Would you like to know which countries boast the most advanced armies in South America? If you follow international news regularly or at least have some general knowledge of contemporary history, you might have noticed that armed conflicts are very rare between nations from this continent. In fact, if internal conflicts and minor confrontations are left aside, the last armed conflict of importance took place before World War II. Thus, considering South America as a peaceful region is by no means a mistake, although there are always exceptions to the rule.
Although South American countries tend to avoid war, this does not mean that they not are prepared to engage in combat. Having a decent military has actually been a major concern for some states in the region, and some have even invested heavily in this sector. Countries engaged in long-lasting internal struggles against rebel groups, such as Colombia, have placed particular importance on upgrading their army over the years. Meanwhile, nations such as Brazil and Argentina have maintained relatively modern armies for political reasons, as they have attempted to position themselves as regional powers. Thus, the most advanced armies in South America have reached this position due to very different reasons.
If you are generally interested in military topics, be sure to also read one of our previous posts about the largest private armies in the world. These forces are far smaller than regular armies and certainly do not possess the same firepower as the most advanced armies in South America, although they engage in combat far more frequently. Either way, their assignments are in no way similar to those of regular armed forces, making a comparison between them practically impossible.
So how does one go about measuring how advanced an army is? Well, for our current list we have decided to ignore the size and firepower of South American armies, rather taking into account how modern the military is in terms of hardware. This is by no means an easy task, as several factors come into play, yet according to our information these are the five most advanced armies in South America.
5. Peru
The Peruvian army does not receive the recognition it deserves in the region, despite the fact that it is probably the most likely to see combat due to its border disputes with Ecuador. Peru recently upgraded its military hardware, purchasing MBT-2000 tanks from Russia, and Super Tucano fighter jets from China.
4. Argentina
More than 30 years have passed since Argentina, which was then ruled by a Military Junta, believed it was strong enough to take on a powerful nation such as the United Kingdom. Despite budget-cuts and an overall lack of investment, Argentina still maintains a relatively modern army, capable of defending its territory and even participating in UN Peacekeeping missions.
3. Colombia
Due to the prolonged armed conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the Colombian army has had to adapt to an internal enemy and its irregular fighting methods. Considerable investments were made in order to upgrade the military and put an end to this conflict, and thanks to the US – its ally in the war against drugs – highly advanced military hardware is a common feature of the Colombian army.
2. Brazil
Although Brazil has always seen itself as a regional power, it is only during the past decades that it has managed to amass enough resources to develop a powerful army. Thanks to the discovery of huge oil reserves, it now has one of the largest military budgets in the region. This has not only allowed Brazil to enter negotiations with France, which is expected to deliver 36 Rafale fighter jets, but also to further develop their own military industry.
1. Chile
Chile might not have the largest army in South America, yet it is by far the most advanced in the region. This is largely due to the fact that legislation from the Pinochet era continues to guarantee income from copper exports be dedicated exclusively to the military. Hence, over the years, Chile has been able to acquire 118 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, 28 F-16s, and even eight French/British-made frigates, and develop the most technologically sophisticated army in the region.
