In this article, we look at 10 countries with the strongest armies in the world. You can read about the impact ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have had on the global defense industry by heading over to the 25 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World.
10. United Kingdom
Manpower: 184,860
Tanks: 213
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 27,203
Rocket Projectors: 41
Attack Helicopters: 52
Nuclear Weapons: 225
GDP (2023): $3.33 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $68.46 billion
Technological Capabilities: 4/132
Weighted Ranking: 13.75
On 10th, we have United Kingdom, which has one of the strongest ground forces in Europe. The country ranks high on military technological capabilities, and is equipped with a large arsenal of nuclear weapons.
9. Germany
Manpower: 181,600
Tanks: 295
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 79,317
Rocket Projectors: 33
Attack Helicopters: 55
Nuclear Weapons: None
GDP (2023): $4.43 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $55.76 billion
Technological Capabilities: 8/132
Weighted Ranking: 13.15
Germany has one of the strongest armies in the world. The government plans on expanding its manpower by another 20,000 troops in the near future. It spent over $55 billion on defense expenditure in 2022, and is one of the most advanced countries in the world in terms of technological capabilities.
8. France
Manpower: 200,000
Tanks: 222
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 85,023
Rocket Projectors: 9
Attack Helicopters: 69
Nuclear Weapons: 290
GDP (2023): $3.05 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $53.64 billion
Technological Capabilities: 11/132
Weighted Ranking: 13.00
The French army is not just the most powerful in Europe, but it is also the largest in terms of manpower in the continent. The country boasts a large arsenal of nuclear weapons. France’s tank and attack helicopter fleet is not as big as some other countries’, but most of its equipment is advanced and modern. Paris can further strengthen its armed forces by leveraging its economic strength. In 2023, the country had a nominal GDP in excess of $3 trillion.
7. Turkiye
Manpower: 355,200
Tanks: 2,231
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 55,104
Rocket Projectors: 286
Attack Helicopters: 111
Nuclear Weapons: None
GDP (2023): $1.15 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $10.64 billion
Technological Capabilities: 39/132
Weighted Ranking: 13.00
Next on our list is Turkiye, which has a sizable force of active troops, and large fleets of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and attack helicopters. Despite economic challenges, Ankara spent over $10 billion on defense expenditure in 2022. The country is also fast becoming self-sufficient in the defense sector, with about 700 projects worth over $70 billion currently under development in Turkiye.
6. Japan
Manpower: 247,150
Tanks: 518
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 37,662
Rocket Projectors: 54
Attack Helicopters: 119
Nuclear Weapons: None
GDP (2023): $4.23 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $46 billion
Technological Capabilities: 13/132
Weighted Ranking: 12.30
Japan has one of the strongest armies in the world. The country boasts a sizable number of active ground troops and a large fleet of armored fighting vehicles. It also has 119 attack helicopters which can prove useful for Japan in the eventuality of an armed conflict.
5. South Korea
Manpower: 600,000
Tanks: 2,501
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 66,492
Rocket Projectors: 581
Attack Helicopters: 112
Nuclear Weapons: None
GDP (2023): $1.71 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $46.36 billion
Technological Capabilities: 10/132
Weighted Ranking: 8.45
South Korea has one of the largest armies in the world in terms of manpower with over half a million active troops. Seoul has also equipped itself with a large, modernized fleet of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and attack helicopters. It also boasts of having several rocket projectors. The country has raised a strong military given its strained relations with North Korea.
4. India
Manpower: 1,455,550
Tanks: 4,614
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 151,248
Rocket Projectors: 702
Attack Helicopters: 40
Nuclear Weapons: 156
GDP (2023): $3.73 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $81.36 billion
Technological Capabilities: 40/132
Weighted Ranking: 7.35
India has the second largest standing army in the world after China, with nearly 1.5 million active soldiers. The country also boasts the sixth largest fleet of battle tanks and fourth most number of armored fighting vehicles in the world. Another significant strength of India is its nuclear arsenal which comprises 156 weapons. With its GDP nearing the $4 trillion mark, New Delhi can certainly look to further upgrade its defense capabilities by procuring more sophisticated and advanced weapons. In 2022, the country spent a whopping $81.36 billion on military expenditure.
3. Russia
Manpower: 1,320,000
Tanks: 14,777
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 161,382
Rocket Projectors: 3,065
Attack Helicopters: 559
Nuclear Weapons: 6,255
GDP (2023): $1.86 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $86.37 billion
Technological Capabilities: 51/132
Weighted Ranking: 6.55
Despite facing setbacks in Ukraine, Russia remains one of the strongest armies in the world. It has the highest number of nuclear weapons, and also boasts the largest fleet of battle tanks in the world. Russia’s arsenal of rocket projectors and self-propelled artillery is also the largest in the world. That being said, much of Russia’s weapons are aging and outdated, and require urgent modernization.
2. China
Manpower: 2,035,000
Tanks: 5,000
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 174,300
Rocket Projectors: 3,180
Attack Helicopters: 281
Nuclear Weapons: 350
GDP (2023): $17.7 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $292 billion
Technological Capabilities: 12/132
Weighted Ranking: 3.50
China has the largest standing army in the world with a manpower of over two million active troops. The country boasts a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons, rocket projectors, and self-propelled artillery. It also has a large fleet of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and attack helicopters. China is currently the largest economy in the world when it comes to purchasing power parity, and it leverages its economic strength to flex its military muscles – as is evident from its actions in the South China Sea and along the disputed border with India.
1. United States
Manpower: 1,328,000
Tanks: 4,657
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 360,069
Rocket Projectors: 694
Attack Helicopters: 1,000
Nuclear Weapons: 5,550
GDP (2023): $26.95 trillion
Defense Spending (2022): $877 billion
Technological Capabilities: 3/132
Weighted Ranking: 3.25
The United States has the strongest army in the world. About than two-fifths (40%) of all global military spending was attributed to the US in 2022, with the country spending about $877 billion on defense expenditure that year. It is ranked as the third most technologically advanced country in the world, and that reflects in its defense industry at home as well, since it includes some of the largest armaments and aerospace companies in the world such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and RTX Corporation among others. Another distinct strength of the US Army is their military bases spread across 80 countries of the world, which allow them to target enemies wherever they may be at will.
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