In this article, we look at the top five countries by artillery strength. You can read about the war in Ukraine driving up demand for artillery by heading over to our article, Artillery Strength by Country: Top 20 Militaries.
5. India
Total artillery units: 4,085
Technological Capabilities Rank: 40
Score: 0.454
We begin our list with India which has over 4,000 units in its arsenal. These include 3,243 towed artillery pieces, 140 self-propelled artillery, and over 700 rocket projectors. The Indian government, in its bid to boost firepower along the border with China, is considering the procurement of another 200 howitzers and 400 towed gun systems. India is the most technologically advanced country in South Asia.
4. Russia
Total artillery units: 17,638
Technological Capabilities Rank: 51
Score: 0.462
Russia has the most number of artillery units in the world – comprising 8,365 towed artillery, 6,208 self-propelled artillery, and over 3,000 rocket projectors. Due to the war in Ukraine and its need to match western military assistance to Kyiv, Russia’s production of artillery shells increased 2.5 times in 2023 compared to 2022, with its current production level being three times more than the United States and Europe combined. However, due to much of its equipment being outdated and the country ranking low on technological capabilities compared to other world powers, it ranks fourth on our list.
3. United States
Total artillery units: 3,556
Technological Capabilities Rank: 3
Score: 0.476
United States takes third spot when it comes to artillery strength. Its current inventory includes 1,595 self-propelled artillery, 1,267 towed artillery, and 694 rocket projectors. However, in terms of artillery sophistication, the US outranks all other countries on the list. It is the third most technologically advanced country in the world, and is home to several large defense manufacturers who lead the world in military innovation and development.
2. China
Total artillery units: 8,464
Technological Capabilities Rank: 12
Score: 0.483
China has the largest military in the world in terms of manpower, with a large arsenal of weapons, including over 8,000 artillery units. These include 3,850 self-propelled artillery, 1,434 towed artillery units, and over 3,000 rocket projectors. The PCL-09, PLZ-07A/B, and the PCL-181 are the most widely used howitzers in Chinese military operation, while the PCL-181 is its most advanced vehicle-mounted howitzer. China is the 12th most advanced country in the world when it comes to technological capabilities.
1. South Korea
Total artillery units: 8,633
Technological Capabilities Rank: 10
Score: 0.488
Given its tense relations with North Korea, it is no surprise that South Korea has build a strong force of ground troops and equipped them with a large inventory of weapons. Seoul’s artillery arsenal comprises more than 8,500 units, which include 581 rocket projectors as well. The country has an advanced defense industry at home and its 155mm 52-caliber K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery system is among the top-selling artillery units in the world.
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