In this article, we look at the Top 20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World, with a focus on the capabilities of their ground forces. We will also discuss the spike in global military spending amid ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East over the last couple of years. To read about the overall strength of militaries, you can head over to our recent publication on the Top 25 Powerful Countries in the World by Military Strength.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an estimated $2.44 trillion were spent on military expenditure across the world in 2023, a record-high, with a 6.8% increase compared to the previous year. This was the ninth successive year during which global military spending had risen, and the steepest rise in expenditure since 2009.
The United States spent $916 billion during the year, which accounted for 37.5% of all global military spending, and represented 68% of NATO’s overall defense expenditure in 2023. The amount was 2.3% more than what Washington incurred in 2022. Europe spent $588 billion on defense, which was equivalent to one-fourths, or 24%, or the world’s defense spending. The figure rose 16% from last year, and was 64% higher than a decade ago in 2014.
On the other hand, countries in Asia spent $560 billion on defense, which was 40% higher than in 2014. The major chunk of this expenditure came from South Asia and East Asia, whereas countries in the Middle East – especially members of the GCC – also spent hefty amounts of their GDP on defense during the year.
The surge in defense spending has resulted in a booming defense industry. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s stock price has spiked 29% since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The company posted $67.6 billion in revenue in 2023, which represented a 2.4% increase from 2022. Its net earnings also significantly rose from $5.7 billion in 2022 to $6.9 billion in 2023, which helped Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s earnings per share (EPS) to climb from $21.66 to $27.55 per share.
In the first quarter of 2024, however, Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) reported its EPS at $6.39, which beat expectations but was 3.3% lower year-on-year. This is likely to have happened due to its cost overruns while being part of several ongoing classified military programs. On the whole, the company’s financial position remains solid and is set to profit further during 2024, especially after Washington in late April announced fresh military aid worth $61 billion for Ukraine and $26 billion for Israel.
Another company that has consistently been beating earnings estimates is Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), which in Q1 2024 posted an EPS of $6.32 per share, surpassing Zacks’ estimate of $5.83 by 8.40%. This was the fourth straight quarter in which Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) had gone past analyst estimates. 2023 remained a stellar year for the company, in which it generated $39.3 billion in revenue. Seeing a sustained demand for its weapons, especially in Europe, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has projected its sales at $41.3 billion for 2024, which is 4.3% higher than last year.
RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX)’s numbers are soaring as well, having generated $68.9 billion of revenue in 2023 – nearly three-fifths of which came from defense-related sales. Since the start of the Ukraine war, the company has received orders worth $3 billion for its AMRAAM rockets which have been pivotal in pushing back advancing Russian forces. RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) has also been providing essential military supplies to other countries in the region, including Germany, which in March last year, entered into a $1.2 billion deal with the company to develop Patriot air and missile defense systems. Later in November of the same year, Hungary received the first two units of the NASAMS air defense system it ordered from RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
Methodology
We have considered several weighted metrics to list the top 20 countries with the strongest armies in the world. These include GDP (10%), defense spending (10%), manpower (10%), battle tanks (10%), armored fighting vehicles (5%), self-propelled artillery (5%), towed artillery (5%), rocket projectors (5%), attack helicopters (15%), nuclear weapons (15%), and technological capabilities (10%).
We observed where countries ranked on each metric and then multiplied their ranking with the weight for that metric. That gave us a weighted ranking for that country on a particular metric. For example, if a country ranked 1st on a metric weighed at 10%, it received a weighted ranking score of 0.1 (1×10%). This was done for all metrics considered in our research. Finally, all weighted ranking scores were aggregated to get an overall weighted ranking.
Data related to GDP, manpower, and battle tanks was sourced from the Top 25 Powerful Countries in the World by Military Strength, while Artillery Strength by Country: Top 20 Militaries was consulted for figures related to self-propelled artillery, towed artillery, and rocket projectors. 15 Militaries with the Most Armored Fighting Vehicles in the World was referred for armored vehicles’ fleet size, and 15 Countries with the Most Attack Helicopters in the World for the number of attack helicopters for each country in the list.
Fresh numbers related to defense spending in 2023 were obtained from SIPRI, whereas Power Atlas was used for information on the nuclear arsenal of countries. Lastly, the Global Innovation Index 2023 was used to determine the technological capabilities of countries.
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Top 20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World:
20. Algeria
GDP (2023): $224 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $18.26 billion
Manpower: 325,000
Tanks: 1,632
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 35,990
Self-propelled Artillery: 224
Towed Artillery: 483
Rocket Projectors: 236
Attack Helicopters: 75
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 119/132
Weighted Ranking: 17.70
Despite ranking low on technological capabilities, Algeria, which imports much of its weapons from Russia, has one of the strongest armies in the world. It has the fifteenth largest fleet of battle tanks in the world and also boasts a sizable number of armored fighting vehicles and attack helicopters.
19. Iran
GDP (2023): $366 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $10.28 billion
Manpower: 610,000
Tanks: 1,996
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 65,765
Self-propelled Artillery: 580
Towed Artillery: 2,050
Rocket Projectors: 775
Attack Helicopters: 13
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 62/132
Weighted Ranking: 17.60
Next on our list is Iran, whose ground troops are battle-hardened from their involvement in conflicts in the Middle East. Iran has a manpower of over 600,000 troops, who are equipped with a large arsenal of battle equipment.
18. North Korea
GDP (2023): $21 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $1.6 billion
Manpower: 1,320,000
Tanks: 5,845
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 24,696
Self-propelled Artillery: 4,500
Towed Artillery: 4,500
Rocket Projectors: 2,920
Attack Helicopters: 20
Nuclear Weapons: 40
Technological Capabilities: N/A
Weighted Ranking: 17.55
While much of North Korea’s military equipment is old and outdated, it still has enough of them to be considered as a competent military force. Pyongyang boasts the third-largest standing army in the world and has massive fleets of battle tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery units. Moreover, the country is also equipped with nuclear weapons.
17. Ukraine
GDP (2023): $173 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $64.75 billion
Manpower: 900,000
Tanks: 1,777
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 22,110
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,205
Towed Artillery: 1,012
Rocket Projectors: 491
Attack Helicopters: 33
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 55/132
Weighted Ranking: 17.30
Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion has received wide acclaim from military experts across the world. The country channeled nearly $65 billion on defense expenditure in 2023, making it the eighth-largest military spender in the world. Kyiv has also significantly raised its manpower, which is now an estimated 900,000 troops, according to the Global Firepower Index.
16. Italy
GDP (2023): $2.19 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $35.53 billion
Manpower: 165,500
Tanks: 200
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 61,892
Self-propelled Artillery: 64
Towed Artillery: 108
Rocket Projectors: 21
Attack Helicopters: 57
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 26/132
Weighted Ranking: 16.90
Italy finds itself among countries with the strongest armies in the world, with a manpower of over 165,000 troops, and a large fleet of armored vehicles. It also has a considerable arsenal of artillery units. Italy ranks as the 26th most technologically advanced country in the world.
15. Taiwan
GDP (2023): $752 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $16.61 billion
Manpower: 215,000
Tanks: 1,010
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 19,868
Self-propelled Artillery: 300
Towed Artillery: 1,120
Rocket Projectors: 223
Attack Helicopters: 91
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 7/132
Weighted Ranking: 16.30
Right since its independence, Taiwan has focused on raising a strong army due to the perceived threat of invasion from China. The Taiwanese military is renowned for its technological capabilities, large fleets of battle tanks, artillery units, and armored fighting vehicles, as well as a sizable number of attack helicopters.
14. Saudi Arabia
GDP (2023): $1.07 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $75.81 billion
Manpower: 257,000
Tanks: 1,485
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 20,684
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,236
Towed Artillery: 2,017
Rocket Projectors: 490
Attack Helicopters: 34
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 48/132
Weighted Ranking: 16.10
Saudi Arabia is the fifth largest spender on defense in the world, having incurred over $75 billion in military expenditure in 2023. The kingdom boasts a sizable number of active military personnel and a large fleet of battle tanks and armored vehicles. Saudi Arabia also has the sixth-largest number of artillery units in the world.
13. Egypt
GDP (2023): $398 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $3.16 billion
Manpower: 440,000
Tanks: 5,340
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 77,596
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,489
Towed Artillery: 1,557
Rocket Projectors: 1,119
Attack Helicopters: 100
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 86/132
Weighted Ranking: 15.75
Next on our list of countries with the strongest armies in the world is Egypt, which is also the most powerful military in Africa. Rising terrorist activities in the Sinai Peninsula coupled with instability in Libya has forced the government in Cairo to actively increase defense expenditure and enhance its security capabilities.
12. Israel
GDP (2023): $522 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $27.5 billion
Manpower: 170,000
Tanks: 1,370
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 43,407
Self-propelled Artillery: 650
Towed Artillery: 300
Rocket Projectors: 150
Attack Helicopters: 48
Nuclear Weapons: 90
Technological Capabilities: 14/132
Weighted Ranking: 15.70
Israel is the most technologically advanced country in the Middle East, which is reflected in its highly capable defense industry at home. While the country is known for its aerial prowess, it also has a highly powerful ground troops force that is equipped with modern, sophisticated weapons.
11. Pakistan
GDP (2023): $340 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $8.52 billion
Manpower: 654,000
Tanks: 3,742
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 50,523
Self-propelled Artillery: 752
Towed Artillery: 3,238
Rocket Projectors: 602
Attack Helicopters: 57
Nuclear Weapons: 165
Technological Capabilities: 88/132
Weighted Ranking: 14.75
Pakistan is among countries with the strongest armies in the world, that is not only well equipped, but also battle-hardened due to decades of conflict against militant groups in the country’s tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.
10. Germany
GDP (2023): $4.43 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $66.83 billion
Manpower: 181,600
Tanks: 295
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 79,317
Self-propelled Artillery: 134
Towed Artillery: 0
Rocket Projectors: 33
Attack Helicopters: 55
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 8/132
Weighted Ranking: 14.35
Germany has one of the strongest armies in the world, with a manpower of over 180,000 troops that are equipped with some of the most advanced weapons out there. The country spent nearly a whopping $67 billion on defense expenditures last year.
9. United Kingdom
GDP (2023): $3.33 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $74.94 billion
Manpower: 184,860
Tanks: 213
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 27,203
Self-propelled Artillery: 71
Towed Artillery: 126
Rocket Projectors: 41
Attack Helicopters: 52
Nuclear Weapons: 225
Technological Capabilities: 4/132
Weighted Ranking: 14.20
Next up is the United Kingdom, which has one of the most powerful armies in Europe. The country ranks fourth in the world for technological capabilities, and has a nuclear arsenal of 225 weapons, according to Power Atlas.
8. France
GDP (2023): $3.05 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $61.3 billion
Manpower: 200,000
Tanks: 222
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 85,023
Self-propelled Artillery: 96
Towed Artillery: 0
Rocket Projectors: 9
Attack Helicopters: 69
Nuclear Weapons: 290
Technological Capabilities: 11/132
Weighted Ranking: 13.90
France boasts the strongest ground forces in Europe, and has one of the largest standing armies in the region with an estimated 200,000 active personnel. While its fleet of attack helicopters and battle tanks may not be as large as those of other countries, most French military equipment is new and advanced.
7. Turkiye
GDP (2023): $1.15 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $15.82 billion
Manpower: 355,200
Tanks: 2,231
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 55,104
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,038
Towed Artillery: 1,747
Rocket Projectors: 286
Attack Helicopters: 111
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 39/132
Weighted Ranking: 12.70
Despite ongoing economic challenges, Turkiye continues to spend heavily on defense and incurred nearly $16 billion in military expenses in 2023. The country has a large fleet of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and several thousands of artillery units.
6. Japan
GDP (2023): $4.23 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $50.16 billion
Manpower: 247,150
Tanks: 518
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 37,662
Self-propelled Artillery: 173
Towed Artillery: 480
Rocket Projectors: 54
Attack Helicopters: 119
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 13/132
Weighted Ranking: 12.25
Japan is sixth in our list of countries with the strongest armies in the world. It has an active manpower of over 247,000 troops, equipped with a sizable number of armored fighting vehicles, battle tanks, and artillery units. Japan’s 119 attack helicopters also have the potential to prove vital in the eventuality of an armed military conflict in the region.
5. South Korea
GDP (2023): $1.71 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $47.92 billion
Manpower: 600,000
Tanks: 2,501
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 66,492
Self-propelled Artillery: 3,189
Towed Artillery: 4,863
Rocket Projectors: 581
Attack Helicopters: 112
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities: 10/132
Weighted Ranking: 8.80
Given its tense ties with Pyongyang, South Korea has raised a strong army of an estimated 600,000 active troops. The country also boasts a sizable fleet of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and artillery units. It is the tenth most technologically advanced country in the world.