service. This is one aircraft carrier, four frigates, 13 destroyers, 74 corvettes, 63 submarines and 65 coast guard ships. Mine-sweeping forces are represented by 34 ships.

The "working hands" of Russia are estimated at 75.68 million people. There are 1143 sea and river merchant ships. The main logistical load falls on seven major ports and terminals. The country has 982 thousand km of roads and 87.1 thousand km of railways. Air transport can use 1218 airfields.

The Russian military budget is $76.6 billion. The external debt of the country is 631.8 billion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at $537.6 billion. Purchasing power parity - 2.486 trillion. dollars.

Russia is the largest state in the world and has an area of ​​more than 17 million square meters. km. The coastline of the country has a length of 37653 km, land borders - 20241 km. The total length of waterways reaches 102 thousand km.

3. China

China closes the top three in the April Global Firepower Index rating, with a score of 0.2594. This country is increasing defense spending, which allows it to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as move up in the GFP rankings.

The PRC is the world's largest country in terms of population, with 1.35 billion people living in this country. If necessary, 749.6 million people can be called up to the ranks of the armed forces. Every year, 19.5 million people reach military age. At the moment, 2.28 million people serve in the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), and 2.3 million are reservists.

The PLA has 9,150 tanks of various classes and types, 4,788 armored vehicles for infantry, 1,710 self-propelled and 6,246 towed guns. In addition, the ground forces have 1,770 multiple launch rocket systems.

The total number of aircraft in the Air Force and Naval Aviation is 2788. Of these, 1170 are fighters, 885 are strike aircraft. Transport tasks are performed by 762 aircraft, 380 aircraft are used for pilot training. In addition, the PLA has 865 multi-purpose helicopters and 122 attack helicopters.

The Chinese Navy has 520 ships, boats and vessels. This number includes one aircraft carrier, 45 frigates, 24 destroyers, 9 corvettes, 69 submarines, 353 Coast Guard ships and boats, and 119 minesweeping ships.

Every day China produces 4.075 million barrels of oil, which is less than half of its own consumption (9.5 million barrels per day). Proved oil reserves - 25.58 billion barrels.

China's labor force is estimated at 798.5 million. The country operates 2030 merchant ships. 15 ports and terminals are of strategic importance. The total length of roads exceeds 3.86 million km, and there are also 86 thousand km of railways. Aviation can use 507 airfields.

China's defense budget reached $126 billion last year, according to GFP. At the same time, the country's external debt approached $729 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves reach 3.34 trillion. dollars. Purchasing power parity - 12.26 trillion. dollars.

The area of ​​China is just under 9.6 million square meters. kilometers. The coastline has a length of 14.5 thousand km, the land border is 22,117 km. There are waterways with a total length of 110 thousand km.

4. India

India received a score of 0.3872 and with its help occupies the fourth place in the GFP rankings. This state has already become the largest importer of arms and military equipment, and, apparently, will continue military-technical cooperation with foreign partners in the future.

As the world's second largest state in terms of population (1.22 billion people), India, if necessary, can call up to 615.2 million people into the army. Every year, the available human resources are replenished by 22.9 million people reaching military age. At the moment, 1.325 million people serve in the Indian armed forces, another 2.143 million are in reserve.

The Indian ground forces have 3,569 tanks, 5,085 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 290 self-propelled guns and 6,445 towed artillery pieces. Rocket artillery is represented by 292 multiple rocket launchers.

The Indian air fleet has 1,785 aircraft of all classes and types. The aircraft fleet has the following structure: 535 fighters, 468 attack aircraft, 706 military transport and 237 training aircraft. Transport and support tasks are performed by 504 multipurpose helicopters. The destruction of enemy equipment and forces is assigned to 20 attack helicopters.

The Indian navy is comparatively small, with only 184 ships. This number includes 2 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 11 destroyers, 24 corvettes, 17 submarines, 32 Coast Guard ships and boats, and 7 minesweepers.

India has relatively small oil fields, but the country remains dependent on foreign supplies. Proven reserves - 5.476 billion barrels. Every day the Indian industry produces 897.5 thousand barrels of oil, and daily consumption reaches 3.2 million barrels.

The Indian labor force is estimated at 482.3 million. There are 340 merchant ships flying the Indian flag. The country has 7 major ports. The total length of roads exceeds 3.32 million km. For railways, this parameter does not exceed 64 thousand km. 346 airfields are operated.

This year, India has allocated $46 billion for defense needs. The external debt of the state is approaching 379 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at $297.8 billion, and the purchasing power parity is $4.71 trillion.

The territory of India is 3.287 million square meters. km. The country has land borders with a total length of 14,103 km and a coastline with a length of 7,000 km. The length of the country's waterways is 14.5 thousand km.

5. UK

The top five in the GFP ranking, compiled in April this year, is closed by the United Kingdom, which received a score of 0.3923. This country intends to pay special attention to its armed forces in the near future and, in this regard, is implementing several new projects.

Of the 63.4 million British citizens, only 29.1 million people can get into the army. The number of potential military personnel is annually replenished by 749 thousand people. Currently, 205.3 thousand people are serving in the armed forces. Reserve - 182 thousand.

The British Army has 407 tanks, 6245 armored vehicles for infantry transportation, 89 self-propelled artillery mounts, 138 towed guns and 56 MLRS.

The Royal Air Force has 908 aircraft. These are mainly aircraft: 84 fighters, 178 attack aircraft, 338 military transport aircraft and 312 training aircraft. In addition, the troops have 362 multipurpose and 66 attack helicopters.

The UK once had one of the most powerful navies in the world, but in recent decades it has lost its maritime power. At the moment, the British Naval Service has only 66 ships and vessels. These are 1 aircraft carrier, 13 frigates, 6 destroyers, 11 submarines, 24 coast guard ships and 15 minesweepers.

With the help of platforms in the North Sea, the UK produces 1.1 million barrels of oil daily. However, production does not cover the country's own consumption, which reaches 1.7 million barrels per day. The proven reserves of the country are at the level of 3.12 billion barrels.

About 32 million people are employed in the UK industry and economy. The country's merchant fleet uses 504 ships and 14 major ports. On the territory of the state there are 394.4 thousand km of roads and 16.45 thousand km of railways. There are 460 airfields and airports in operation.

The size of the UK military budget reaches 56.6 billion dollars, external debt - 10.09 trillion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at 105.1 billion dollars. Purchasing power parity - 2.313 trillion. dollars.

The area of ​​the island state is 243.6 thousand square meters. km. The length of the coastline is 12429 km. On land, Great Britain borders only on Ireland. The length of this border does not exceed 390 km. The total length of waterways is 3200 km.

Leadership Issues

As you can see, the states that occupy the first lines in the Global Firepower Index rating have several common features. These countries pay great attention to their armed forces, including from a financial point of view. The conclusions of the authors of the GFP rating are confirmed by other sources.

For example, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), over the past few years, India (4th place in the GFP ranking), increasing the cost of buying weapons and military equipment, literally soared up the list of importing countries and took a well-deserved first place. The “silver winner” of the GFP rating, Russia, is currently implementing the State Armaments Program, according to which by 2020 a little less than 20 trillion rubles will be spent on the purchase of weapons and equipment. rubles.

The purchase of equipment and weapons can be considered one of the main factors that allow countries to stay at the top of the ranking in question. However, investments in new equipment alone cannot lift the country to the top of the list. In addition to procurement, competent management, the correct operation of various structures of the armed forces, etc. are required.

When calculating the PwrIndex index, fifty factors are taken into account, each of which can affect the place of a particular country in the list. However, there is some relationship between the quantity and quality of vehicles and the position of the country in the ranking. To see it, you need to turn again to the table compiled by journalists from Business Insider.

The world leader in terms of the size of the military budget is unconditionally the United States with defense spending in the amount of 612.5 billion dollars. The same country owns the championship in the field of aviation (13683 aircraft) and aircraft carrier fleet (10 aircraft carriers). As a result, the United States is in first place in the ranking.

Russia took second place and also leads in some respects. The Russian army has 15,000 tanks, more than anyone else. In addition, Busines Insider journalists took the liberty of supplementing the GFP rating data with information about the countries' nuclear arsenals. According to their calculations, Russia has 8484 nuclear weapons of various classes and types.

The top three is closed by the People's Republic of China, the leader in the field of human resources. Theoretically, 749.6 million people can be drafted into the Chinese army. In addition, it is necessary to note the growing military budget of China, which, according to Business Insider, is second only to the US and has already reached $126 billion.

An interesting fact is that in the table from the article “The 35 most powerful armies in the world”, leadership in one of the points remained with a small and not very powerful country militarily. North Korea ranks 35th in the GFP ranking and its revised version from Business Insider. Despite such a low position, the North Korean Navy is the world leader in the field of submarine fleet: according to available data, they have 78 submarines of various types. However, world leadership in such an area did not help North Korea rise above 35th place.

The Global Firepower Index rating, despite the fact that it was published a few months ago, is still of some interest. Due to the complexity of the methodology for determining the rating, which takes into account a large number of various factors, this rating can be considered fairly objective and shows an approximate picture of the real state of affairs in the military field.

In addition, it should be noted that it can please the Russian reader, since our country has taken one of the first places in it and bypassed almost all other countries included in the rating. The publication in Business Insider, in turn, recalls the GFP rating and allows you to once again feel proud of the Russian armed forces.