In this article, we look at the 10 most powerful militaries in the world in 2023. To dive deeper into how we reached these rankings and see the list of other powerful militaries, head to the 25 Most Powerful Militaries in the World in 2023.
10. Turkey
GDP: $905 billion
Defense spending: $14.5 billion
Manpower: 425,000
Tanks: 2,229
Nuclear warheads: 0
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 1,057
Naval vessels: 154
Turkey has made intense efforts in the last decade to ensure self-sufficiency in the defense industry. As of October 2022, there were over 700 projects worth $70 billion under development in the country. This has allowed the Turkish military to bring down its external dependency for arms and equipment. The country has a large military force of 425,000 active personnel. The Turkish Air Force has a fleet of 157 F-16 fourth-generation fighter jets in addition to other combat aircrafts. All these factors combine to make Turkey one of the most powerful militaries in the world.
9. Germany
GDP: $3,974 billion
Defense spending: $55.4 billion
Manpower: 184,000
Tanks: 266
Nuclear warheads: 0
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 617
Naval vessels: 80
Germany is a major military force in Europe, that is currently increasing its defense spending in wake of Russian’s aggression in Ukraine. The government has announced plans to expand armed forces’ manpower by another 20,000 recruits. The parliament has approved a fund to modernize the armed forces, and it is likely that a major chunk would go into buying the F-35 fifth generation fighter jets and the CH-47F Chinook helicopters. Germany’s current aircraft fleet stands at 617.
8. Japan
GDP: $5,181 billion
Defense spending: $55 billion
Manpower: 240,000
Tanks: 1,004
Nuclear warheads: 0
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 1,449
Naval vessels: 155
Japan, despite being an island nation, has one of the strongest militaries in the world. It has an active manpower of 240,000, more than 1,000 combat tanks, and a fleet of nearly 1,500 helicopters and fighter jets. Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world and has a GDP of over $5 trillion. It is also home to several armament manufacturing companies. The government in April 2023 announced that it had signed a $2.8 billion deal with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop long-range missiles amid growing threat of China’s military strength.
7. South Korea
GDP: $1,800 billion
Defense spending: $42.1 billion
Manpower: 555,000
Tanks: 2,331
Nuclear warheads: 0
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 1,595
Naval vessels: 157
South Korea has raised a strong military force, and this is no surprise, given its tensions with North Korea. With 555,000 active personnel, South Korea has the eighth largest force of troops in the world. The country has a massive fleet of aircrafts, consisting of combat helicopters and fighter jets. It has developed its own fourth-generation fighter jet, the KF-21 Boramae “Fighting Hawk”, which is considered to have radar evading capabilities similar to those in fifth-generation fighter jets. South Korea is also investing on upgrading its navy. In April 2023, a local shipping company announced building of 6 Chungnam frigate (FFX) vessels that would replace old frigates and patrolling ships in the Indo-Pacific.
6. India
GDP: $3,386 billion
Defense spending: $54.2 billion
Manpower: 1,450,000
Tanks: 4,614
Nuclear warheads: 156
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 2,182
Naval vessels: 295
India is the second largest standing military force in the world, only next to China, with manpower of 1,450,000 active personnel. It also boasts over 4,500 combat tanks, 156 nuclear warheads, more than 2,000 aircraft and fighter jets, and a navy that now has the capability to build its own warships. India’s fighter jet fleet mainly comprises of Sukhoi Su-30, Jaguar M/S, MiG-21, and was recently bolstered with the procurement of Rafale fighter jets from France. Most importantly, it is India’s GDP which gives it the ability to exert influence in the region and invest on upgrading its armed forces. The country also maintains an overseas military base in Tajikistan.
5. France
GDP: $2,958 billion
Defense spending: $45.9 billion
Manpower: 205,000
Tanks: 222
Nuclear warheads: 290
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 1,055
Naval vessels: 126
France has the largest military by size in Europe, with a manpower of over 200,000. It has over 1,000 aircrafts, of which 261 are combat-ready, including the 4.5 generation fighter jet Rafale. French naval vessels are 126 in total. This includes 4 nuclear armed submarines, 4 destroyers and 17 frigates. France has a nuclear arsenal of 290 weapons and has sufficient presence in space as well with 10 satellites. Geographically, France has overseas military bases in 10 countries. With the GDP closing in on the $3 trillion mark, France will be looking to further upgrade its military assets in wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The country ranks high on cyber capabilities as well, with a rating score of 84.42 out of 100 in the Cyber Security Index rankings for 2022.
4. United Kingdom
GDP: $3,131 billion
Defense spending: $56.7 billion
Manpower: 194,000
Tanks: 227
Nuclear warheads: 225
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 693
Naval vessels: 73
The United Kingdom is Europe’s most and the world’s fourth strongest military power. It is also one of the most technologically advanced militaries in the world. The UK has taken measures in recent decades to boost its airpower. The Royal Air Force has 23 active F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets and has ordered another 114. The UK also currently has two aircraft carriers, allowing to project power beyond its shores. Geographically, the UK has an overseas presence in 25 countries through its military bases. UK’s nuclear stockpile consists of 225 warheads, out of which, 120 are available for deployment. The country rates second on the list of rankings of countries with cyber security capabilities, and is only next to Germany. It boasts a score of 89.61 out of 100. Moreover, its military has space presence as well, with 6 military satellites in operation.
3. China
GDP: $18,100 billion
Defense spending: $225 billion
Manpower: 2,035,000
Tanks: 4,950
Nuclear warheads: 350
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 3,285
Naval vessels: 730
China is the world’s largest military force in terms of manpower with over 2 million active personnel. With a GDP of $18.1 trillion in 2022, the country has a distinct economic advantage and leverages that to spend on upgrading its army, air force, and navy. China is fast catching up on the U.S. in airpower, with its stealth fighter jet J-20A set to eclipse the American in F-22 in inventory. Its naval vessels count stands at 730, which includes 50 destroyers and 78 submarines. Beijing’s muscle flexing in the South China Sea and along the disputed border with India is indication of its ambitions to take center stage internationally. It is also competing with the U.S. on military technology in outer space, with at least 125 military satellites. On cyber security though, China ranks low with a score of 51.95 out of 100 in the 2022 index.
2. Russia
GDP: $2,062 billion
Defense spending: $82.6 billion
Manpower: 830,900
Tanks: 12,566
Nuclear warheads: 6,255
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 4,173
Naval vessels: 598
Russia’s military reputation may have taken a hammering in Ukraine, but it still managed to retain its spot as the second most powerful military in the world, ahead of China. This is due to the vast fleet of tanks and fighter jets it has compared to China. Moscow’s nuclear warheads count of 6,255 is also nearly 18 times higher than China’s 350.
However, experts believe that Russia’s woes in Ukraine showcased the limitations of its military capabilities, and it is a matter of time before it is surpassed by China. Despite outnumbering the Ukrainians forces and possessing a material advantage, Russia is yet to find its way in the conflict. This is largely due to much of its fleet and weapons being outdated, coupled with disastrous logistics and Western military aid to Ukraine.
Moving on to space, Russia has 102 military satellites in orbit, the third most for any country after the U.S. and China. On the cyber side of things, Russia has been accused of waging multiple sophisticated cyber attacks, in particular against Ukraine, over the last few years. It received a score of 71.43 out of 100 in the 2022 Cyber Security Index.
1. United States
GDP: $25,400 billion
Defense spending: $761.7 billion
Manpower: 1,390,000
Tanks: 5,500
Nuclear warheads: 5,550
Aircrafts including fighter jets: 13,246
Naval vessels: 484
United States of America ranks number one of the list of most powerful militaries in the world. The country accounts for nearly 40% of all global defense expenditure and is home to some of the largest armament manufacturing companies, such as Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX), and The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA). Its defense budget is almost thrice the size of China’s and nearly nine time more than what Russia spends as of 2021. According to Nikkei Asia, the U.S. has a fleet of over 360 fifth-generation fighter jet F-35. In addition, the superpower state also enjoys widespread control over space with 218 satellites. From a logistical perspective, the U.S. is home to more than 13,000 active airfields – more than any country in the world. It also boasts more than 750 overseas military bases in around 80 countries. The country does well on cyber security too, with a ranking score of 65 out of 100.
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