The Russian army has entered the top three strongest in the world; in the Credit Suisse rating, the military of the Russian Federation is evaluated together with the armies of China and the United States. What is the real alignment of forces among states ready for military conflicts?medialeaks publishes a list of the 20 most strong armies world according to the organization.

At the end of September financial institution published a report in which she indicated the TOP-20 of the most powerful armies in the world. Based on this graph, our publication made a detailed list and added its own comments.

When compiling the rating, such parameters as the budget, the size of the army, the number of tanks, aircraft, combat helicopters, aircraft carriers and submarines, and partly the presence of nuclear weapons were taken into account. The technical level of weapons affected the position in the list to a lesser extent, and the real combat capability of a particular army was practically not assessed.

Thus, the assessment of the position of some countries may raise questions. Let's say the Israeli army concedes two positions to Egypt, mainly because of the number of employees and tanks. However, in all clashes, the first won an unconditional victory over the second, despite the numerical superiority.

It is interesting to note that none of the countries was included in the list. Latin America. So, for example, despite the size of the population and economy, Brazil's military doctrine does not involve serious external or internal threats, so the cost of the army in this country is only about 1% of GDP.

It is also somewhat strange that Iran with its half a million soldiers, one and a half thousand tanks and 300 combat aircraft was not included in the list.

20. Canada

Budget: $15.7 billion
Active Army: 22,000
Tanks: 181
Aviation: 420
Subs: 4

The Canadian Army closes the list: it does not have such a large number and not so many military equipment. Be that as it may, the Canadian military is actively involved in all US operations. In addition, Canada is a member of the F-35 program.

19. Indonesia

Budget: $6.9 billion
Active army strength: 476,000
Tanks: 468
Aviation: 405
Subs: 2

Indonesia was on the list due to the large number of military personnel and the noticeable size of the tank group, but for an island country it lacks naval forces: in particular, there are no aircraft carriers, and only two diesel submarines are in service.

18. Germany

Budget: $40.2 billion
The number of active army: 179 thousand people
Tanks: 408
Aviation: 663
Subs: 4

After the Second World War, Germany did not have its own army for 10 years. During the confrontation between the West and the USSR, the Bundeswehr numbered up to half a million people, but after the unification, the country's authorities abandoned the doctrine of confrontation and sharply reduced investments in defense. Apparently, therefore, in the Credit Suisse rating, the German Armed Forces were even behind Poland. At the same time, Berlin is actively sponsoring the eastern allies in NATO.

17. Poland

Budget: $9.4 billion
Active Army: 120,000
Tanks: 1,009
Aviation: 467
Subs: 5

Poland was ahead of its western neighbor in military power due to a larger number of tanks and submarines, although the Polish Army has been losing in most military conflicts for the past 300 years. Be that as it may, Warsaw increased spending on the army after the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine.

16. Thailand

Budget: $5.4 billion
Active army strength: 306,000
Tanks: 722
Aviation: 573
Subs: 0

The Thai army has been keeping the situation inside the country under control since May 2014, the armed forces are the main guarantee of political stability. It employs a significant number of people, there are a large number of modern tanks and aircraft.

15. Australia

Budget: $26.1 billion
Active Army: 58,000
Tanks: 59
Aviation: 408
Subs: 6

Members of the Australian Armed Forces are consistently involved in all NATO operations. In accordance with national doctrine, Australia should be able to stand alone against an invasion from outside. The defense forces are formed on a professional basis, the army is well equipped technically, there is a modern fleet and a large number of combat helicopters.

14. Israel

Budget: $17 billion
Active Army: 160,000
Tanks: 4,170
Aviation: 684
Subs: 5

Israel is the most underestimated participant in the rating. The IDF won all the conflicts in which it participated, and sometimes the Israelis had to fight on several fronts against an enemy many times superior in number. In addition to a huge amount of the latest offensive and defensive weapons of its own design, Credit Suisse's analysis does not take into account the fact that there are several hundred thousand reservists in the country with combat experience and high motivation. The visiting card of the IDF is female military personnel who have proven that the weaker sex with a machine gun is no less effective than the strong one. Not to mention the fact that, according to unverified data, Israel has about 80 nuclear warheads in service.

13. Taiwan

Budget: $10.7 billion
Active army strength: 290,000
Tanks: 2005
Aviation: 804
Subs: 4

The authorities of the Republic of China believe that they are the legitimate government of the Celestial Empire and sooner or later they must return to Beijing, and until this happens, the army is always ready for the invasion of usurpers from the mainland. And although in reality the armed forces of the island will hardly be able to withstand the Chinese army, two thousand modern tanks and 800 aircraft and helicopters make it a serious force.

12. Egypt

Budget: $4.4 billion
Active army strength: 468,000
Tanks: 4,624
Aviation: 1,107
Subs: 4

The army of Egypt was in the ranking due to the number and amount of equipment, although as the war showed doomsday, even a threefold superiority in tanks is offset by high combat skills and the technical level of weapons. At the same time, it is known that about a thousand "Abrams" of the Egyptian Armed Forces are simply mothballed in warehouses. Nevertheless, Cairo will acquire two Mistral-type helicopter carriers not supplied by France to the Russian Federation, and about 50 Ka-52 combat helicopters for them, which will make Egypt a truly serious military force in the region.

11. Pakistan

Budget: $7 billion
The number of active army: 617 thousand people
Tanks: 2,924
Aviation: 914
Subs: 8

Pakistan's army is one of the largest in the world, it has a lot of tanks and aircraft, the US supports Islamabad with equipment. The main threat is internal, in remote areas of the country ruled by local leaders and the Taliban. In addition, Pakistan has not reached an agreement on the borders with India: the territories of the states of Jammu and Kashmir remain disputed, formally the countries are in a state of conflict, within which they are conducting an arms race. Pakistan has medium-range ballistic missiles and about a hundred nuclear warheads

10. Turkey

Budget: $18.2 billion
Active Army: 410,000
Tanks: 3,778
Aviation: 1,020
Subs: 13

Turkey claims to be a regional leader, therefore it is constantly building up and updating its armed forces. A huge number of tanks, aviation and a large modern fleet (though without aircraft carriers) allows the Turkish army to be considered the strongest among the Muslim countries of the Middle East.

9. UK

Budget: $60.5 billion
Active Army: 147,000
Tanks: 407
Aviation: 936
Subs: 10

After the end of World War II, Great Britain abandoned the idea of ​​​​military dominance around the world in favor of the United States, but the Royal Armed Forces still have significant power and take part in all NATO operations. Her Majesty's fleet includes several nuclear submarines with strategic nuclear weapons: a total of about 200 warheads. By 2020, the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth is expected to be commissioned, which will be able to carry 40 F-35B fighters.

8. Italy

Budget: $34 billion
Active Army: 320,000
Tanks: 586
Aviation: 760
Subs: 6

7. South Korea

Budget: $62.3 billion
The number of active army: 624 thousand people
Tanks: 2,381
Aviation: 1,412
Subs: 13

South Korea retains numerous armed forces, although in terms of quantitative indicators in everything except aviation, it continues to lose to its main potential adversary - the DPRK. The difference, of course, is in the technological level. Seoul has its latest and Western developments, Pyongyang has Soviet technology 50 years ago.

6. France

Budget: $62.3 billion
The number of active army: 202 thousand people
Tanks: 423
Aviation: 1,264
Subs: 10

The French army is still the main military force in Africa and continues to actively intervene in local conflicts. Recently, the attack nuclear aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" was put into operation. Currently, France has approximately 300 strategic nuclear warheads, which are deployed on nuclear submarines. There are also 60 tactical warheads.

5. India

Budget: $50 billion
Active Army: 1.325 million
Tanks: 6,464
Aviation: 1,905
Subs: 15

The third largest army in terms of the number of military personnel and the fourth largest army in terms of the number of equipment in the world. The fact that India has about a hundred nuclear warheads, three aircraft carriers and two nuclear submarines in service makes it the fifth most powerful.

4. Japan

Budget: $41.6 billion
Active Army: 247,000
Tanks: 678
Aviation: 1,613
Subs: 16

The most unexpected thing in the ranking is Japan's 4th place, despite the fact that formally the country cannot have an army, but only self-defense forces. Business Insider attributes this to the high level of equipment of the Japanese aircraft. In addition, they include 4 helicopter carriers, 9 destroyers. At the same time, Japan does not have nuclear weapons, and this, together with a small number of tanks, makes one think that the position of this army is greatly overestimated.

3. China

Budget: $216 billion
Active Army: 2.33 million
Tanks: 9,150
Aviation: 2,860
Subs: 67

The second economy in the world has the largest active army, however, in terms of the number of tanks, aircraft and helicopters, it is still noticeably inferior not only to the United States, but also to Russia. But the defense budget exceeds the Russian one by 2.5 times. As far as we know, China keeps several hundred nuclear warheads on combat duty. However, some believe that in reality the PRC may have several thousand warheads, but this information is carefully classified.

2. Russia

Budget: $84.5 billion
Active Army: 1 million
Tanks: 15,398
Aviation: 3,429
Subs: 55

Syria has demonstrated once again that Russia rightly continues to hold a solid 2nd place among the strongest, according to Business Insider. The RF Armed Forces are inferior to China only in the number of submarines. And if the rumors about China's secret nuclear stockpile are not true, far ahead of it in this area. It is believed that as part of the strategic nuclear forces Russia has about 350 carriers and about 2,000 nuclear warheads. The number of tactical nuclear charges is unknown and may be several thousand.

1. USA

Budget: $601 billion
Active Army: 1.4 million
Tanks: 8,848
Aviation: 13,892
Subs: 72

The US military budget is comparable to the previous 19th. The Navy includes 10 aircraft carriers. It is characteristic that, unlike Moscow, which made back in Soviet times relying on tanks, Washington is developing combat aircraft. In addition, the American authorities, despite the end cold war, continue to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the development of the latest military technologies, thanks to which the United States remains a leader not only in everything related to killing people, but also in areas such as robotics and prosthetics.

The troops are considered an important part of the country and its security. Every year, large funds are allocated from the budgets to maintain and modernize weapons, train and maintain soldiers, and much more. Countries are also taking special initiatives to strengthen themselves militarily.

Hypothetically, compare armies different countries world and find out which one is the strongest, impossible. However, without leading to a bloodbath, we will try to get an idea of ​​the military power of countries, taking into account: the arsenal at the disposal; implementation of advanced technologies; military combat skills of soldiers; power and number of allies; army size; allocated budget for maintaining troops, etc.

Let's look at the top 10 countries with the strongest armies in the world.

The most powerful armies in the world

10. Japan

Japan is the land of the samurai and was the leading force during World War II. Interestingly, according to the peace treaty, which was signed after the end of World War II, Japan is prohibited from having an offensive army. In response to the growing controversy over China's military expansion, Japan has launched a military expansion for the first time in 40 years and is placing new military bases on its outer islands. "Land of the Rising Sun", for the first time in the last 11 years, increased military spending to $ 49,100 million and ranks 6th in the world in this indicator. The Japanese Army has over 247,000 active personnel and almost 60,000 in reserve. The Air Force Squadron consists of 1595 aircraft (5th in the world). The fleet has about 131 warships. In addition, through his recent defense initiatives, he maintains a strong military presence in Asia.

9. South Korea

South Korea is bordered by North Korea, which has an extremely powerful military at its disposal, and therefore poses a constant threat to South Korea. But a possible attack by neighbors is not the only problem for South Korea. To meet the growing armament of China and Japan, South Korea is increasing defense spending, which in this moment amount to about $34 billion. The troop strength is over 640,000 active personnel and 2,900,000 additional personnel in reserve. air force represented by 1,393 aircraft (6th largest). Fleet - 166 ships. also in South Korea there are about 15,000 ground weapons, including missile systems, as well as 2,346 tanks. South Korean troops regularly take part in military exercises with the United States.

8. Turkey

In 2015, the Turkish government decided to increase its defense spending by 10%. This may be due to the fact that there is a war between ISIS and Syrian troops not far from Turkey, and possibly because of the likelihood of a collision with a Kurdish separatist organization. Turkey's defense budget is about $18180000000. The size of the army (both regular and reserve) is just over 660000. The Turkish Air Force has 1000 aircraft. Also in service are 16,000 ground weapons. Turkey has strong diplomatic relations with the United States (although these ties are weakening every year), and also participates in initiatives around the world.

7. Germany

Germany is one of the strongest economic powers in the world, but despite spending about $45 million each year, the state of the army seems to have worsened over the past few years. One of the reasons for this may be that the generation born and raised in the 1950s and 60s was against the war and was afraid of attacks from other countries with stronger armies. This still discourages people from joining the ranks of the troops. In 2011, compulsory military service was abolished to prevent the country from being a militarized country. The troops include only 183,000 active personnel and 145,000 reservists. Aviation is armed with 710 aircraft. The total number of weapons of various types is almost units.

6. France

France is another country that followed Germany and in 2013 the French government decided to “effectively” freeze military spending and jobs in the defense sector by 10% to save money on technologically advanced equipment. Currently, France's military budget is about $43 billion a year, which is 1.9% of the country's GDP (well below the spending target set by NATO). The French armed forces have about 220 thousand active personnel and the same number of people are in reserve. Aviation is represented by more than 1000 aircraft. Also in service are about 9,000 ground vehicles. Even if it doesn't make France formidable army, it has several trump cards: position in the EU and the UN, as well as the presence of about 290 nuclear weapons.

5. UK

The UK is another EU member, also implementing a plan to reduce the size of the armed forces by 20% in 2010-2018. The reduction of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force is also underway. The UK military budget currently stands at $54 billion. Britain's regular army has about 205,000 men. The Air Force is represented by 908 aircraft. Navy - 66 ships. However, the UK army is still considered powerful and superior to many others due to the training of soldiers. Also, Britain has 160 nuclear weapons, which is the strongest argument. The Royal Navy plans to commission HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2020.

4. India

The government of India decided to take advantage of the fact that the population of the country is very large. The Indian Army has a sizable 3.5 million men, including 1.325 million active troops. The sheer size of the Indian force is one of the reasons why India ranks so high in our rankings and in the rankings. best armies peace. The strength of the army is supplemented by a practical 16,000 ground vehicles, which include 3,500 tanks as well as 1,785 aircraft, along with nuclear weapons. Indian ballistic missiles could hit all of Pakistan or most of China. The current military budget is $46 billion, but the government plans to increase this amount by 2020, as well as modernize some weapons.

3. China

It has another 2,800 aircraft in its Air Force. China has about 300 nuclear weapons at its disposal, along with 180 different methods of deploying them. China recently acquired classified information about the new F-35, and is known to successfully steal sensitive military equipment. China is rightfully one of the top 3 armed forces.

According to official figures, China's defense budget is $126 billion, and this amount may increase by another 12.2% in the near future. The Chinese army is massive, with 2.285 million active front-line personnel and another 2.3 million reservists, the largest ground force in the world, yet operating with 25,000 ground troops. vehicles. Chinese aviation consists of 2,800 aircraft. China also has about 300 nuclear weapons at its disposal. Given all this, we can say that China rightfully ranks third in our ranking of the most powerful countries in the world.

2. Russia

Russia's military budget is $76,600 million, but it will increase by 44% in the next three years. In fact, Kremlin spending has increased by about a third since 2008, especially when Vladimir Putin became president in 2000. The Russian army has shown significant growth since the collapse of the Soviet Union two decades ago. About 766,000 active personnel are involved in the Russian army, including about 2.5 million people in the reserve forces. In addition, 15,500 tanks are in service, making Russia the largest tank force in the world, although they are becoming obsolete like any other equipment. Russia is also the leader among nuclear states, having at its disposal 8500 active nuclear warheads.

1. United States of America

The United States annually spends a whopping $612500000000 to maintain the army. This is the budget is equal to the sum budgets of nine other countries combined. The United States supports amazingly big army, consisting of more than 1.4 million soldiers, and another 800,000 reservists. In addition to active ground teams, the reserve includes trained men and women ready to assist the troops at any given time. The advantage of the USA is that the country is the world leader in the production of aviation equipment. Also in service with the States are 19 aircraft carriers, while all other states have a total of only 12 pieces. The 7,500 nuclear warheads also help maintain the United States of America as the world's most powerful country and military.

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The ranking of the ten strongest armies in the world in 2019 is based on data Global Firepower. military power each state was evaluated according to more than 50 different criteria. The economic situation of the states also played an important role in the ranking.

10 Germany

Germany opens the top ten strongest armies in the world in 2019. Until July 1, 2011 in Germany, all adult citizens of the country were required to serve on a mandatory basis (6 months military service or alternative labor service in social and charitable organizations). Now the Bundeswehr has moved to a fully professional army. Germany has been a member of the NATO bloc for many years, so in case of any military threats, it can count on the help of the United States and other allies.

The German ground forces consist of four headquarters bases, which include multinational NATO corps from the so-called "rapid deployment forces", 5 task forces with headquarters in other army corps (Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, and French), five divisions and auxiliary units and divisions.

The general focus of the German army is mainly focused on conducting peacekeeping missions as part of coalition forces, as well as on the settlement of local conflicts of low intensity. This is reflected in the founding document on German military development. Thus, in the event of a military conflict near the borders of Germany or the declaration of martial law, the state is ready for war only with a virtually “toothless” enemy. Such a conclusion suggests itself if you become familiar with the degree of combat, technical and logistic support of the Bundeswehr.

9 Turkey

Ninth place - the armed forces of Turkey. The Turkish army is recruited by conscription, the draft age is 20-41 years, the period of compulsory military service is from 6 to 12 months. Upon dismissal from the army, a citizen is considered liable for military service and is in the reserve until the age of 45. IN war time According to the law, men between the ages of 16 and 60 and women between the ages of 20 and 46 who are able to carry weapons can be drafted into the army.

The state and directions of development of the armed forces of Turkey are determined by the foreign policy situation that has developed today in the Middle East region. To call it simple does not turn the tongue. The situation that is currently observed in the Middle East poses many serious challenges and threats to the security of the Turkish state.

First of all, this is a large-scale conflict that is blazing in Syria, a high probability of creating an independent Kurdish state in the territories of Syria and Iraq, active terrorist activities of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), a frozen conflict with Greece around Cyprus and islands in the Aegean Sea.

8 UK

Compared to last year, the British Armed Forces have fallen from sixth to eighth place in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world. The military budget has also been cut by $2.5 billion, with the bulk of the budget spent on scientific research in engineering and technology. Despite its significant resources, the policy of the Ministry of Defense provides for the participation of British troops in military operations of any kind only as part of a coalition.

The Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces is the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The British Armed Forces are under the control of the Defense Council of the Ministry of Defence. The main task of the British armed forces is to protect the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, ensure the security and protection of the interests of Great Britain, participate in international UN peacekeeping operations and NATO operations.

The UK is believed to have about 225 thermonuclear warheads, of which 160 are on alert, but the exact size of the arsenal has not been officially disclosed. Since 1998, the Trident SSBN group has been the only component of the UK's nuclear forces. The group consists of four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines based in Faslane, Scotland. Each submarine carries up to 16 Trident II missiles, each of which can carry up to eight warheads. At least one armed submarine is always on alert.

7 South Korea

According to the constitution, all South Korean men are required to serve in the military. At the same time, the draft age ranges from 18 to 35 years. In wartime, military service is compulsory for men between the ages of 18 and 45. The duration of conscription service is from 21 to 24 months. In terms of the number of military personnel per capita, South Korea ranks second in the world after its northern neighbor, the DPRK.

The army of South Korea is almost twice as large as the army of the DPRK, but in terms of its mobilization resources it is in no way inferior to its northern neighbor. On the side of the Republic of Korea, there is more than a twofold superiority in population - more than 51 million according to 2015, against 24 million for its northern neighbor, the Republic of Korea's GDP exceeds the GDP of the DPRK by more than 100 times, and the armed forces, although smaller in number, but armed with much more modern models of weapons and military equipment. Economic Opportunities the two Koreas today are simply incomparable.

Over the past 20 years, first-class armed forces have been created in South Korea, which are able to successfully withstand the army of almost any state. In almost all respects, the armed forces of this country are today among the ten strongest armies in the world, especially given the very high level of combat training. Also, the armed forces have a strong rear in the form of a powerful industrial base.

6 Japan

In contrast to the UK, the Japanese army has risen from eighth place in the ranking to sixth compared to last year. Japan Self-Defense Force - modern name armed forces of Japan. Formed in 1954 from the National Security Forces created two years earlier. The main task of the Self-Defense Forces is the defense of the state, the protection of the freedoms and independence of Japan. The ninth article of the Japanese Constitution severely restricts the military activities of the Self-Defense Forces, not directly related to the defense of the country.

Japan's military doctrine calls for close cooperation with the United States (with which Tokyo has a military alliance), allowing the Self-Defense Forces to be used to protect allies even if Japan itself is not attacked, and containing the PRC in the East China and South China Seas. Today, the island state is clearly seeking the right to independently oppose the DPRK.

The unresolved dispute over the Kuril Islands is a source of tension in Russian-Japanese relations. What character will this dispute acquire if a full-fledged army appears in Japan? In the context of the revival of its combat power, only Russian nuclear weapons remain a deterrent to a violent invasion of the islands. So the militarization of Japan cannot but worry Russia.

5 France

Fifth place is occupied by the armed forces of the French Republic. The French armed forces are the second largest and most equipped in Europe. Wherein french army is the largest on the Continent among those whose military doctrine provides for the conduct of foreign military operations. In addition, it has two more additional differences. First, France has its own tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. Secondly, the country's armed forces have a balanced structure, including a powerful Navy, and have probably the greatest experience of independent military operations among all the countries of the European Union and NATO.

Most of the first persons of France, starting with Charles de Gaulle, stated that nuclear weapons are the basis for the independence of the Fifth Republic in making foreign policy and strategic decisions. France was also called the "nuclear monarchy", since decision-making on nuclear weapons issues is entirely the prerogative of the country's president.

France is one of the founders of NATO, but from 1966 to 2009, Paris was not part of the military structure of the alliance, demonstrating its independence in military and international affairs. In the very foreseeable future, the French Armed Forces will lose the ability to conduct even very limited independent operations. This explains the return of the country to the military structure of NATO. However, the capabilities of the alliance as a whole are also rapidly declining.

4 India

Armed Forces of India - military organization India, designed to defend the Republic, protect the freedom and independence of the state, one of the most important instruments of political power. There is no mandatory call. India ranks first in the world in terms of arms imports and possesses nuclear weapons.

The Indian army, with 1.12 million soldiers, is the second largest in Asia. India, located between its traditional rivals Pakistan and China, needs a ground force capable of protecting its long territorial borders. Domestic insurgency, as well as the need to operate in a country of 1.2 billion people, also forces India to have a sizable military force with many infantry units.

A feature of the Indian armed forces is very close cooperation with the Russian military-industrial complex. In service with the Indian Army is great amount military equipment and models of weapons produced in the Soviet Union and Russia. For example, the largest fleet of T-90 tanks in the world is not possessed by Russia, but by India.

3 China

The top three is opened by the People's Liberation Army of China. A noticeable geopolitical trend of recent decades has been the rapid rise of China and its gradual transformation from a regional leader into a superpower that no longer hides its global ambitions. Today, China has the second economy in the world, and it continues to grow rapidly, more than a third of world GDP growth is provided by China.

The Chinese army is conscription, men are recruited into the armed forces at the age of 18 and remain in the reserve until the age of 50.

China continues to increase defense spending: if at the beginning of the 2000s the country spent $17 billion on the army and the military-industrial complex, then in 2019 this figure reached $224 billion. In terms of military spending, China confidently ranks second, significantly ahead of Russia. China still lags behind Russia in some areas: aviation and rocket engines, submarines, cruise missiles - but this gap is rapidly shrinking. Moreover, the PRC is gradually turning into a powerful player in the global arms market, confidently occupying the niche of inexpensive and high-quality weapons.

2 Russia

Second place is occupied armed forces Russian Federation. Military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is provided for both by contract and by conscription. Military service is regulated by Federal Law No. 53-FZ “On military duty and military service”. Mandatory military duty is subject to males from 18 to 27 years.

It should be noted the most powerful military-industrial complex, which Russia inherited from the Soviet Union. He is able to independently produce almost the entire range of weapons for the modern land army and navy. Russia is one of the largest arms exporters in the world, second only to the United States.

On March 11, 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that since 2013 the number of high-precision cruise missiles in Russian army increased by more than 30 times. Shoigu said that over the course of six years, the Russian Armed Forces also received 109 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles, three Borei strategic missile submarines, 7 Bal and Bastion coastal missile systems, and 108 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

1 US

It is safe to say that today the US Army is the strongest on the planet. The state, which does not have a potential enemy near its borders, was able to build powerful armed forces with the most modern weapons. American army in terms of the level of funds spent on it, it occupies a leading position on the planet. Thus, the military budget of 2019 provided for spending 716 billion dollars on the needs of the army, which is 3 times more than China's defense spending and 16 times more than Russia's.

The American army is recruited on a voluntary basis and is based on a contract basis. The service accepts American citizens or permanent residents in the United States of America, with a residence permit, having at least a secondary education. The minimum candidate age for military service is 18 years.

For many years, the US Army has confidently held first place in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world. The Americans have their military bases practically all over the world. American soldiers have at their disposal the most modern military equipment, which is updated frequently. The US has a huge nuclear potential. The Navy has 24 powerful aircraft carriers, the state has the largest air force in the world, which has about 13,398 units.

10/19/2015 at 11:12 am pavlofox · 94 690

Top 10 Most powerful armies in the world in 2015

There is only one way to know for sure which state has the strongest army in the world, but it is, fortunately, unacceptable. Today, the military forces of the largest states do not participate in full-scale military conflicts. How to evaluate the power of the armies of different countries? To do this, there is a global index of firepower. It includes more than 50 factors, according to which the assessment of military strength is made. This is the amount of equipment, manpower, the size of the defense budget, the availability natural resources And so on. It should be noted that these data are constantly changing and need to be updated. In addition, many indicators, reflecting the quantity, say nothing about the quality. For example, a country may have many submarines, but they will be outdated and significantly inferior in terms of combat capability. modern models. In addition, not all countries have access to the sea, so they do not have a navy. The firepower index takes this factor into account and does not exclude such states from the rating. So, the most powerful armies in the world in 2015 - which of the neighbors on the globe should be afraid of?

10.

Opens the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world in 2015. Despite the fact that according to the country's constitution, it does not have the right to have an offensive army, Japan's military forces are very powerful. The country's arsenal includes all types of weapons, and the technical equipment of the army is one of the best in the world. Due to territorial disputes with the DPRK, the country intends to further increase defense spending. Now Japan spends about 49 billion dollars on military needs.

9.

Ranked ninth among the most powerful world– . After the Second World War, the country was limited only by the defense forces, but in last years Germany is actively building up its military strength. Army spending is $45 billion. The number of troops is about 185 thousand people. Despite such a small number of armies, German ground troops are in no way inferior to Russian ones.

8.

Takes 8th place in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world. The country annually spends $34 billion on military spending. The number of the army is about 640 thousand people, in the reserve there are about 3 million inhabitants. Due to the constant threat from its closest neighbor, North Korea, the country is constantly building up its military potential.

7.

In seventh place in the list of the strongest armies in the world is. The country spends about $18 billion on military needs, but this spending is expected to increase due to the difficult situation in Syria. The Turkish army is considered the best in the Middle East. It is actively involved in many NATO operations.

6.

It occupies the sixth position in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world in 2015. The key to the success of this country, whose army is 230 thousand people, is the availability of the entire spectrum of weapons of its own production. And do not forget that France is one of the nuclear powers.

5.

It is located on the 5th place in the list of the most powerful and combat-ready armies of the planet. Gone are the days when England freely dominated the seas. But, although the status of the strongest maritime power has long been lost, the country continues to be on the list of the most serious military forces in the world. England has all types of weapons in its arsenal, and the military budget of 53 billion dollars allows you to improve and modernize the army.

4.

In fourth place in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world is. Paradox, but this one is far from the best rich country bypassed many economically developed countries in terms of military power. The secret lies in the number of troops. The army of the country has about 1 million 300 thousand people. In addition, India owns nuclear weapons and a navy, which increases its combat capability. The country's military spending is $46 billion a year.

3.

The third line in the ranking of the most powerful armed forces on the planet is occupied by a country that causes fear and respect at the same time -. Millennia ago, numerous discoveries were made here, which allowed human civilization take a big step forward. And today, China continues to amaze the world with its perseverance and ability to make amazing progress in a short time both in the economy and in the development of military technologies. China came to the third place in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world not only due to the number of its troops - and they number more than two million people. In the event of a military conflict, the Celestial Empire can call in another 5% of the population and the number Chinese army rise to 60 million. The numbers are simply stunning. In addition, the country has nuclear potential and a large amount of military equipment. China has long been suspected of using industrial espionage to copy the best weapons from other countries, in particular Russia and the United States. Spending on the military budget is the second in the world ($126 billion). It is possible that, unofficially, China spends much more on equipping its army.

2.

It is in second place in the list of the most powerful armies in the world in 2015. She has advanced military technology, and her army is considered the most powerful land force in the world. The country's arsenal includes a strong and large navy, including more than 60 modern nuclear submarines. The power of the Russian Air Force is comparable to that of the United States Air Force. Russia surpasses the United States in terms of the number of heavy military equipment, in particular, tanks. country is the largest in the world. The composition of the army is about a million people. Russia annually spends about 80 billion dollars to support the combat capability of the army. All this together gives the country the right to consider its army one of the strongest in the world in 2015.

1.

1st place - at. Like it or not, the United States has by far the most powerful military force. No country in the world has such a military budget as here. Nearly $613 billion is how much the United States spends on building up its power every year. And this despite the fact that the country reduced the cost of the army by 7% in connection with the withdrawal of its troops from Iran and Afghanistan. The size of the army is almost one and a half million people and about 700 thousand are in reserve.

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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. Last operation- fighting 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. To do this, a young man needs 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

Japan Self-Defense Forces or Jieitai - special kind 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, consistently ranked among the best armies in the world.

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. IN british army a peaceful and calm atmosphere prevails. 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 relationships. Hazing in Russian troops they try to eradicate it, because 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 powerful country in the world in terms of the level of equipment of the 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 what it looks like today powerful rating the strongest armies. 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.