Most of the XX was spent in wars. By the beginning of the new millennium, serious geopolitical changes had taken place in the world, the Cold War had ended, the Soviet Union followed by the world socialist system. It would seem that the intensity of passions around the issue of world leadership should have decreased, and if not stopped, then at least slowed down. This, unfortunately, did not happen.
Economy and army
War is the continuation of politics in conditions when diplomatic norms cease to operate. And attachés and plenipotentiaries feel much more confident if behind the tails of their tailcoats the threatening silhouettes of aircraft carriers, tanks, strategic bombers and intercontinental missiles are guessed.
What is the strongest army in the world? By what criteria can this be determined? In terms of the amount of the military budget, the number of military personnel, the availability of modern weapons or information saturation? For example, it is worth considering the four most significant armies in the world: American, Israeli, Chinese and Russian. They differ both in the principles of configuration, and in the number, and in the amount of funds consumed, representing unique models of the armed forces.
U.S. Army
The defeat of the command-administrative system in the field of production and distribution of vital material goods caused a certain euphoria in the camp of the winners. The immediate conclusion was that if economically the free market countries are stronger, then militarily superiority is indisputable, as is the assertion that the strongest army in the world is the American one.
In terms of the size of the US military budget - the world leader. The Pentagon's annual disbursements are astronomical, approaching $700 billion. This money is enough to ensure that five types of troops (Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the army itself) constantly received the most amazing weapons, ahead of their time and at a fantastic technical level. At least, this is how the situation looks, according to the media (of course, American). In practice, things are not so rosy. After Hussein's impressive victory over Iraq and the "demonstrative beating" of Yugoslavia, the list of military victories somehow began to decline. In other words, none of the tasks set by the government and the president, the US armed forces could not perform. Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are actually controlled by armed groups that are commonly called illegal. The most powerful army in the world is powerless in its confrontation with international terrorism. Instead of the notorious "pinpoint strikes", it causes damage to the civilian population, which causes increased resistance. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that it was precisely the solution of local problems that became a priority for the Pentagon after 1991.
American army problems
Over the past two decades, the level of training of personnel has decreased. Americans don't want to serve in the military, they don't like the pay and the risks the soldiers take. The most powerful military in the world today is largely composed of outsiders, foreigners willing to put on uniforms for the prospect of citizenship. The bet on technical superiority also affected the physical training of US military personnel.
Nevertheless american army remains strong, and its area of responsibility still includes the entire globe (this is how the Pentagon leaders understand their mission). The US fleet is the largest in the world (nearly 2,400 units), its nuclear potential is about the same as that of Russia (about 2,000 warheads), and its personnel numbers almost one and a half million people. There are numerous military bases abroad.
As for the latest models of military equipment, then, apparently, among them there are both successful ones and those that do not deserve such laudatory epithets. The military-industrial complex is interested in large orders, which dictates the requirements for weapons. They must be, firstly, large, secondly, look impressive, and thirdly, they simply have to be expensive. What any country can learn from the Americans is the ability to provide their soldiers with everything they need - from food and medicine to clothing and toilet paper. In matters of supply U.S. Army is the best army in the world.
Chinese folk
According to the tradition laid down in the distant hot year of 1927 by Mao Zedong, Chinese army called People's Liberation. She really led fighting against the Japanese invaders. The issue was resolved by itself after the successful offensive of the Soviet troops.
In 1950-1953, the PLA tried to liberate the southern part of the Korean Peninsula from the capitalists, but it did not succeed. There were also unsuccessful attacks on the USSR in 1969) and Vietnam (1979). Yes, even Tibet was liberated from the monks. Currently, China has no foreign policy problems that require a military solution, except perhaps for the semi-recognized Taiwan and the Senkaku archipelago, but these issues have long passed into the category of diplomatic ones.
Chinese assets
The banners of the PLA are not covered with military glory. However, this does not prevent us from saying that, if not the most powerful army in the world, then at least it is a power that neighboring countries have to reckon with. The military budget is one hundred billion (translated into US dollars). Nuclear potential is approximately equal to French. The number of soldiers and officers knows no equal (almost 2.3 million). There is also a militia (12 million people). Artillery - 25 thousand guns. Three-quarters of aviation consists of fighter planes, which indirectly indicates the defensive nature of the military doctrine. In the event of an attack on the PRC, the mobilization reserve is estimated at 300 million "bayonets". It can be assumed that no one will dare to attack China. This country has the strongest army in the world in terms of numbers.
tsakhal
Israel is a small country. There are, of course, smaller states, but they did not have to fight so much. The hostile environment time after time sought not only to harm Israel, but to destroy it. Position in modern conditions aggravated by short distances and, consequently, by the short flight time of ammunition delivery vehicles. The Tsakhal, of course, is not the strongest army in the world, the country simply does not have enough economic potential and population to compare with China, the USA or Russia in terms of power and number of weapons, but the very fact of the existence of the Jewish state speaks more eloquently than any statistics high efficiency of its defense system.
Jewish "chips"
In order to defeat a numerically superior enemy, special methods and techniques are needed. In the Middle East, these include:
The maximum possible military training of the population. Both men and women (unmarried) serve in the Tsakhal.
Powerful intelligence network. The special services, the main one of which is the Mossad, provide the country's leadership with detailed information about possible risks and inform them in a timely manner of the problems that have arisen.
The best possible samples of military equipment, both imported and produced in the country.
Ideological training, expressed in the education of the youth of the desire to protect their homeland.
The unique organizational and management structure of the armed forces.
There is reason to believe that, even with their small numbers, the Tsahal today is the best army in the world. This is understood as the ability to quickly solve the tasks necessary to maintain the viability of the State of Israel.
after the collapse of the USSR
After the collapse of the USSR, hard times came for the former Soviet military. Soldiers and officers of the Union, who knew from childhood that the strongest army in the world is ours, experienced a real shock in 1991. The media insistently and intelligibly explained that Afghan war was conducted in vain, the Czechoslovak events of 1968 are criminal, the USSR lost the war with Finland, and the sanctity of the Victory itself is a big question. The moral crisis was accompanied by a material one. The monetary content of the Russian military in the conditions of a raging spontaneous market looked like a mockery. First Chechen campaign revealed many systemic flaws. The place of the Russian army in the world could no longer be attributed to the leading ones. It seemed that the complete collapse of the armed forces was inevitable, followed by the disintegration of the federal state into separate principalities. But…
Russian army today
The crisis has been overcome. The country's leadership was able to maintain the basis of defense capability - a nuclear shield that protects against direct military pressure from outside.
However, new threats emerged in the form of numerous local conflicts. With a modest military budget of $56 billion (at comparable prices), Russia has outperformed all of its potential rivals in terms of efficiency in the use of funds. Military personnel receive a decent salary and are socially protected. A systematic modernization of the material part is being carried out. Even analysts who are unfriendly towards the Russian Federation are forced to admit that today the Russian army is the strongest in the world, at least in terms of the tasks outlined for it. As criteria, highly appreciated indicators such as mobility, communication, coordination of actions, good supply and high morale of personnel serve. Local conflicts of recent years, in which the Russian military took part, confirm the opinion of experts.
Unfortunately, the army gains experience in wars. A country that has been at peace for a long time often ceases to appreciate its defenders. But there is another important aspect of this issue. Even the most combat-ready army in the world will be powerless if the task assigned to it is criminal or does not correspond to national interests. Successes show that we are all right with this.
The most powerful armies in the world. Russia took second place in it, losing to the United States. The top ten countries with the most powerful manpower fit for military service, - in the review of RBC.
Population: 323.9 million people
145.2 million people, of which the active military - 1.3 million people
Air force: 13.7 thousand pieces of equipment
Ground troops: 5.8 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 415 vehicles
Military budget:$587.8 billion
Population: 142.3 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 70 million people, of which the active military - 798.5 thousand people
Air force: 3.8 thousand pieces of equipment
Ground troops: 20.2 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 352 vehicles
Military budget:$44.6 billion
Population: 1.3 billion people
Personnel fit for military service: 750 million people, of which active military - 2.2 million people
Air force: 2.9 thousand units military equipment
Ground troops: 6.4 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 714 pieces of military equipment
Military budget:$161.7 billion
Photo: Zahid Hussain Bhat / ZUMA / Global Look Press
Population: 1.2 billion people
Personnel fit for military service: 616 million people, of which the active military - 1.3 million people
Air force: 2.1 thousand units of military equipment
Ground troops: 4.4 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 295 vehicles
Military budget:$51 billion
Photo: Florian David / ZUMA / Global Look Press
Population: 66.8 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 30 million people, including active military — 204 thousand people
Air force: 1.3 thousand units of military equipment
Ground troops: 406 battle tanks
Navy: 118 vehicles
Military budget:$35 billion
Great Britain
Population: 64.4 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 30 million people, of which 151.1 thousand are active military
Air force: 856 vehicles
Ground troops: 249 battle tanks
Navy: 76 vehicles
Military budget:$45.7 billion
Photo: Nicolas Datiche / AFLO / Global Look Press
Population: 126.7 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 54 million people, including active military — 248.5 thousand people
Air force: 1.5 thousand pieces of equipment
Ground troops: 700 battle tanks
Navy: 131 units of military equipment
Military budget:$43.8 billion
Photo: Osman Bekleyen / ZUMA / Global Look Press
Population: 80.2 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 41.6 million people, of which 382.8 thousand are active military
Air force: 1 thousand units of military equipment
Ground troops: 2.4 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 194 vehicles
Military budget:$8.2 billion
Germany
Population: 80.7 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 37 million people, of which 180 thousand active military people
Air force: 698 units of military equipment
Ground troops: 543 battle tanks
Navy: 81 vehicles
Military budget:$39.2 billion
Population: 94.6 million people
Personnel fit for military service: 42 million people, of which the active military - 454.2 thousand people
Air force: 1.1 thousand units of military equipment
Ground troops: 4.1 thousand battle tanks
Navy: 319 vehicles
Military budget:$4.4 billion
If the world were perfect, then no armies and weapons would be needed and there would never be wars. But the reality is that threats both abroad and within the state put national security at risk. This reality forces many states to have a powerful army in the form of human potential and weapons.
There are several outstanding armies that are widely known for their size in combat experience and military equipment. They are among the ten largest armies in the world.
1. China
The first place in the world in terms of the size of the army is not surprisingly occupied by the most populous country in the world, China. People's Army. This nation is known not only for its large territory, but also for huge amount population and, accordingly, the largest army. The Chinese People's Liberation Army was founded in 1927.
Its main part consists of citizens aged 18 to 49 years. The number of 2300000 people. Budget $129 billion per year. About 240 installations for launching nuclear missiles. The Chinese army is well trained and has large resources for weapons and mobilization resources in the event of a war, it can put 200,000,000 people under arms. It is armed with 8,500 tanks, 61 submarines, 54 surface ships and 4,000 aircraft.
Russian army
The Russian army is one of the most experienced in the world. Its number is 1,013,628 military personnel (according to the presidential decree of March 28, 2017). The annual budget is 64 billion dollars and ranks 3rd in the world in terms of spending on the army. There are 2,867 tanks, 10,720 armored vehicles, 2,646 self-propelled guns, and 2,155 towed artillery pieces in service. Russia also has the most a large number of nuclear warheads in the world.
3.United States of America
US Army
The US Army was founded in 1775. The United States currently has 1,400,000 active military personnel and 1,450,000 active personnel. The defense budget is what really sets the US apart from all the other countries on the list, at over $689 billion a year.
The United States also has the most trained troops and a powerful arsenal. Its ground forces use 8,325 tanks, 18,539 armored combat vehicles, 1,934 self-propelled guns, 1,791 towed artillery pieces, and 1,330 nuclear warheads.
indian army
Located in southern Asia, India is the largest arms importer in the world. With a population of 1.325 thousand soldiers and officers. The army's military budget is $44 billion a year. Also in service are about 80 nuclear warheads.
5. North Korea
Army of North Korea
North Korea has a well-trained and well-coordinated army of 1,106,000, as well as a large number of reservists of 8,200,000 as of 2011. It also has a large number of weapons, they include: 5400 tanks, 2580 armored vehicles, 1600 self-propelled guns, 3500 towed artillery pieces, 1600 air defense systems and more. powerful weapons. Military service in this state is mandatory for all the term of service in the army is 10 years.
While the totalitarian regime in North Korea has built a large army, most of its military equipment is considered obsolete. However, they have nuclear weapons, which in turn threatens the stability of the world in this region.
6. South Korea
Photo of the South Korean Army
Next on the list of the largest armies in the world is the South Korean army. In this state, the draft age is from 18 to 35 years, the term of service is 21 months.
Its armed forces are called the Army of the Republic of Korea. It uses both domestic weapons and imported ones. It is armed with 2,300 tanks, 2,600 armored vehicles, 30 air defense systems and 5,300 artillery pieces. The number of its troops reaches approximately 1,240,000 people.
7. Pakistan
pakistani army
The Pakistan Army rightfully ranks among the largest armies in the world. Its headcount is 617,000 people and the personnel reserve is about 515,500 people as of 2011.
Its ground forces use a wide range of weapons: 3,490 tanks, 5,745 armored vehicles, 1,065 self-propelled guns, and 3,197 towed artillery pieces. The Air Force is armed with 1,531 aircraft and 589 helicopters. The naval forces consist of 11 frigates and 8 submarines. With a budget of just over $5 billion, it is the smallest budget of the top ten military powers. Pakistan may be a small country in size, but it is undoubtedly one of the largest armies in the world in terms of size and military prowess. Also, this army is a permanent ally of the United States.
Iranian army
It is said that the most powerful army in the Middle East is the Iranian army. Iran is also known for its large troop strength. It has about 545,000 men, divided into 14 infantry divisions and 15 air bases. Their army is equipped with 2895 tanks, 1500 armored vehicles, 310 self-propelled guns, 860 air defense systems, 1858 aircraft and 800 helicopters. The defense budget is just over $10 billion.
Turkish army
Turkey has the largest army at the point of contact between Asia and Europe. Citizens are called up for service from the age of 20. The call lasts approximately from 6 to 15 months, depending on the educational level of the students. The number of the Turkish army is 1,041,900 people, of which 612,900 are regular military personnel and 429,000 are in the reserve. Its army is also well armed and has 4460 tanks, 1500 self-propelled guns, 7133 armored vehicles, 406 air defense systems, 570 aircraft and helicopters. The annual budget of this army is 19 billion dollars.
10 Israel
Israeli army
The army of the State of Israel is known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Every year men who have reached the age of 18 are subject to conscription. Every year about 121,000 men can be drafted into the army to serve in any of its military units. Currently, the Israeli army consists of 187,000 regular soldiers and a reserve of 565,000 people. As a result, the number of troops of the Israel Defense Forces is about 752,000. The army is equipped with the latest technology and is armed with 3870 tanks, 1775 armored vehicles, 706 self-propelled guns, 350 towed artillery pieces, and 48 air defense systems.
Not all countries in the world need a large army for reliable protection. However, the maintenance of peace and order would not be possible without a well-organized and well-armed army.
16.05.2015
Military and economic experts regularly determine the global index of military power - the Global Firepower Index, which is one of the most objective and takes into account more than 50 different indicators.
When compiling the Global Firepower (GFP) 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 size of public debt and even the length of coastline- in a word, all the factors that can affect the combat capability of the national army.
Various specialized publications also regularly rank the military power of countries using GFP data and adding their own indicators. For example, here are the 10 most powerful armies in the world according to the GFP Index, only the fleet is calculated differently.
But the GFP counts navies by the number of ships, which makes a patrol boat equal to an aircraft carrier. Instead, the displacement (size) of ships is taken into account here.
Table of indicators of the ten most militarily powerful countries in the world
Click to enlarge
1. USA
This is not a surprise - the US has the most powerful military in the world. America spends $577,000,000,000 annually on defense, almost four times the amount of China with its $145 billion budget. The US is the third largest country in terms of manpower, after India and China, but the US air force and navy are larger than those of all the other countries in the table combined.
2. Russia
USA's rival cold war still able to deliver a powerful blow. The high rating of Russia is largely due to the huge number of tanks and armored vehicles in general (pictured is the new Russian one). The Russian Federation also has a large navy and, moreover, the country is one of the world's largest oil producers.
Russia ranks fourth in terms of the number of military personnel, but their number is largely provided by poorly trained conscripts who serve only a year.
Although it is not in the GFP calculations, Russian special forces and propaganda have shown their strength in Ukraine, where Russia is the main source of destabilization.
3. China
China has the world's second-largest military spending, the third-largest military aircraft fleet, the second-largest armored power, and the world's first-largest military force.
The Chinese Special Forces also took 3 out of 4 first places at the Warrior Games in Jordan in 2014.
Although there is a formal military conscription in China, in reality it is very rarely used.
4. India
But India is vulnerable because of the large demand for fuel in relation to its small volumes of oil produced.
Interestingly, in India, border troops still have a camel regiment.
5. UK
Despite a small number of armored vehicles, aircraft and military personnel, the UK retains a place in the top five with fifth in the world. navy and the fourth military budget.
Geography also contributes to the British military strength, this island country is difficult to attack by land forces.
6. France
France is not impressive in terms of the number of ships, aircraft and tanks, but its military-industrial complex is modern and very powerful.
Mirage and Rafale aircraft, Tiger helicopters, Leclerc tanks and the only non-US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, provide French military strength.
France produces most of its weapons, that is, it has the ability to maintain defenses during a protracted war.
7. South Korea
Although South Korea has the sixth largest army, the sixth largest air fleet, and the eighth largest navy, it has relatively small military spending and an armored corps.
Such a small country is forced to have a relatively large army due to the constant threat from North Korea, although that army is actually weaker than the numbers of its outdated equipment and soldiers trained in old methods of warfare would suggest.
8. Germany
Germany ranks high in the National Interest's military power rating due to a strong economy, high military spending, and a well-trained army.
However, the news coming out of Germany shows that its position may be weaker than it appears on paper. It consumes far more fuel than it produces and imports gas and oil from Russia, its most likely adversary.
Germany's ability to withstand oil shortages is declining as it moves away from coal and nuclear energy.
9. Japan
However, the Japanese Constitution limits the growth of the armed forces and their participation in operations abroad.
10. Turkey
The development of the military industry gives a good sign to the military in Turkey. The country has a large military reserve and an armored force. And a modern navy. And Turkish weapons may be needed at any moment, since ISIS is located at the very borders of the country.
, .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 launch rocket systems.
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.
Britain once had one of the most powerful navies in the world, but recent decades she lost her sea 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. The length of the coastline is 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. The Russian army has 15,000 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 by 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 the rating, which takes into account a large number of various factors, this rating can be considered fairly 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.
