There’s been much discussion and debate about our original article about the Top 10 Armies in the World. First written in 2010, we’ve been updating it ever since.
Nearly every country in the world has its own army to protect its interests against internal and external enemies. Most countries like to boast of their military prowess, often claiming to be one of the strongest in the world. Not all can actually back that claim with data and numbers
In an effort to quantify the rankings of the top military forces in the world, we analyzed data on over sixty countries. We based this on the most recent data available at GlobalFirepower. This includes the size of defense budget, number of active military members, tanks and armored vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, and number of naval craft.
Additionally, we considered nuclear capability and recent operations, the latter meaning that the army actually has live combat experience.
We then assigned a weight to each of these components, and finally calculated an overall score for each country. In most places, this differs from the country’s GlobalFirepower rank.
After the calculations were completed, the top ten armies in the world became easily visible as the most powerful militaries in the world.
Most of these armies were involved in the major conflicts of the modern world. Notably, these include World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Additionally, many were involved in conflicts fighting for their own country’s independence.
The Turkish Army dates back more than 2,000 years, though the modern day military branches were founded in 1920. With a force of over 730 and a budget of close to $19 billion, it is solidly in the top ten military powers in the world.
It ranks fourth on the list for tanks and armored vehicles, estimated at just over 11,000. Ground forces are additionally supported by an outsize artillery. Out of the nations on this list, Turkey is currently the only without nuclear capability.
With very few exceptions, military service is required of all male citizens after the age of twenty, contributing to the large force and reserve size. After the U.S. and ahead of France, it is the second largest ground force in NATO.
The Turkish Army was involved in the Korean War, recurrent internal Kurdish conflicts, the division of Cyprus, and recently Syria. Its largest conflict to date, however, was the Turkish Independence War. In this confrontation, it fought Russia, Britain, Greece, France and Italy along its borders. It was one of the few larger powers to remain neutral until almost the end of World War II.
The British Armed Forces were organized in 1661 and have been involved in various conflicts including the Napoleonic Wars, Revolutionary War and both world wars. In fact, only 22 countries in the world were never invaded by British forces.
The British Army has had a significant presence in Northern Ireland and the Balkans. It stood beside the United States in the Gulf War in the 1990s. The army is a powerful force in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
The active duty force of the British military is over 190,000 strong, making it the second largest army in the European Union behind France. The U.K. has a defense budget of over $51 billion annually. Of the top ten military powers, it has the smallest number of active duty members but the fourth-largest budget, behind only the U.S., China, and India.
There are three branches of service. These are the Royal Navy, the British Army proper and the Royal Air Force, also known as RAF.
With nearly 750 aircraft and helicopters and around 5,500 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery, it is a viable force and an unwavering ally of the United States.
The Pakistan Armed Forces were founded in 1947, and comprises three service branches. It succeeded the former British Indian Army after the country gained independence the same year.
Pakistan’s military history includes recurrent conflicts with its bordering neighbors of Afghanistan and India, the Gulf War and Mogadishu, Somalia in the early 90s.
The country is part of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC). As such, it has been active against ISIL and other terrorist groups. Pakistan has also served as an ally to the United States in the Global War on Terrorism. It assisted in the fight against both Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and along its borders.
At the same time, the army maintains close ties with the Chinese military.
This volunteer army consists of an active duty force of over 650,000 personnel. Additional reserve forces are another 550,000 strong. Together, they make the Pakistan Armed Forces into one of the largest armies in the world.
Pakistan’s defense budget is around $11.5 billion. This may be the smallest budget of the top ten military powers, but still far exceeds the defense budget of most other countries around the world.
While on par with U.K. for naval craft, Pakistan boasts several hundred more aircraft and helicopters, over 9,000 tanks and armored vehicles, and a much larger amount of artillery pieces.
Israel maintains a conscript army. It is the only country in the world that requires military service from both male and female citizens with few exceptions.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were founded in 1948, but trace their roots to several paramilitary organizations active against the British while they held Palestine. Today, the IDF maintains an active duty force of over 170,000. In comparison, its reserves are enormous, evaluated at around 450,000.
Its fleet is fairly small, but the IDF can field considerable airpower and over 13,000 tanks and armored vehicles.
The Israeli military history includes the Arab-Israel War, the Six-Day War and numerous conflicts with Lebanon, the annexed Palestine, and frequent operations against Iran. As a whole, it is one of the most battle-tested armies of the world.
The United States remains one of Israel’s largest and closest allies, giving the IDF preferential access to new military technology. Israel’s defense budget clocks in at fully $20 billion.
Since its struggles during the World Wars, France does no longer enjoy the reputation of a military superpower. These perceptions aside, the numbers tell a different story.
France has a military of over 360,000 strong across the army, navy, air and space force and paramilitary branches. This makes it the largest army in the European Union by numbers. It is unique in letting foreign nationals serve in its forces – in the notorious and elite Foreign Legion. Unusually, the country’s police also form part of the French Armed Forces.
Compared to its one-time hereditary rival, the British Armed Forces, it commands more craft across almost all categories. The exception are some naval classes and artillery pieces. Its budget, however, is smaller than the U.K.’s, at $41 billion.
The North Korean People’s Army was established in 1939 and has an impressive size of more than 1,250,000 soldiers. When reserve unit numbers are added to this, estimates are more than seven million soldiers could be activated if needed. This makes the North Korean forces potentially the largest in the world.
Major conflicts in North Korea’s history are the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Tensions between North and South Korea still exist today. Technically, the conflict is a frozen one – it never officially ended between the two.
Its defense budget, at $1.6 billion, is nominally small. Much of its economy, however, is prepared for military use along a total war doctrine. Additionally, North Korea is a relatively close, though erratic, ally of China.
North Korea has confirmed its nuclear and chemical weapons capability in recent years with threats against various countries. This especially includes the United States, mainly for its alliance with South Korea. Over the last decade, it has also emerged as a cyber-war force to be reckoned with.
The Indian Army’s roots go back, with only minor interruptions, to the Stone Age. Today, it is the largest all-volunteer ground force in the world with nearly 1.5 million active duty soldiers. Reserves make up a force an additional 2 million strong.
India has never had to institute a draft to staff its ground force. The Indian Army – overlapping with the British Indian Army – was active in both world wars. Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces fought in conflicts for the country’s own independence. Border skirmishes with Pakistan are common in its history.
The Indian military consists of three branches as well as several paramilitary units, and operates on a budget of more than $61 billion. While its aircraft and helicopter as well as tank and armored vehicle numbers rank it solidly in the middle of the list, it has a relatively small naval fleet. India also has more than eighty nuclear warheads in its possession.
Russia has undergone numerous changes throughout its military history. This history dates back all the way to 863. The modern day army – the Russian Ground Force – arose in 1992, following on the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Previous Russian military organizations, including the Red Army, saw combat in regional conflicts, both World Wars and numerous Cold War operations. Before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was one of two superpowers in the world. By this point, it had surpassed the United States both in terms of the number of soldiers and nuclear weapons.
The Russian Ground Force draws its soldiers through a military draft. In principle, all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 33 serve for a period of 12 months. There are, however, many reasons for exception and deferral, and bribery is common.
Russia currently has over 1.2 million active duty military members and 2 million in reserves. It operates under a comparatively slim budget of more than $48 billion dollars. In terms of finances, only India, China and the U.S. are bigger spenders. Though its air force and ground capabilities are larger than China’s, the latter has been gaining rapidly, and China possesses a larger navy.
Russia also has the largest number of nuclear warheads in the world – nearly 8,000. This stock, though, is aging, and not all of it is combat-ready.
The People’s Liberation Army of China is the largest military in the world in absolute numbers. It numbers nearly 2.2 million soldiers, with a reserve over 500,000 strong. After significant cuts in forces a decade ago, numbers are again increasing.
The Chinese Army arose in 1927. It was active in the Sino-Japanese conflict, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
While technically service is a necessity for all men over the age of 18, China has never had to draft soldiers. There have always been more than enough Chinese men who have volunteered for military service to their country.
It has the second largest defense budget, at nearly $240 billion – a full $100 billion more than a decade ago. This corresponds roughly to the combined budget of all previous countries on this list. It also houses nuclear weapons, with estimates putting the number at around 350.
The United States military’s history dates back to 1775, where it arose out of rebel forces fighting the Revolutionary War. With over 1.4 million on active duty, it now has the third largest active duty force ranking behind China and India.
However, the defense budget is what really sets the U.S. apart from all other countries on the list. With a budget of over $750 billion, it exceeds all other military budgets on this list combined by nearly $250 billion, and China’s by over $500 billion.
The U.S. Army and its special forces have participated in every major world war, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and leads the Global War on Terrorism.
The modern day Army is an all-volunteer force, though drafts have been used for long periods. It maintains numerous permanent posts throughout the United States as well as Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Japan, Korea, and other countries.
Ranking only behind Russia in the total number of warheads, the U.S. has the largest number of active warheads in the world.
The U.S. also has the largest number of aircraft and helicopters by far with just under 14,000. It’s still comfortably ahead of China in the number of tanks and armored vehicles. Its air dominance also shows in its fleet, which is smaller than China’s, but features numerous aircraft carriers and supporting craft.
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In case you missed my point above.. War is about logistics. Not fighting... and if you dont understand that, then please refer to the sentence in my first post.
BEAR,I fully agree. It has been proved many times in history.
1st thing I agree it is not easy to destroy US in Us. But they cant attack and destroy any country as U think. In afghan u just gave up, no gvt is der wen u invade. still u r fighting nothing u got. In Pakisthan borders u stupids are firing up money and people, no use ISI is der to break ur bones. Ur economy is getting down day by day, by the next war u ll be pushed back. I think US wont interfere much when a war started by Nkorea and Skorea, coz u r up to the limit.
Well the Americans certainly can't afford to trust RAW (Indian Intelligence Agency).
Perhaps you should make MC the head of your think tanks and Intelligence Agencies.
Dumb fuke*s think they know better.... thanks to all the Bull Sh*tt the media feeds them.
If it wasn't for ISI and Pakistani army, U.S and Nato would have lost for sure in Afghanistan.
Aside international pressures on Pakistan to do "more", everyone knows the truth that we have serious stakes involved. And it goes in our absolute interest to fight and defeat the militants.
Why else would a nation be willing to sacrifice so many soldiers and civilian lives?
Making US and Nato fools .. they know that ISI is playing double game. RAW wont indulge in others issues (while that issues, terrorism is created by themselves :D )
ISI makes them loosing.
Not only defeat militants but also recruiting to PAK army? :D to kill your own ministers and gov (banaseer & Taseer etc etc).
u people are playing dreama with militants in swat. check this below.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/paks-dirty-double-game-nailed-isi-officially-supporting-taliban-insurgency_100379487.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/opinion/27tue1.html
http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/11/05/french_terrorism_official_on_pakistan_s_double_game
great creepy peoples.
Make that the FIRST sentence...lol
I think it's hilarious when stupid people comment in an intellectual battle.
"What exactly is the reason the U.S. has the “best” army?
Sure it is one of the most technically advanced armies, since they spend tons of money on it (which they don’t have), and fight a lot of wars (mostly for no reason), but they lose 9/10 wars they enter (even when they start it and pick the terrain)."
We've never lost a war. Excluding undeclared wars, world wars, and NATO battles --
1. American Revolution. Win.
2. Barbary Wars. Super win.
3. War of 1812. Believed by scholars and historians alike to be a DRAW.
4. Creek War. Win.
5. Texas Revolution. Ever heard of The Alamo? End of statement.
6. Mexican-American War. Win.
7. Civil-War. We won. Against our latter, hick selves. Honestly, it didn't turn out incredibly well in the end run.
8. Spanish-American War. Win.
9. Korean War. Win.
10. Vietnam War. Win. <- Say what you will, but the numbers speak for themselves.
11. Bay of Pigs. Win.
12. Invasion of Grenada. Win.
13. Invasion of Panama. Win.
14. Gulf War. Win.
15. Invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. Dude, fucking look up the statistics.
16. War on terrorism. We've captured pretty much every major terrorist offenders except the big man himself. Many believe him to be dead and unrecovered from bombings in the hills of Afghanistan, but some believe he's in Pakistan or farther.
Not to mention that superior funding = superior technology = superior efficiency.
See what a little research can do to boost your confidence? Thanks for that.
Bear, thanks a lot for the intelligent response... as opposed to the others. It's well appreciated.
pay a red tape clerk 70KK a year woot! top spending
Ever thought of opening a history book have you? Okay I don't hold anything against the US army but half the wars you stated were NOT won. The other half were either won with help from other countries or were against weaker states. You stated Vietnam and Korea as wins based on what? Number of casualties? If that was the case then WW2 was lost by the USSR. But was it? Instead the Red Army was the main reason why the Nazi resistance was broken. The toughest test the Americans faced against the Germans was the Battle of Bulge which was not half of what the Russians faced at Stalingrad. Bay of Pigs was an embarrassment for the US! The western front would not have existed were it not for the British. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone terribly wrong! The American Revolution? Well you owe the French BIG TIME for that. It wasn't just you guys.
And are you serious? Mexican war? Gulf war? You're really in a state of denial man. You have all the technology in the world which is, I agree, THE most essential component for a conventional war. But an army's might is, I believe, more reliably judged by discipline and tactics for unconventional methods - two things the Americans lag behind in. Sorry to burst your bubble. But I think the Americans are going to need A LOT of help if they face most of the countries mentioned in this list. As a fighting force, while I DO rate the Americans right at the top, other armies such as the British, Indian, Chinese, Israeli and Pakistani are right up there as some of them have equally good, if not better, tactical awareness and some go one better when it comes to fighting in unconventional circumstances e.g. the Chinese and Pakistani.
80% ok. but in Korean war you people lose a lot in north Korea. Even when u smell the failure u have no idea what s happening. u ran back and secure the north south korean border. After a long time u hav realized that chinese troop have dissolved in NKorean military, thats y u have to keep back. It was lik a draw in perceptive with start of war.
What is the source of above listing as i think apart from man power, fire power, command & control, tactics and technology the results are much more important and i think Pakistan should be rated 1 on this standard as they have +95% success rate. where as US have +95% failure drastically
ahh yeah, who tought the world BULLSHIT? You guessed end of list USA mummy gonna get you! Go UKingdom you stand us proud.
You guys are hilarious, it's like you're completely denying the facts just like every single religious person out there. If there are any intelligent retorts to my above statements, I'll be happy to comment back. I assume there won't be because how do you put logic forward to prove an impossible situation.
on which basis USA is no 1 ?????? on loosing war in Iraq and Afghanistan?????
India is defeated twice by Pakistan in 1948 and 1965 so India should be ranked behind Pakistan!!!
on these basis i reject these rankings!!!!
you cant say that.. usa has the enough power to kill every single person in iraq and afghanistan
what is the problem with everyone?please check an AUTHENTIC record before you say pakistan defeated india.Anyway pakistan was let go out of mercy by india.And china would have defeated pakistan too.
Poor Indians..... always in a state of denial.... Anyways, you are not to blame really.... Your media is!
Some one posted this VIDEO on youtube with pictures of areas conquered by Pakistan Army and Pakistani Flags (Star and Crescent) flying on top of Indian mornuments back in 1965 (when all was black and white) :-)
here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_unEiDHsnQ
Enjoy loosing!
Nice Editing... Who done this u people hired any us programmers or specialist to do this? U hav real media. ok we belive little boy :D dont yelp.. we ll show mercy for any one yelps at us. :D
http://wapedia.mobi/en/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1965
this is An UK site. not for Bloggers.
Actually the video I showed you was created by some studio and posted on Youtube on August 1947(If ony you could read/ understand English credentials). I dont have time for this unlike poor unemployed Indians with nothing better to do.
LOL! Ya I can see from the "Search Wikipedia" sign to realize how authentic your website is. The article you mentioned is copied from Wikipedia, you dumba*s!
Talk about high IQ! My a*s!
"Indians are "a slippery, treacherous people", said president Richard Nixon. "The Indians are bastards anyway. They are the most aggressive goddamn people around," echoed his assistant for national security affairs, Henry Kissinger. The setting: a White House meeting on July 16, 1971".
If you want to confirm authenticity, here are the references:
("Oh my Gosh! References without Wikipedia!!! How on earth did he do that?" thinks a typical MC-like Indian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/jun/29/india.usa
http://www.peopleforum.cn/redirect.php?tid=56333&goto=lastpost
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians_are_treacherous_people/articleshow/2164932.cms
Now .... Please dont tell me you believe everything the Americans say... Do You?
Look that you have come across Times of India. Our journals will tell the truth always as it is. We are free to move and GDP is high in recent years and yours r getting more end more worse.
http://www.news-world.us/pics/2010/08/22/60-worst-countries-in-the-world/
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/108176
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+in0189)
United library congress.. :D
ur brain activity is looo nab eeel
Low Brain Activity. Yes. I can see that. Like I said earlier.... its not your fault really, but of your govt and media. Poor brain-washed Indians.
You claim you won the war and conquered Lahore.... while I have lived the past 2 and a half decades of my life in the same city AS AN INDEPENDENT PAKISTANI
There is no arguing with you buffoons. You would become blind, deaf and dumb even if all the evidence lies right in front of you. Enjoy your day dream
@ Insane Nab:
U idiot it is not from our media. Check the link it is From US and their database results. U sting, how can i Tel u more? :D
@ MC: Indians are “a slippery, treacherous people”, said president Richard Nixon. “The Indians are bastards anyway. They are the most aggressive goddamn people around,” echoed his assistant for national security affairs, Henry Kissinger. The setting: a White House meeting on July 16, 1971″.
If you want to confirm authenticity, here are the references:
(“Oh my Gosh! References without Wikipedia!!! How on earth did he do that?” thinks a typical MC-like Indian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/jun/29/india.usa
http://www.peopleforum.cn/redirect.php?tid=56333&goto=lastpost
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians_are_treacherous_people/articleshow/2164932.cms
Now …. Please dont tell me you believe everything the Americans say… Do You?
Look that you have come across Times of India. Our journals will tell the truth always as it is. We are free to move and GDP is high in recent years and yours r getting more end more worse.
http://www.news-world.us/pics/2010/08/22/60-worst-countries-in-the-world/
1971 US tried to attach India when yahan khan ur general yelped for their mercy. Ussr Warned them, then they got off. Nixon was got ashamed causes the dispute. go and read the situations u poor brain.
Hey Nabeel.
How long you would like to live in the Day dream, your Army is not brave to figth in front. Not social to help your poor peoples.
You are living with Mercy of Indian Land. Your country Pakistan was part of India.
We have give you 52 crores at the time of partiation..
Look your peoples swept by floods, what army is doing ? Army & your Politician have one Agenda "Anti India" which they have succeed as I can see you are the follower of it. You are like Frong of well who know the world is limited to well.
COme out from your mentality ..., there are hundreds of videos where Indian soldier defeated your army.., just go check various sites..
Your miltary & weapons are on mercy of US whereas India is not now dependend on anyone developed its own Tech. Your Nuclear bomb developed scioentist is in custody of US. How long you Pakis will fool your self..
Look.... I dont have time and energy to answer every stupid comment posted by every stupid moron in the Indian Subcontinent.
Particulaly comments that I have previoulsy answered to! Scroll over the page to find your answers or continue with your buffoonery! Your choice!
@Nab thats cool better stay out with ur blah blah and vulgarities with out any source little p*nk..
yeah yogesh,
we know that indian army were brave in the kargal war, at that time your army calling for help
Day Dream comments R to be removed!!
What? No posts from Indians.... Coool!
I'm An INDIAN.
As PAKISTAN army is fighting against terrorism so PAKISTAN should be ranked no 1
Israel,India and USA should be kicked out of the list coz they are doing nothing just killing humans in Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan and Iraq !!!
pakistan & their militants are killing ordinary people (including their citizens and ministers) all over the world!
This is the correct order:
1. U.S.A
2. China
3. Russia
4. United Kingdom
5. Israel
CORRECT ORDER OF WORLD MILITARY:
1. U.S.A.
2. China
3. Russia
4. India
5. United Kingdon
I think you have forgot one army Sri Lankan Army(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Army).
They have defeated the LTTE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Tigers_of_Tamil_Eelam) terrorist that has been considered an top order terrorist organization. Probably the first and only country to defeat terrorism.
ya and that terrorist organisation LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) were armed, trained and supported by the corrupt Indian Mililtary and Army.
http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=V73N8js5ZgAC&pg=PA366&lpg=PA366&dq=Tamil+terrorists+supported+by+India&source=bl&ots=nGhZHRY091&sig=xvfrNVIluHg-Kayw_H0BHROwam8&hl=en&ei=yXR2Tf3PK4W6hAeK8MWIBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Tamil%20terrorists%20supported%20by%20India&f=false
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1542
This is definitely not new for India:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/700159/posts
Some people say that Chinese and Pakistani armies provided support and technical know-how to the SriLankan Army fighting these terrorist bastards, but i guess only a senior military person from Sri Lankan Army can confirm this.
Nabeel, you have fried your brain a lot to find such links which contains some few words specify India. LTTE is also got banned in India and fried up by Indian commandos after the Rajiv Ghandhi assassination. They have emerged because of the cruelty and marginalization in srilanka. But according to world, you are a great threat to human race.