Nalendwa
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 9, 2016
- 7,466
- 13,031
Among the findings:
- The United States has the best-equipped military on the planet.
- Both Russia & China have been modernizing their armed forces, and while their equipment still lags behind top-end American technology, experts say the gap is closing.
- The French military is larger and arguably more capable than its traditional British rival.
- Italy is stronger than Germany in every area, from aircraft and land forces to seapower.
1. United States
Possession of over 7000 nuclear weapons, 13000 weaponized aircraft and a spending of over $600 billion a year on defense makes the US the most powerful military in the world.
Budget: $601 billion
Active Military Personnel: 1,477,896
Total Tanks: 8,848
Total Aircraft: 15,293
Total Naval Strength: 290
Aircraft Carriers: 10
2. Russia
15,000 tanks and 8,500 nuclear weapons to be specific.
Budget: $84.5 billion
Active Military Personnel: 766,055
Total Tanks: 15,398
Total Aircraft: 4,498
Total Naval Strength: 352
Aircraft Carriers: 1
3. China
Budget: $216 billion
Military Personnel: 2,335,000
Total Tanks: 9,150
Total Aircraft: 5,048
Total Naval Strength: 714
Aircraft Carriers: 1
4. India
Russia, Europe, and the United States all sell their military hardware to India.
Budget: $50 billion
Active Military Personnel: 1,325,000
Total Tanks: 6,464
Total Aircraft: 2,086
Total Naval Strength: 295
Aircraft Carriers: 2
5. France
Budget: $62.3 billion
Active Military Personnel: 205,000
Total Tanks: 423
Total Aircraft: 1,282
Total Naval Strength: 118
Aircraft Carriers: 4
6. United Kingdom
Budget: $60.5 billion
Active frontline personnel: 146,980
Total Tanks: 407
Total Aircraft: 879
Total Naval Strength: 76
Aircraft Carriers: 2
7. Italy
Budget: $34 billion
Active Military Personnel: 320,000
Total Tanks: 586
Total Aircraft: 785
Total Naval Strength: 179
Aircraft Carriers: 2
8. German
Budget: $40.2 billion
Active Military Personnel: 180,000
Total Tanks: 408
Total Aircraft: 676
Total Naval Strength: 81
Aircraft Carriers: 0
9. Japan
Japan could be a top-four military power if their constitution would allow them to also be an offensive force, not only defensive.
Budget: $41.6 billion
Active Military Personnel: 250,000
Total Tanks: 678
Total Aircraft: 1,613
Total Naval Strength: 131
Aircraft Carriers: 3
10. Turkey
Budget – $18.2 billion
Active Military Personnel – 425,500
Total Tanks – 3,778
Total Aircrafts – 1,007
Naval Strength – 194
Aircraft Carriers – 0
Military Power: Top 50 most powerful militaries in 2017
North Korea and Iran have been omitted from the list as experts remain unsure about their true military power.