5 Biggest Militaries in the World

3. China

Aircraft Carriers: 2

Aircraft: 3,373

Tanks: 5,651

Strategic Warships: 160

Submarines: 60

Nuclear Weapons: 350

Military Satellites: 60+

China is one of the biggest militaries in the world. It is increasingly finding itself at odds with the US, India and Japan as it asserts its rising position in regional affairs. It has territorial disputes with India and Japan, and geopolitical disputes with the US over the issue of Taiwan. 

Therefore, it has developed its military power ambitiously over the past few years. Its military power comprises 2 million active duty personnel, with another 2 million in reserve troops, over 5,600 tanks, 160 strategic warships that only comprise frigates, corvettes, cruisers and destroyers. Its total naval fleet that includes smaller ships amounts to well over 400, including 60 submarines as of 2021.

The country is also developing advanced capabilities for cyber and autonomous warfare. Foreign Policy put China’s ‘Hacker Army’ numbers between 50,000 and 100,000 personnel. 

It is also ahead of the US in capabilities like hypersonics, with its Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) DF-ZF in service as of 2019, while the US is expected to field the technology at the earliest in 2023.