10 most powerful armies. Rating of the most powerful armies in the world. The most powerful armies in the world

The army is an essential attribute of any state. Sooner or later, a conflict arises between neighboring countries or regions within the country, which often ends in armed clashes that claim the lives of thousands of people and destroy cities to the ground. Soldiers are called upon to protect the interests of their country, repulsing the attacks of an aggressor, or vice versa, to be an aggressor in relation to another country. in front of you the strongest armies in the world who, like no one else, know what real war is!

Active living force: 410.5 thousand soldiers.
Army reserve: 185.63 thousand persons liable for military service.
13849 units.
Marine: 194 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 1007 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 18.185 billion dollars.

Conflicts near the country's borders have forced Turkey to have a strong military. The total number of citizens who are ready to be under arms is more than half a million, which can serve as a fairly weighty argument for the calmness of the inhabitants of this country.

Active living force: 250 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 57.9 thousand persons liable for military service.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 4329 units.
Marine: 131 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 1590 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 40.3 billion US dollars.

After World War II, Japan found itself in a very disadvantageous position. Hundreds of uncomfortable contracts for her fell on her head. One such treaty is a small document that forbids Japan from recruiting more than a certain number of soldiers. The country's budget is more than 40 million US dollars for 250 thousand military personnel.

Active living force: 180 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 145 thousand conscripts.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 6481 units.
Marine: 81 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 676 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 36.3 billion US dollars.

Everyone remembers how strong this country was in the 20th century and the Second World War it clearly showed. But german army was defeated and has since lost its positions very much. Nevertheless, today this country plays an important role in global politics and has a well-equipped army.

7. South Korea

Active living force: 625 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 2.9 million conscripts.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 12619 units.
Marine: 166 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 1451 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 33.2 billion US dollars.

The need to be a strong military power is dictated by the northern neighbor.

Active living force: 205 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 195.77 thousand military men and more than one hundred thousand policemen.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 7888 cars.
Marine: 118 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 1282 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 35 billion US dollars.

It remained one of the few armed formations that are fully equipped with weapons, equipment and protective equipment from their own manufacturer. Another unique feature is the huge (against the background of other armies) number of women, about 15%.

Active living force: 150 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 182 thousand people liable for military service.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 6624 tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
Marine: 76 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 879 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: US$55 billion.

population british army makes it one of the largest armed formations of the countries of the European Union. In fact, the troops of England have always been considered strong enough to instill fear in all the enemies of Britain. She retained this image to this day. Unfortunately, the main pride of England - its fleet, has long ceased to be one of the best in the world, which lowered it to the fifth step in the Top 10 most strong armies peace.

Active living force: 1.325 million troops.
Army reserve: 2.143 million people liable for military service.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 21164 units.
Marine: 295 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 2086 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 40 billion dollars.

Do not be surprised at such a huge figure of manpower in India. In a country where more than a billion people get along, in no case should one lose vigilance. Such countries need a strong fist, ready at any moment to repel an external threat or suppress the danger within the country. No one is forced to serve here, the service is carried out exclusively on a paid contract basis by persons who have reached the age of majority.

Active living force: 2.335 million troops.
Army reserve: 2.3 million conscripts.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 23664 units.
Marine: 714 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 2942 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 155.6 billion US dollars.

Another giant country that simply needs the strongest army in the world. The relatively small cost of such a huge number of military personnel in no way affects the quality of their service. A huge air fleet, considered the strongest after the Russian one. Almost 24 thousand units of military equipment and about 2.3 million soldiers are ready to defend the independence of their country at any moment.

Active living force: 766.06 thousand military personnel.
Army reserve: 2.485 million conscripts.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 61086 units.
Marine: 352 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 3547 attack aircraft, fighters, transports and bombers.
Annual budget for defense: 46.6 billion US dollars.

1.United States of America

Before the collapse of the USSR, the country's army was considered the strongest in the world and was too tough even for the United States. But, alas, after the collapse, she significantly lost ground. But even despite this, huge reserves, almost ten thousand pieces of armored vehicles and many other weapons make Russia a terrible enemy that is beyond the power of most countries in the world. To all other the Russian Federation possesses nuclear weapons (its presence is not taken into account in the rating), and in a serious conflict with another state, it will be a very significant addition to military power. And I would also like to say that the main difference between the army of our country and others is, perhaps, the strongest will and spirit of the soldiers. But, since the ranking leading role plays the quantitative and qualitative equipment of the army, the number of military personnel and the cost of the defense industry, then, alas, the second line.

Active living force: 1.4 million troops.
Army reserve: 1.1 million conscripts.
Number of combat ground vehicles: 54474 tanks, armored personnel carriers and other equipment.
Marine: 415 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 13444 combat and transport helicopters.
Annual budget for defense:$581 billion.

First of all, the most powerful army in the world in 2016 will amaze you not with the number of soldiers or armored vehicles, but with its budget. If you take the top ten armies in the world, their total budget will hardly reach the American one. Great amount aviation, powerful navy and over 54,000 ground armored vehicles make the US the strongest contender on the world stage.

Comparison of military power various states is a complex but interesting problem. Despite all the difficulties associated with assessing the power of the armed forces of a state, attempts are constantly being made to rank the most militarily strong states. Due to the constant tensions or open clashes that are constantly observed in different parts of the world, such ratings are in demand and attract the attention of the general public.

On July 10, the American edition of Business Insider published a material called The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World (“35 of the most powerful armies in the world”). As is clear from the title, the authors of the article tried to compare the armed forces of the leading countries and find out which state has the most powerful army. For convenience, the list was limited to only 35 positions, which is why the vast majority of countries in the world could not get into it.

According to Business Insider, the top ten most militarily powerful states are as follows: USA, Russia, China, India, UK, France, Germany, Turkey, South Korea and Japan. Remembering recent events, it is necessary to note the position in the ranking of several other states. So, Israel could not enter the top ten and stopped at 11th place, Ukraine took 21st place, and immediately behind it in the ranking is Iran. The Syrian armed forces secured their country the 26th place in the world ranking. The last line in the list from Business Insider is occupied by the DPRK.

GFP rating

It should be noted that the authors of The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World did not independently conduct research on the armed forces of the world, but used the existing database. They took the well-known Global Firepower Index (GFP) as the basis for their work. This rating is considered one of the most famous and authoritative in the world.

The purpose of the GFP database is to collect information about the armed forces of the world, its analysis and summing up. The latest rating of the armies of the world at the moment was published in April this year and contains information about the armed forces of 106 states. In the future, the number of countries included in the ranking will increase.

To compare the military power of states, the authors of the Global Firepower Index use a complex assessment methodology that takes into account over 50 different factors. According to the results of the calculations, the army receives an estimate (Power index or PwrIndex), roughly reflecting its capabilities. At the same time, for greater objectivity of assessments, a system of bonus and penalty points is used. Besides, objectivity are designed to provide several additional conditions:

- the assessment does not take into account nuclear weapons;
— the assessment takes into account geographical features states;
- the assessment takes into account not only the number of weapons and equipment;
- the assessment takes into account the production and consumption of certain resources;
- landlocked states do not receive penalty points for not having a navy;
- behind limited opportunities navy is fined;
- the assessment does not take into account the peculiarities of the political and military leadership of the country.

The result of the count is decimal with four decimal places. Ideally, the state index should be equal to 0.0000, however, achieving such high rates in reality is impossible. For example, the leader of the last rating, the USA, has an estimate of 0.2208, while Japan closes the top ten with PwrIndex 0.5586. Starting from 25th place ( Saudi Arabia), state estimates exceed one. Moreover, Tanzania, which is at the last 106th place in the rating, has a score of 4.3423.

Of course, the GFP rating has certain problems, but still allows you to build a relatively objective picture that takes into account many different factors. Let's turn to the Global Firepower Index database and look at what allowed countries to take the first 5 places in the ranking.

1. USA

The authors of the ranking point out that last years The United States is in a difficult position. Two costly wars and difficulties with new projects, as well as cuts in the military budget, have left the Pentagon facing numerous difficulties. However, even in such conditions, the US military retained its first place in the GFP rating, with a score of 0.2208.

The total population of the USA is 316.668 million people. Total number human resources fit for service - 142.2 million people. 120 million people aged 17-45 years, if necessary, can be drafted into the army. Every year, the number of potential recruits is replenished by 4.2 million people. Currently, 1.43 million people serve in the US armed forces, and the reserve is 850 thousand people.

Ground units of the armed forces have a large number of equipment of various classes and types. In total, the US uses 8,325 tanks, 25,782 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, etc., 1,934 self-propelled artillery mounts, 1,791 towed guns, and 1,330 multiple rocket launchers.

Total amount aircraft in the Air Force, Naval Aviation and the Marine Corps - 13683. These are 2271 fighters, 2601 attack aircraft, 5222 military transport aircraft, 2745 training aircraft, as well as 6012 multi-purpose and 914 attack helicopters.

The US Navy and other agencies currently operate more than 470 ships, submarines, boats and support vessels. 10 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 62 destroyers, 72 submarines, 13 coast guard ships and 13 minesweepers.

Despite the emergence of the latest weapons and equipment, the US military still needs oil and petroleum products. The United States oil industry currently produces 8.5 million barrels a day. Daily consumption is 19 million. Proven reserves in the US are 20.6 billion barrels.

The GFP ranking also takes into account the production and logistics capabilities of countries. The total US workforce is 155 million people. The country has 393 merchant ships (flying the American flag) that can use 24 major ports. total length highways- 6.58 million miles railways- 227.8 thousand miles. 13.5 thousand airports and airfields are operated.

An important element of the rating is the financial component of the armed forces. US military budget - 612.5 billion dollars. At the same time, the country's external debt is equal to 15.9 trillion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves of the country - 150.2 billion dollars, purchasing power parity - 15.9 trillion.

To predict the capabilities of a country in a defensive war, the Global Firepower Index takes into account the geographical features of countries. The total area of the USA is 9.8 million square meters. km. The coastline is 19.9 thousand km, the borders with neighboring states are 12 thousand km. Waterways - 41 thousand km.

2. Russia

The total population of Russia is 145.5 million people, 69.1 million of whom can serve. Every year the draft age reaches 1.35 million people. Currently military service 766 thousand people pass through, and the reserve of the armed forces is 2.48 million.

Russia has one of the largest fleets of armored vehicles. Its armed forces have 15,500 tanks, 27,607 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and similar vehicles, 5,990 self-propelled guns, 4,625 towed guns and 3,871 MLRS.

The total number of aircraft in the armed forces is 3082 units. Of these, 736 fighters, 1289 attack aircraft, 730 military transport, 303 training aircraft, as well as 973 multipurpose and 114 attack helicopters.

More than 350 ships, boats and auxiliary vessels are used in the Navy and the border service. This is one aircraft carrier, four frigates, 13 destroyers, 74 corvettes, 63 submarines and 65 coast guard ships. Mine-sweeping forces are represented by 34 ships.

The "working hands" of Russia are estimated at 75.68 million people. There are 1143 sea and river merchant ships. The main logistical load falls on seven major ports and terminals. The country has 982 thousand km of roads and 87.1 thousand km of railways. Air transport can use 1218 airfields.

The Russian military budget is $76.6 billion. The external debt of the country is 631.8 billion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at $537.6 billion. Purchasing power parity - 2.486 trillion. dollars.

Russia is the largest state in the world and has an area of more than 17 million square meters. km. The coastline of the country has a length of 37653 km, land borders - 20241 km. total length waterways reaches 102 thousand km.

3. China

China closes the top three in the April Global Firepower Index rating, with a score of 0.2594. This country is increasing defense spending, which allows it to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as move up in the GFP rankings.

The PRC is the world's largest country in terms of population, with 1.35 billion people living in this country. If necessary, 749.6 million people can be called up to the ranks of the armed forces. Every year, 19.5 million people reach military age. At the moment, 2.28 million people serve in the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), and 2.3 million are reservists.

The PLA has 9,150 tanks of various classes and types, 4,788 armored vehicles for infantry, 1,710 self-propelled and 6,246 towed guns. In addition, the ground forces have 1,770 multiple launch rocket systems.

The total number of aircraft in the Air Force and Naval Aviation is 2788. Of these, 1170 are fighters, 885 are strike aircraft. Transport tasks are performed by 762 aircraft, 380 aircraft are used for pilot training. In addition, the PLA has 865 multi-purpose helicopters and 122 attack helicopters.

The Chinese Navy has 520 ships, boats and vessels. This number includes one aircraft carrier, 45 frigates, 24 destroyers, 9 corvettes, 69 submarines, 353 Coast Guard ships and boats, and 119 minesweeping ships.

Every day China produces 4.075 million barrels of oil, which is less than half of its own consumption (9.5 million barrels per day). Proved oil reserves - 25.58 billion barrels.

China's labor force is estimated at 798.5 million. The country operates 2030 merchant ships. 15 ports and terminals are of strategic importance. The total length of roads exceeds 3.86 million km, and there are also 86 thousand km of railways. Aviation can use 507 airfields.

China's defense budget reached $126 billion last year, according to GFP. At the same time, the country's external debt approached $729 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves reach 3.34 trillion. dollars. Purchasing power parity - 12.26 trillion. dollars.

The area of China is just under 9.6 million square meters. kilometers. The coastline has a length of 14.5 thousand km, the land border is 22,117 km. There are waterways with a total length of 110 thousand km.

4. India

India received a score of 0.3872 and with its help occupies the fourth place in the GFP rankings. This state has already become the largest importer of arms and military equipment, and, apparently, will continue military-technical cooperation with foreign partners in the future.

As the world's second largest state in terms of population (1.22 billion people), India, if necessary, can call up to 615.2 million people into the army. Every year, the available human resources are replenished by 22.9 million people reaching military age. At the moment, 1.325 million people serve in the Indian armed forces, another 2.143 million are in reserve.

The Indian ground forces have 3,569 tanks, 5,085 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 290 self-propelled guns and 6,445 towed artillery pieces. Rocket artillery is represented by 292 multiple rocket launchers.

The Indian air fleet has 1,785 aircraft of all classes and types. The aircraft fleet has the following structure: 535 fighters, 468 attack aircraft, 706 military transport and 237 training aircraft. Transport and support tasks are performed by 504 multipurpose helicopters. The destruction of enemy equipment and forces is assigned to 20 attack helicopters.

The Indian navy is comparatively small, with only 184 ships. This number includes 2 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 11 destroyers, 24 corvettes, 17 submarines, 32 Coast Guard ships and boats, and 7 minesweepers.

India has relatively small oil fields, but the country remains dependent on foreign supplies. Proven reserves - 5.476 billion barrels. Every day the Indian industry produces 897.5 thousand barrels of oil, and daily consumption reaches 3.2 million barrels.

The Indian labor force is estimated at 482.3 million. There are 340 merchant ships flying the Indian flag. The country has 7 major ports. The total length of roads exceeds 3.32 million km. For railways, this parameter does not exceed 64 thousand km. 346 airfields are operated.

This year, India has allocated $46 billion for defense needs. The external debt of the state is approaching 379 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at $297.8 billion, and the purchasing power parity is $4.71 trillion.

The territory of India is 3.287 million square meters. km. The country has land borders with a total length of 14,103 km and a coastline with a length of 7,000 km. The length of the country's waterways is 14.5 thousand km.

5. UK

The top five in the GFP ranking, compiled in April this year, is closed by the United Kingdom, which received a score of 0.3923. This country intends to pay special attention to its armed forces in the near future and, in this regard, is implementing several new projects.

Of the 63.4 million British citizens, only 29.1 million people can get into the army. The number of potential military personnel is annually replenished by 749 thousand people. Currently, 205.3 thousand people are serving in the armed forces. Reserve - 182 thousand.

The British Army has 407 tanks, 6245 armored vehicles for infantry transportation, 89 self-propelled artillery mounts, 138 towed guns and 56 MLRS.

The Royal Air Force has 908 aircraft. These are mainly aircraft: 84 fighters, 178 attack aircraft, 338 military transport aircraft and 312 training aircraft. In addition, the troops have 362 multipurpose and 66 attack helicopters.

The UK once had one of the most powerful navies in the world, but in recent decades it has lost its maritime power. At the moment, the British Naval Service has only 66 ships and vessels. These are 1 aircraft carrier, 13 frigates, 6 destroyers, 11 submarines, 24 coast guard ships and 15 minesweepers.

With the help of platforms in the North Sea, the UK produces 1.1 million barrels of oil daily. However, production does not cover the country's own consumption, which reaches 1.7 million barrels per day. The proven reserves of the country are at the level of 3.12 billion barrels.

About 32 million people are employed in the UK industry and economy. The country's merchant fleet uses 504 ships and 14 major ports. On the territory of the state there are 394.4 thousand km of roads and 16.45 thousand km of railways. There are 460 airfields and airports in operation.

The size of the UK military budget reaches 56.6 billion dollars, external debt - 10.09 trillion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at 105.1 billion dollars. Purchasing power parity - 2.313 trillion. dollars.

The area of the island state is 243.6 thousand square meters. km. Length coastline- 12429 km. On land, Great Britain borders only on Ireland. The length of this border does not exceed 390 km. The total length of waterways is 3200 km.

Leadership Issues

As you can see, the states that occupy the first lines in the Global Firepower Index rating have several common features. These countries give great attention to their armed forces, including from a financial point of view. The conclusions of the authors of the GFP rating are confirmed by other sources.

For example, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), over the past few years, India (4th place in the GFP ranking), increasing the cost of buying weapons and military equipment, literally soared up the list of importing countries and took a well-deserved first place. GFP Silver Medalist Russia is currently implementing State program armaments, according to which by 2020 a little less than 20 trillion rubles will be spent on the purchase of weapons and equipment. rubles.

The purchase of equipment and weapons can be considered one of the main factors that allow countries to stay at the top of the ranking in question. However, investments in new equipment alone cannot raise the country to upper part list. In addition to procurement, competent management is required, proper work various structures armed forces, etc.

When calculating the PwrIndex index, fifty factors are taken into account, each of which can affect the place of a particular country in the list. However, there is some relationship between the quantity and quality of vehicles and the position of the country in the ranking. To see it, you need to turn again to the table compiled by journalists from Business Insider.

The world leader in terms of the size of the military budget is unconditionally the United States with defense spending in the amount of 612.5 billion dollars. The same country owns the championship in the field of aviation (13683 aircraft) and aircraft carrier fleet (10 aircraft carriers). As a result, the United States is in first place in the ranking.

Russia took second place and also leads in some respects. In service Russian army there are 15 thousand tanks - more than anyone else. In addition, Busines Insider journalists took the liberty of supplementing the GFP rating data with information about the countries' nuclear arsenals. According to their calculations, Russia has 8484 nuclear weapons of various classes and types.

The top three is closed by the People's Republic of China, the leader in the field of human resources. Theoretically, 749.6 million people can be drafted into the Chinese army. In addition, it is necessary to note the growing military budget of China, which, according to Business Insider, is second only to the US and has already reached $126 billion.

An interesting fact is that in the table from the article “The 35 most powerful armies in the world”, leadership in one of the points remained with a small and not very powerful country militarily. North Korea ranks 35th in the GFP ranking and its revised version from Business Insider. Despite such a low position, the North Korean Navy is the world leader in the field of submarine fleet: according to available data, they have 78 submarines of various types. However, world leadership in such an area did not help North Korea rise above 35th place.

The Global Firepower Index rating, despite the fact that it was published a few months ago, is still of some interest. Due to the complexity of the methodology for determining an estimate that takes into account a large number of various factors, this rating can be considered sufficiently objective and shows an approximate picture of the real state of affairs in the military field.

In addition, it should be noted that it can please the Russian reader, since our country has taken one of the first places in it and bypassed almost all other countries included in the rating. The publication in Business Insider, in turn, recalls the GFP rating and allows you to once again feel proud of the Russian armed forces.

Political significance on the world stage is impossible without a strong, combat-ready army, on which a large amount of budget funds is spent. In past centuries, the pledge of support for warriors actually meant the greatest degree of success for a politician. Nothing has changed since then.

The armed forces are a guarantee of the independence, success of the country and the security of citizens. We present to the attention of readers the rating of the strongest armies in the world, an assessment of weapons and manpower.

Modern era and military

Modern countries need to protect their borders no less than their territories hundreds of years ago. However, today there are known countries in which there are no armed forces. To protect the population, police formations or equivalent units are used there. The list includes 21 states, including:

Andorra;
Vatican;
Haiti;
Iceland;
Costa Rica;
Monaco;
Solomon islands.

Location of countries in the world that do not have their own regular troops

It is noteworthy that some publications include in this list Japan, whose armed forces are called self-defense forces. Legislatively, the actions of this structure are very limited and can only be associated with defense activities. However, it is wrong to say that Japan does not have an army.

The strength of modern troops lies not so much in numbers, but in the uniqueness of weapons, the number of tanks, submarines, and other equipment. Technological progress has given mankind not only cars and rockets, but also nuclear weapons.

Modern armies are divided into types of troops, intelligence departments and other special services.

Below is the top 10 most powerful armies in the world, let's talk about the evaluation criteria.

Criteria for assessing the power of modern armed forces

Several criteria are used to assess the strength of armies:

the number of manpower and reservists;
military budget (calculated both as a fixed amount and as a percentage of GDP);
the number of planes and helicopters;
number of tanks;
the number of nuclear warheads and their means of delivery;
the number of submarines and missile carriers;
degree of fuel availability;
geographical data.

Rating of the strongest armies in the world

The list of the most powerful armies in the world is based on the annual Global Firepower report. The organization studies the armed forces of various countries and puts each force index. Looking at the number, it is easy to understand whose army is the strongest, and whose army is behind in most indicators. This is the most detailed rating in the world.

10th place - Bundeswehr (Germany)

In 2019, the German Armed Forces lost several ranking lines, but remained in the top ten. Since 2011, one of the professional formations in which there is no place for conscripts.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen during the inspection of equipment

Number: 178,641;
airplanes/helicopters: 714/384;
tanks: 432;
submarines: 6;
budget: $45.2 billion;
force index: 0.2461.

The provision of the army in Germany is very good. The country is a member of NATO, but, contrary to its obligations, does not spend 2% of GDP on defense. Actively involved in conflicts abroad. The last operation is the fight against ISIS in Afghanistan.

9th place - Turkey

The troops consist of five divisions that guard the borders at sea, in the air and on land, and also keep order inside the country. It is not professional, recruits are annually called up from among the citizens of the country suitable for the age.

View of the Turkish airbase Indzherlik, also used by NATO troops

There is a system of official buyout from the service. For this young man you need to undergo initial military training for up to 5 weeks and pay 500 million lira (equivalent to 6 billion rubles). Thus, very rich citizens replenish the country's budget.

Number: 350,000;
airplanes/helicopters: 1056/475;
tanks: 2446;
submarines: 12;
budget: $10.2 billion;
force index: 0.2216.

Turkey has its own military training centers. Citizens in the reserve are required to undergo retraining annually.

8th place - Japan

The Japan Self-Defense Forces or Jieitai are a special kind of troops. According to the Constitution, the country does not have the right to participate in military conflicts of other countries, and the purpose of creating an army is the defense of the state. All this is in the past. Today, the country is consistently among the ten most powerful armies in the world with a huge defense budget. Since 2015, participation in military conflicts abroad has been officially allowed (parliament decision).

Japan spares no expense to equip self-defense forces

Number: 247,157;
airplanes/helicopters: 1508/622;
tanks: 679;
submarines: 17;
budget: $44 billion;
force index: 0.2107.

The draft age in Japan has been raised to 32. In recent years, the militarization of Japan has been carried out at an active pace.

7th place - South Korea

Armed Forces of South Korea

Number: 625,000;
airplanes/helicopters: 1560/748;
tanks: 2654;
submarines: 16;
budget: $40 billion;
force index: 0.2001.

The Republic of Korea officially participated in the war in Iraq, losing only one fighter killed.

6th place - Great Britain

By 2019, Britain's troops have become even stronger, according to Global Firepower. The state is a member of NATO, is consistently among the best armies peace.

British army soldiers

Number: 197,730;
airplanes/helicopters: 832/333;
tanks: 227;
submarines: 10;
budget: $50 billion;
force index: 0.1917.

The advantage of the army of the Kingdom lies in the huge budget. Regularly participates in military conflicts and NATO peacekeeping missions. The last operation is Serval, in which French forces suppressed an uprising in the Republic of Mali. The British Army is peaceful and calm. Accidents and suicides are rare.

5th place - France

The fifth place among the strongest is occupied by France, and it holds last year's positions. The armed forces of the Republic are considered the strongest in Europe.

French regular troops are often involved in international armed conflicts

Number: 205,000;
airplanes/helicopters: 1262/570;
tanks: 406;
submarines: 10;
budget: $40 billion;
force index: 0.1869.

France has also deployed combat aircraft in Tajikistan. 7% of the NATO contingent is represented by the military force of the Republic. The guarantor of the country's security is not only a strong army, but also nuclear weapons. Its number was reduced as much as possible with the end of the Cold War.

The Fifth Republic is a country with a developed industry. It manufactures airplanes and helicopters and sells them abroad. The French army has a large number of women (14%) who even serve in the navy. These are the most feminized aircraft in the world.

4th place - India

The top five has remained unchanged for several years. This suggests that strong armies are seriously outperforming competitors. One of the leaders is India. The number of the army of this country is unprecedented and exceeds 1 million soldiers. Regular divisions include:

army;
naval forces;
air Force.

Military parade in Delhi, timed to coincide with Republic Day, 2017

It is believed that in the event of war, the mobilization of the army will exceed 700 million people.

Number: 1,362,500;
airplanes/helicopters: 2185/720;
tanks: 4426;
submarines: 16;
budget: $47 billion;
force index: 0.1417.

The Indian army vastly outnumbers the French forces in terms of tanks, aircraft and other parameters. The state is a strong nuclear power recognized by world leaders. It is noteworthy that the post of Minister of Defense of India is held by a woman, Nirmala Sitharaman.

The industry of India partially supplies the armed forces with equipment.

3rd place - China

The number of active Chinese army has more than 2 million soldiers. In the event of war, this figure will rise to 750 million.

The largest army

Number: 2,183,000;
airplanes/helicopters: 3035/985;
tanks: 7716;
submarines: 73;
budget: $151 billion;
force index: 0.0852.

China has military bases in the Pacific and Indian Ocean ensuring safety and uninterrupted fuel supply. China is in second place in terms of the budget of the armed forces, second only to the United States in this matter.

Since the army is large, a strategic agency was created in 2016 to deal with security issues.

Interesting fact: The Chinese army does not take young people with tattoos. Military school soldiers must not snore, otherwise they will be fired.

2nd place - Russia

Number: 1,013,628;
airplanes/helicopters: 3914/1451;
tanks: 20300;
submarines: 62;
budget: $47 billion;
force index: 0.0841.

Russia is the leader in terms of the number of tanks - more than 20 thousand and nuclear warheads (8484 pieces). The delivery system for weapons of mass destruction is very well developed. The troops are made up of conscripts and contractors. The share of the latter is higher, and this trend has been outlined since 2015. The mobilization resource is more than 30 million people.

Russian soldiers in Syria

The supply of military units is carried out at the expense of a strong and developed military-industrial complex, which includes dozens of enterprises. They produce weapons known all over the world:

Kalashnikov assault rifles;
sea and land-based air defense;
helicopters MI and Ka;
reconnaissance ships;
submarines of project 636;
planes Su, Tu.

Russia is in third place in terms of the number of submarines, behind China and the United States. In recent years, the rearmament of the army has accelerated. The Russian Federation has several bases outside the country:

in Abkhazia;
Transnistria;
Kyrgyzstan;
Kazakhstan;
Belarus;
Tajikistan and other countries.

It is planned to strengthen positions in Asia and northern Africa.

The RF Armed Forces are characterized by two types of problems:

desertion;
corruption.

Several criminal cases have been initiated against officials related to multimillion-dollar embezzlement. The problem of desertion often stems from extra-statutory relations. They are trying to eradicate hazing in the Russian troops, since it is also the cause of suicides.

It's no secret which army is the strongest in the world.

1st place - USA

The United States is the most strong country of the world in terms of the level of equipment of troops. Its budget is higher than the spending of all countries in the top ten, and is estimated at several hundred billion dollars.

US Army soldiers in Afghanistan

Number: 1,281,900;
airplanes/helicopters: 13362/5758;
tanks: 5884;
submarines: 66;
budget: $647 billion;
force index: 0.0818.

The distribution of the budget takes place according to the orders of the Ministry of Defense. So, about 20% is annually spent on upgrading weapons and other purchases.

The United States has a developed military-industrial complex. The supply of its own army and the forces of other states is carried out in accordance with military contracts.

There are about 900 military bases outside the US around the world:

in Europe (Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Kosovo and so on);
in Africa (Niger, Djibouti and others);
Latin America (Cuba, Brazil, Honduras);
Oceania (Australia, Guam);
Asia (Bahrain, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Afghanistan);
Middle East (Israel, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia).

The United States Army has a problem with military suicides. In different years, their number either increases or slightly decreases, although the management is trying to fight it. Official figures exceed Russian ones.

This is how a powerful rating of the strongest armies looks like today. The pace of development of the armed forces is both striking and alarming. A new arms race, mutual accusations of strong sides, the emergence of new types of weapons are visible to the naked eye. Behind last decade the world became more militant, divided into several warring camps.

Military and economic experts regularly determine the global index of military power - the Global Firepower Index. Of course, comparing the armies of the world according to statistical indicators is not an ideal solution, but there is still no more objective (for example, to check everyone in a real war) rating. GFP takes into account 66 different indicators: from geographical location countries to the extent of industrial development.

In November, a new report for 2018 was released. This year, experts analyzed the armed forces of 136 states.

When compiling the Global Firepower Index, not only is a rigorous calculation of tanks, aircraft and warships carried out, but also the number of personnel of the army and its reserve, the level of financing of the military sphere, the country's transport infrastructure, oil production, the amount of public debt and even the length of the coastline are taken into account - in a word , all factors that can affect the combat capability of the national army.

The presence of a nuclear arsenal is not taken into account, but the states that possess nuclear weapons receive a "bonus". The top three - the United States, Russia and China - has remained unchanged for four years.

America has long been ahead of everyone at times in military spending. In second place in terms of the military budget, also for many years, China. On the third - Russia. Chinese army the most numerous in the world. Russia is the first in the world in terms of the number of tanks.

This is what the top 10 most militarily powerful countries in the world look like in 2018.

10. Germany

Defense budget - $45.2 billion

432 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

714 aircraft

The number of the army is 208640 people.

9. Turkey

Defense budget — $10.2 billion

2446 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

1056 aircraft

Army size - 710500

8. Japan

Defense budget — $44 billion

679 tanks

4 helicopter carriers

1508 aircraft

Army size - 310457

7. South Korea

Defense budget - $40 billion

2654 tanks

1 aircraft carrier

1560 aircraft

Army size - 625000

6. UK

Prince Harry during military service. Instagram photo marines royal navy.

Defense budget - $50 billion

227 tanks

2 aircraft carriers

832 aircraft

Army size - 279230

5. France

A photo: page French Armed Forces on Facebook.

Defense budget - $40 billion

406 tanks

1305 aircraft

Navy - 118 (1 aircraft carrier and 3 helicopter carriers)

Army size - 388635

4. India

Defense budget - $51 billion

4426 tanks

1 aircraft carrier (project 1143 aircraft carrier, former Admiral Gorshkov)

2185 aircraft

Army size - 1362500

3. China

Defense budget — $151 billion

7716 tanks

1 aircraft carrier ("Liaoning" - completed "Varyag")

3035 aircraft

Army size - 2663000

2. Russia

Photo: website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Defense budget - $47 billion

20300 tanks

3914 aircraft

Navy - 352 (the only aircraft carrier out of service)

The number of the army is 1013628.

1. USA

Photo site army.mil.

Defense budget - $647 billion

5,884 tanks

20 aircraft carriers

13362 aircraft

The total number of ships of the Navy - 415

Army size - 1281900

It is worth noting that the most important criterion for evaluating the army is fighting. And this parameter is not taken into account by the Global Firepower Index. Russia and the United States also have a clear advantage here, for example, over China. Russia was at war with Georgia and, how should I put it, probably with Ukraine. Plus spends military operation in Syria. And the United States fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is also involved in operations in Syria.

The GFP rating considers only the amount of government spending on defense, not taking into account what percentage of the country's GDP they make up. The top three rankings have these figures (data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute - SIPRI) for 2017: China spends 1.9% of GDP on defense, Russia - 4.3%, USA - 3.1%. Only Saudi Arabia spends more than Russia (as a share of GDP) in the world on defense - 10%.