The Russian army entered the top three strongest armies peace. The military of the Russian Federation was assessed on a par with other armies and shared the winner's podium with China and the United States. Typically, such ratings are compiled based on data from Global Firepower or Credit Suisse. The military power of each state is assessed according to various criteria; nuclear potential or its absence is not taken into account.

How to determine the real balance of power among states participating in military conflicts? When compiling a ranking of armies, parameters such as budget, army size, and number of weapons (armored vehicles, aircraft, aircraft carriers and submarines) are usually taken into account. The technical level of weapons affects the position on the list to a lesser extent, and it is almost never possible to assess the real combat capability of the army. Nuclear potential or lack thereof in this list were not taken into account. The place occupied was also influenced by the economic situation of the countries.

Global Firepower evaluates the military capabilities of more than one hundred countries using 50 different criteria. In 2016, the United States was first in the world in such parameters as the country with the largest military budget, the largest number of aircraft carriers and the largest fleet. Russia leads in the number of tanks (15 thousand) and nuclear warheads (8,484 units). China is ahead of everyone in terms of army size.

Not long ago, the National Interest magazine made a forecast for the combat power of the world's armies in 15 years. The analysis was carried out based on the following parameters: access to innovation and other important national resources, support from politicians and the ability of the armed forces to learn and improve in a peaceful environment. As a result, the top five most powerful armies, in their opinion, will include the armed forces of India, the USA, France, China and Russia.

This rating compiled by the American portal The Richest may raise some questions. For example, the Israeli army is inferior to Egypt by one position, mainly due to the number of soldiers and tanks. However, in all clashes, the first country always prevailed over the second, despite the numerical superiority. It is also strange that Iran, with its half a million soldiers, 1,500 tanks and 300 combat aircraft, is not included in the list. Our readers will probably have many more questions for the authors of this list.

15. Australia

Budget: $26.1 billion
Number of active troops: 58 thousand people
Tanks: 59
Aviation: 408
Submarines: 6
The Australian Army has a long and glorious history, it participated in both the First and Second World Wars as part of the British Empire. Australian military personnel consistently take part in all NATO operations. In accordance with national doctrine, Australia must be able to stand alone against external invasion. Situated on the edge of the world, with no particular rival neighbors, Australia is considered one of the safest countries, since land invasion is impossible. The Australian Defense Force is relatively small but technologically advanced. They are formed on professional basis only from Australian citizens, technically well equipped, there is a modern fleet and many combat helicopters. With a small number of personnel, but with a serious budget, the Australian Armed Forces are capable of deploying their troops to several locations simultaneously if necessary.

14. Germany

Budget: $40.2 billion
Number: 180 thousand people
Tanks: 408
Aviation: 663
Submarines: 4

After World War II, 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 of East and West Berlin, the authorities abandoned the doctrine of confrontation and sharply reduced investments in defense. Apparently, this is why in the Credit Suisse rating, for example, the armed forces of the GDR were behind even Poland (and Poland is not included in this rating at all). At the same time, Berlin actively sponsors its eastern NATO allies. After 1945 Germany was never directly involved in major operations, but they sent troops to their allies in support during civil war in Ethiopia, the Angolan civil war, the Bosnian war and the war in Afghanistan.
Whenever we hear about the German military, it is somehow impossible not to remember Adolf Hitler, who was responsible for the death of about 6 million Jews and many millions of people of other nations...
The Germans today have few submarines and not a single aircraft carrier. The German army has a record number of inexperienced young soldiers, making it weaker; They are now planning to restructure their strategy and introduce new processes for recruitment.

13. Italy

Budget: $34 billion
Number of active army: 320 thousand people.
Tanks: 586
Aviation: 760
Submarines: 6

The totality of the military forces of the Italian Republic intended to protect the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of the state. Consists of the ground forces, navy, air force and carabinieri corps.
Italy did not directly participate in armed conflicts in any countries Lately, but is always involved in peacekeeping missions and deployed troops in the war on terrorism.

Weak during World War II, the Italian Army currently owns two active aircraft carriers, where a large number of helicopters; they have submarines, which allows them to be included in the list of the most powerful armies. Italy is not at war now, but is an active member of the UN and willingly transfers its troops to countries that ask for help.

12. UK

Budget: $60.5 billion
Number of active army: 147 thousand.
Tanks: 407
Aviation: 936
Submarines: 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. After World War II, Great Britain had three big wars with Iceland, which were not victorious for England - it was defeated, which allowed Iceland to expand its territories.

The United Kingdom once ruled more than half the world, including India, New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, but the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has become much weaker over time. The UK's military budget has been cut due to BREXIT and they are planning to reduce the number of their soldiers between now and 2018.

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.

11. Israel

Budget: $17 billion
Number: 160 thousand.
Tanks: 4,170
Aviation: 684
Submarines: 5

The main enemy of the Arabs, Israel has been fighting for its independence since 1947; it is constantly in a continuous war with Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and other Arab countries.
Israel has won five straight victories in previous wars against Hamas and Palestine since 2000, with heavy US military support.
A country that is not recognized by 31 countries (of which 18 are Arab) is still fighting against its enemies. By law, all Israeli citizens, including those with dual citizenship and those living in another country, as well as all permanent residents of the state, upon reaching 18 years of age, are subject to conscription for service in the IDF. The term of military service is 36 months - 3 years (32 months for combat units), for women - 24 months (2 years). After the end of regular service, all privates and officers may be called up annually for reservist training for up to 45 days.

The most strong point IDF - use of technology in modernizing its missile defense systems. The army consists of 3 types of armed forces: ground, air force and naval. The implementation of the decision to create a fourth type of armed forces - cyber forces - has begun. Business card IDF - female soldiers who have proven that the weaker sex with a machine gun is no less effective than the stronger. Not to mention the fact that, according to unverified data, Israel has about 80 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.

Israel is traditionally the most undervalued participant in the Credit Suisse rating. The IDF won all the conflicts in which it participated, and often the Israelis had to fight on several fronts against an enemy many times larger than them. In addition to the huge amount of the latest offensive and defensive weapons of its own design, the rating does not take into account the fact that the country has several hundred thousand reservists with combat experience and high motivation.

10. Egypt

Budget: $4.4 billion
Army size: 468 thousand.
Tanks: 4,624
Aviation: 1,107
Submarines: 4

Having fought on the side of the Arab alliance against Israel in 4 wars, Egypt has never fought major battles against any other countries, but has participated several times in operations against the ISIS terrorist groups. Just like in Israel, military service is obligatory for Egyptian men, they happen to be 9 years old. Today, Egypt is trying to maintain peace in its own country and fight the war on terrorism.

The Egyptian army was ranked due to its numbers and quantity of equipment, although, as the Yom Kippur War showed, even a threefold superiority in tanks is offset by high combat skills and the technical level of weapons. As of 2014, contracts for total amount more than $3 billion for the supply from the Russian Federation of 24 MiG-29m/m2 fighters, air defense systems, anti-tank Kornet, combat helicopters: Ka-25, Mi-28 and Mi-25, Mi-35. Light weapons. Coastal anti-ship systems. All contracts began after the suspension of military and financial assistance to Egypt from the United States. At the same time, it is known that about a thousand “Abrams” of the Egyptian Armed Forces are simply mothballed in warehouses. If Cairo acquires Mistral-class helicopter carriers and combat helicopters for them, this will make Egypt a truly serious military force.

9. Pakistan

Budget: $7 billion
Number of active army: 617 thousand.
Tanks: 2,924
Aviation: 914
Submarines: 8

The first major war was fought in 1965 against the largest enemy - India, military operations were quite successful, India withdrew its troops. The second war was due to domestic policy East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), when the Indian army took revenge for 1965 and played its cards, breaking the country into two parts. Pakistan has not yet reached an agreement on 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 engaged in an arms race.

The Pakistani army is one of the largest in the world, it has many tanks and aircraft, and the United States supports Islamabad with equipment. The main threat is internal; local leaders and the Taliban rule in hard-to-reach areas of the country. Pakistan has ballistic missiles medium-range and about a hundred nuclear warheads. Packs have unlimited love and respect for their armed forces, and often seek justice from the army (instead of the courts and government). Pakistan is said to have friendly relations with superpowers including the US, China and Turkey, which are always ready to support them. Recently, joint military exercises with the Russian army have made the Pakistani military much stronger, although its biggest enemy India was supported by Russia in previous wars against Pakistan.

8. Türkiye

Budget: $18.2 billion
Number of active army: 410, 500 thousand.
Tanks: 3,778
Aviation: 1,020
Submarines: 13

Türkiye is an active member of the UN; she took part in the Korean War between China and Korea. They fought two major battles with Cyprus in 1964 and 1974 and won, occupying 36.2% of the territory of Cyprus. They are still involved in the ongoing wars in Afghanistan against the Taliban and ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Türkiye claims to be a regional leader, so it is constantly building up and updating its armed forces. A huge number of tanks, aircraft and a large modern fleet (though without aircraft carriers) allow the Turkish army to be considered the strongest among the Muslim countries of the Middle East.
The half-European, half-Asian power, which has the second largest army in NATO after the United States, is one of the best trained military forces in the world. Turkey owns a treasure trove of more than 200 F-16 aircraft, its second largest fleet after the United States. Despite the presence of a large number of well-trained military personnel, the Turkish Armed Forces are not particularly popular among the people. When the military attempted a coup in early 2016, it was defeated by ordinary citizens who took to the streets and restored the elected government.

7. France

Budget: $62.3 billion
Number of active army: 205 thousand.
Tanks: 623
Aviation: 1,264
Submarines: 10

France is one of the few countries whose armed forces have almost the full range of modern weapons and military equipment own production - from small arms to attack nuclear aircraft carriers (which, besides France, only the United States has). France is the only country (other than Russia) that owns a radar guided missile system.
The military history of France lasts more than 3000 years. France took part in the First and Second World Wars and faced major defeats. Other major events military history this country: the French-Thai war, the Tunisian war of independence, the Algerian war of independence in 1954-1962. After this, France did not participate in major battles, but sent its troops to the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The French army is still the main military force in Africa and continues to actively intervene in local conflicts.

In 2015, the reform of the armed forces, begun in 1996, was completed in France. As part of this reform, conscription was abolished and a transition to a mercenary army, less numerous but more effective, took place. The overall strength of the French armed forces was significantly reduced.
The nuclear attack aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was recently commissioned. Currently, France has approximately 300 strategic nuclear warheads, which are located on nuclear submarines. There are also 60 tactical warheads.

6. South Korea

Budget: $62.3 billion
Number of active army: 625 thousand.
Tanks: 2,381
Aviation: 1,412
Submarines: 13
The main war in which this country participated was the Korean War in 1950. Often this conflict of times cold war is considered as a proxy war between the United States and its allies and the forces of the People's Republic of China and the USSR. The northern coalition included: North Korea and its armed forces; the Chinese army (since it was officially believed that the PRC did not participate in the conflict, regular Chinese troops were formally considered units of the so-called “Chinese people’s volunteers”); The USSR, which also did not officially participate in the war, but largely took over its financing, as well as supplying Chinese troops. Numerous military advisers and specialists were recalled from North Korea even before the start of the war, and during the war they were sent back under the guise of TASS correspondents. From the South, South Korea, the USA, Great Britain and a number of other countries took part in the war as part of the UN peacekeeping forces. Interestingly, China uses the name “War against America to support the Korean people.” In 1952-53, a lot changed in the world (a new president in the USA, the death of Stalin, etc.), and the war ended with a truce.

Armed forces South Korea highly reinforced by the US Armed Forces, which makes them stronger. South Korea retains numerous armed forces, although in terms of quantitative indicators in everything except aviation, it continues to lose to its main potential enemy, the DPRK. The difference, of course, is in the technological level. Seoul has its own and Western latest developments, Pyongyang has Soviet technology 50 years ago.

Interestingly, North Korea is considered the leader in the number of submarines (35th place in the Global Firepower ranking), which has 78 units. However, it is noted that they are almost completely unusable. A third of North Korea's submarines are noisy Romeo diesels, which were obsolete in 1961.

5. India

Budget: $51 billion
Number of active army: 1,408,551
Tanks: 6,464
Aviation: 1,905
Submarines: 15
Currently, India is confidently among the top ten world powers in terms of its military potential. India's armed forces are inferior to the armies of the US, Russia and China, they are strong and numerous. Speaking about the Indian armed forces, it is worth remembering that India is the world's largest importer of weapons (as of 2012), and also possesses nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. In addition to the direct armed forces, India has a variety of paramilitary forces, which serve more than a million people: national security forces, special border forces, special paramilitary forces. The fact that India has approximately a hundred nuclear warheads, three aircraft carriers and two nuclear submarines in service makes it the fifth most powerful country.

4. Japan

Budget: $41.6 billion
Number of active army: 247, 173
Tanks: 678
Aviation: 1,613
Submarines: 16

Last battle World War II was a nightmare for Japan, which suffered a nuclear attack from the United States. After defeat in World War II Imperial Army Japan was dissolved, and military factories and educational establishments closed. The occupation authorities even banned martial arts. There was also a ban on the manufacture of Japanese swords, which lasted until 1953. In 1947, the Constitution of Japan was adopted, which legally enshrined Japan's refusal to participate in military conflicts. The only country that suffered from nuclear attacks is not allowed to create its own army.

However, already during the period of the American occupation, the creation of armed formations began: in 1950, a reserve police corps was created; it was converted into a security corps in 1952, becoming the Japan Self-Defense Forces in 1954. The Japan Self-Defense Forces is the modern name for the Japanese armed forces. The armed forces include: ground forces, sea and air self-defense forces of Japan. It can be argued that today Japan has very large and relatively modern armed forces, quite powerful in the Asia-Pacific region and capable of solving almost any problem. On September 19, 2015, the Japanese Diet authorized the use of the Self-Defense Forces to participate in military conflicts abroad.

Japan's high-tech military is equipped with cutting-edge gadgets and the latest weapons, making them one of the strongest on this list. Japan recently deployed troops to South Sudan for the first time since World War II as part of UN peacekeeping missions. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces have 4 helicopter carriers and 9 destroyers. However, Japan does not have nuclear weapons and this, coupled with a small number of tanks, makes some experts think that the position of this army is overestimated.

3. Russia

Budget: $84.5 billion
Number of active army: 766,033
Tanks: 15,398
Aviation: 3,429
Submarines: 55

It would be disrespectful to Russian military history to try to retell it in one paragraph.
The great power has just under a million military personnel. The Russian ground army is rightfully considered the most powerful in the whole world, which is provided with the latest military equipment. The budget allocated by the state for the needs of the army, production and purchase of military equipment is more than 84 billion dollars. The air force includes over 3 thousand aircraft. The navy is no less equipped, consisting of 55 submarines and 1 aircraft carrier. The country has more than 8 thousand nuclear warheads and 15 thousand armored vehicles in stock.
Syria has demonstrated once again that Russia rightly continues to hold a firm place among the strongest, as many experts believe. The Russian Armed Forces are second only to China in terms of the number of submarines. And if the rumors about China's secret nuclear stockpile are not true, then it is far ahead in this area. It is believed that Russia's strategic nuclear forces have about 350 delivery vehicles and about 2 thousand nuclear warheads. The number of tactical nuclear warheads is unknown and could be several thousand.
One of the three most powerful and experienced armies in the world, the Russian army is a great threat to China and the United States. Russia is constantly investing in its military budget and producing the latest aircraft, helicopters and ammunition. By 2020, Russia plans to add six more army air bases to the existing eight. In addition, more than a thousand new helicopters are planned to be put into operation.

2. China

Budget: $216 billion
Number of active army: 2,333,000
Tanks: 9,150
Aviation: 2,860
Submarines: 67

Chinese People's Liberation Army - official name the armed forces of the People's Republic of China, the largest in number in the world. China is the most populous country in the world with the largest number soldier; Approximately 2,333,000 people serve (this is only 0.18% of the country's population). China increases its military budget by 12% every year to become a superpower and counter the US. The legislation provides for military service for men from 18 years of age; Volunteers are accepted up to 49 years of age. The age limit for an Army Reserve member is 50 years. The armed forces of the People's Republic of China are divided into five military command zones and three fleets, organized according to territorial principles: east, north, west, south and center.

After the surrender of Japan, the USSR transferred captured weapons to the Kwantung Army to the PLA: ships of the Sungari River Flotilla, 861 aircraft, 600 tanks, artillery, mortars, 1,200 machine guns, as well as small arms, ammunition and other military equipment.

Chinese officials say that in the course of weapons development, China does not exceed the feasible level that the economy and society can withstand, and certainly does not strive for an arms race. However, Chinese defense spending increased sharply in 2001-2009.

The second economy in the world has the largest active army, but in terms of the number of tanks, planes 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 is known, China keeps several hundred nuclear warheads on alert. However, some believe that in reality the PRC may have several thousand warheads, but this information is classified.

1. USA

Budget: $601 billion
Number of troops: 1,400,000
Tanks: 8,848
Aviation: 13,892
Submarines: 72

The United States has been directly or indirectly involved in almost every war that has occurred on planet Earth since the discovery of America. The US military budget is comparable to previous countries in the ranking. The Navy has 10 powerful aircraft carriers, half of which are considered the largest in the world. The superpower has 1.4 million military personnel in reserve. A third of the country's gross income goes to the development of the army and military equipment - this is about 600 billion dollars. U American soldiers We have the most modern military equipment at our disposal, which is periodically updated. The United States has a nuclear potential that includes 7.5 thousand nuclear warheads. The country is also famous for its tanks, and their armored vehicles number more than 8 thousand units. The state also has the largest air force in the world, which numbers about 13,682 aircraft.

Some experts say that the US can never be captured as it has the strongest navy with maximum number ships and submarines. The American army owns about 15 million hectares of land throughout the United States and the Americans have their military bases almost all over the world (there are at least 158 ​​of them). In 2011, an Army Newsletter reported that they estimated that they wasted about 22 gallons of fuel per day per soldier.

The US invests billions of dollars in the development of the latest military technologies, thanks to which the US remains a leader in the field, for example, robotics. Recently, the US Army has been looking to create new cyber corps and increase soldiers in the cyber crime department. Their responsibility will be to ensure the security of networks and information systems databases and protect against cyber attacks.

With the advent of the first state, the army became one of the main components of its independence and the security of citizens. The diplomatic part, as well as the allies on the map, are also important, but if you look at the history textbook, you will see that they are of little help in military conflicts. And as I said Alexander III: “We have only two faithful allies - the Russian army and navy.” This statement, naturally, is true not only for our country, but also for other powers. Today's political map of the world has more than 160 military personnel state entities, differing from each other in numbers, weapons, some doctrines and their history.

The famous commander Napoleon often said that a large army is always right, but today's realities dictate their own rules. So, these days there are slightly different concepts of strength and superiority over the enemy. Here, not only the number of troops is taken into account, but also the efficiency of equipment with the level of training of personnel, as well as their motivation.

The most powerful armies in the world

A modern army is far from a cheap pleasure, and mass conscription alone is not enough. One tank or helicopter costs tens and sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars, and only wealthy powers can fork out for such expensive equipment.

Very often in the media, and in any other discussion fields, you can hear arguments about whose army is the strongest. This formulation of the question is not entirely correct, because to verify someone’s assertion, a full-scale war would be needed. And in theory, we have a large number of factors that show the advantage or weakness of a particular army.

Let's try to make a rating of the most powerful armies in the world, which would include countries that are superior to their opponents in numbers, equipment and funding. We will also take into account the development of the military-industrial complex (military-industrial complex) and remarkable army traditions. When considering each participant in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world, the nuclear factor was not taken into account, so we will determine strength according to the old Slavic principle - “wall to wall.” By the way, the presence of weapons of mass destruction still keeps most large states from military conflicts, because war can lead not just to losses, but to the destruction of our planet.

1. Russia.
2. China.
3. India.
4. South Korea.
5. Japan.
6. Türkiye.
7. Great Britain.
8. France.
9. Germany.

Let's take a closer look at the participants.

Germany

The Bundeswehr comes last in the ranking of the world's armies in terms of combat effectiveness. Germany has ground, air and medical forces. The number of troops fluctuates around 190 thousand fighters, and the entire German army consists of professional mercenaries, and the state budget includes a significant expenditure item of $45 billion.

Despite such a seemingly modest number of troops compared to other participants in the rating best armies world, the German military forces are provided with the latest weapons, have excellent combat training and unshakable military traditions that can only be envied. The Germans could be higher on the list, but foreign policy The country is relatively peaceful. Here, apparently, a significant role was played by the fact that they already fought quite a lot in the last century. In the ranking of the world's armies from Global Firepower, Germany shares its place with France and Great Britain from year to year.

France

Despite its “romanticism,” the republic can stand up for itself if something happens. France found itself in ninth position in the ranking of the world's armies thanks to its rich military traditions, impressive military-industrial complex and considerable number of troops - about 230 thousand soldiers.

To maintain the army, the country's budget includes a line item of $44 billion. The French military-industrial complex is able to provide its troops with everything they need - from pistols to tanks and orbital satellites. The country of romantics, like Germany, does not seek to solve external problems with the help of the army. In addition, it does not have any significant conflicts, as well as disputed territories.

Great Britain

Great Britain is in eighth position in the ranking of world armies. This country, with the help of smart politicians and generals, was a world military power that everyone took into account. But that was a long time ago, and current realities have not turned out in the best way for her.

The number of British troops fluctuates around 190 thousand fighters, and the state budget includes expenditure items of more than $50 billion. The British have a completely decent military-industrial complex, which gives the army everything it needs: pistols, machine guns, tanks, helicopters, planes, satellites and a fleet. By the way, the latter is not much inferior to the United States in terms of tonnage and equipment.

The UK is involved in most of the conflicts where the Americans conduct operations (the Middle East), so the soldiers have plenty of experience to gain from.

Türkiye

Turkey, which is ambiguous in this regard, is in seventh position in the ranking of world armies. Its military formations are considered the strongest in the Middle East. It is not surprising: the descendants of the Janissaries, who were always looking for war, created a powerful military machine with a high-quality component that could well compete with the Israeli army.

The number of troops fluctuates around 510 thousand fighters, but, unlike other countries, the state has budgeted a modest $20 billion for the military-industrial complex. Turkish army distinguished itself by the presence of a large number ground equipment- about 3,400 units of armored vehicles, and operational combat aircraft - about 1,000 pairs of wings. In addition, Türkiye has a fairly impressive fleet on the Black Sea.

Japan

Japan is in sixth position in the ranking of world armies. In general, the Land of the Rising Sun does not seem to have its own army at all. This function is performed by regular self-defense forces. Despite such a seemingly modest name, this military formation has more than 250 thousand fighters.

The Japanese have a solid air force, ground forces and an excellent navy. The latter is considered one of the best in the whole world. The Japanese army has about 1,600 aircraft, 700 tanks, more than a dozen submarines and steam large aircraft carriers. The budget includes about $47 billion for military needs, which is quite enough and comparable to the size of the Armed Forces.

South Korea

The fifth position in the ranking of world armies is occupied by the Republic of Korea. The number of regular state troops fluctuates around 630 thousand fighters. The country has been at war with Pyongyang for several decades now, and some peace agreements and treaties cannot stop the military clashes between the parties.

In such a situation, the South Korean army must always be in full combat readiness, so training, discipline and the quality of conscription in the country are given Special attention. The state spends more than $34 billion on military needs. The Republic of Korea is largely devoted to and reveres the United States, so it does not experience any special problems with either additional funding or providing for the army military equipment and small arms.

India

The country of elephants and tea - India - is in fourth position in the ranking of world armies. This is a state with a high population density and a fairly rapidly developing economy, as well as a military-industrial complex. More than $50 billion is spent from the budget to provide an army of 1.3 million soldiers.

India has many territorial disputes with its neighbors Beijing and Islamabad, so the armed forces have to always be on alert. During the Soviet era, Indians purchased weapons from us, but after all the coups and economic torment, the government decided to give preference to Western models. In addition, the Indian government has outlined large-scale reforms, which also imply the development of its military-industrial complex, so preference is given to suppliers who are ready to open their production on their territory.

China

In third place in the ranking of the world's armies is the PLA from the Middle Kingdom (People's Liberation Army of China). Here the fighters, as they say, press with numbers. According to the most rough estimates, the size of the Chinese army ranges from 2 to 2.5 million people, and this is the largest military formation on the planet.

In order to feed such a horde, the country’s budget includes items worth more than $120 billion. China strives to top this rating, but, alas, it cannot be taken by numbers alone. A good half of all the equipment that is in service is already old and is breaking down. The purchase of a new one requires substantial financial expenditure, as well as the opening and development of one’s own production capacity. Therefore, the Chinese government is very close “friends” with Russia and receives a good discount on weapons.

Russia

Despite the “silver” rating, the domestic Armed Forces are superior in many respects not only to the named participants in the rating, but also to its leader. As for numbers, here we are only in fifth place with 800 thousand personnel. More than $75 billion is spent annually on the Russian army.

The Russian Armed Forces boast the most powerful ground forces in the world. More than 15 thousand tanks, a huge number of operational armored vehicles and helicopters different classes- from medical rescue to military tactical models.

The Russian Air Force has almost 4 thousand aircraft in service various types and appointments. Our strategic bombers pose a particular danger to other states. They are capable of delivering any targeted strikes, including nuclear ones, at a distance of thousands of kilometers from their home base.

In addition, Russia has distinguished itself with a powerful navy, where only submarines with an impeccably trained crew instill fear in the ships of potential enemies and allies. Despite the venerable age of the surface forces and combat units outdated since the times of the USSR, the government has budgeted large sums for updating equipment, and in the near future the situation will change for the better for us. It should also be noted that the country’s military-industrial complex does not depend on third-party developers and manufacturers - war machine Russia is completely autonomous.

USA

The United States of America is in first place in our ranking. In terms of troop numbers, America is second only to China - 1.3 million personnel. One of the most significant factors that any general in another country would envy is the budget of the US Army - $612 billion!

This funding made it possible to equip American army the most advanced technologies: the latest weapons, equipping fighters with modern gadgets for high-quality combat in any conditions, as well as an enviable salary and pension for contract soldiers. Such an attitude towards the army and its needs contributes to the introduction of its troops almost anywhere on the planet and conducting several military campaigns there at once.

The United States also has one of the most powerful fleets in the world: about 10 aircraft carrier groups, about 80 submarines, as well as a large number of aircraft and auxiliary vessels attached to them. American defense enterprises attract the best specialists to work. They are developing not only the latest laser and robotic equipment for the army - there are breakthroughs in the medical military environment: prosthetics, “smart” suits that can significantly increase the army potential of a soldier, and other technological areas.

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

Hypothetically, compare armies different countries world and figuring out which one is the strongest is impossible. However, without leading to bloodbath, we will try to get an idea of ​​the military power of countries, taking into account: the arsenal at their 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 most powerful armies in the world.

The most strong armies peace

10. Japan

9. South Korea

7. Germany

6. France

5. UK

According to official data, China's defense budget is $126 billion, and in the near future this amount may increase by another 12.2%. The Chinese army is impressive in size, with 2.285 million active front-line personnel and another 2.3 million reservists - the largest in the world ground troops, which, at the same time, operate with 25,000 ground vehicles. Chinese aviation consists of 2,800 aircraft. China also has about 300 nuclear weapons at its disposal. Taking all this into account, we can say that China rightfully occupies third place in our ranking of the most powerful countries in the world.

1. United States of America

Simply because many of the most powerful armed forces on the world stage have nuclear weapons, and the third World War, if it happens, as we know, it will be nuclear. Unless, of course, we can call global strikes that will automatically occur within an hour war, if suddenly someone presses the red button first.

However, experts assess the power of the armies of different countries using the so-called global fire potential index, which includes more than 50 different factors. The most significant of them are the number of soldiers, equipment and military budget, as well as geographical location. After all, not all countries have access to the sea, which means they do not have a navy.

OKHRANA.RU, based on data from open sources, has prepared the top 5 most powerful armies in the world. Who is the strongest in the world?

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GREAT BRITAIN

Good old England! Once the strongest empire in the world and the mistress of all seas, today it remains one of the most powerful military powers in the world, although it lost dominance over the water element a long time ago. The considerable budget of 53 billion dollars for the maintenance of the armed forces, the number of personnel of 200 thousand people and the possession of all types of weapons inspires respect even among NATO partners. Today, England is carrying out a large-scale military reform, which is based on the thesis that after the collapse of the USSR, the threat of a new global war does not exist, therefore, since 2010, the optimization that began has been systematically reducing the cost of maintaining the armed forces. Despite this, Britain remains a power focused on participating in local conflicts around the world, which undoubtedly worries other countries.

INDIA

Poor neighborhoods and dirty kids swimming in troubled waters Ganga - a typical picture of modern Delhi can be deeply misleading to those who consider India to be an underdeveloped country militarily. Incredibly, this economically lagging country was able to surpass almost all Western countries in army development. The number of Indian Armed Forces is one million three hundred thousand people! The annual budget for the army is 46 billion! In addition, India has nuclear weapons and a navy, which greatly increases its combat capability. Delhi has been the largest buyer of weapons from Russia for many years, in addition, our countries are conducting a number of joint developments of unique weapons, such as the Brahmos missile or the FGFA fighter. Many Western powers still regard India as a “third world country,” while before everyone’s eyes it is turning into a “superpower” whose main enemy is no longer Pakistan or Bangladesh, but, excuse me, ancient and powerful China.

CHINA

It is known that the worldview of the average average Chinese is fundamentally different from that of Europe. Our eastern partners see life as a thousand-year cycle, and not in the light of our common expression - “there is only one life, we must enjoy it here and now.” Therefore, China is still a mystery to the world - no one knows what to expect from it. In this context, the figures of the military power of the Celestial Empire look especially scary: now there are six million soldiers in the Armed Forces! In case of war, the country is able to mobilize another five percent of the population, and then the Chinese army will grow to 60 million people! At the same time, China is also a nuclear power, which does not prevent it from having the second-largest defense budget in the world - $126 billion, as well as an extensive network of industrial spies that allow Beijing to copy the best military models of other countries, including Russia.

The approximate equality of Russia and the United States and the lag of China (with the obvious numerical superiority of the latter’s army) is explained by the quantity and quality of nuclear deterrent forces. In the event of a direct military clash, only the Russian Federation and the United States have a sufficient number of warheads and their delivery systems for mutually assured destruction. For reference, according to SIPRI, the USA - 7260 warheads, Russia - 7500, China - 260.

RUSSIA

Arguing about whose army is stronger today—Russia or the United States—is a pointless exercise. On the one hand, our country has clearly demonstrated its potential in Syria, which has puzzled NATO generals a lot. Everyone also remembers the stories about the crew of an American destroyer praying to God, over which our fighters playfully flew a little lower than usual. But objectively speaking, America’s military budget and potential are greater today. At the same time, the Russian army is considered the most powerful ground force in the world. We have the largest and strongest navy, and, importantly, 60 modern nuclear submarines. By the way, the Russian Federation surpasses the United States in the numbers of heavy military equipment, for example, tanks. And “Armata” at the Parade on Red Square, I think, is still a dream for “Western partners”.

Now composition Russian army- about a million people. At the same time, our armed forces have become much more professional - conscripts serve for a year, and the foundation of the army is cemented by contract soldiers. The defense budget is about 80 billion dollars. With all the accusations of militarization of Russia, it is enough to look at the size of the American military budget to understand how much Russia is ahead of the same States in love for peace - at a deep ideological level.

USA

Who is America going to fight with, given the 613 billion budget for the army and the number of personnel of one and a half million people and 700 thousand reservists - a rhetorical question and at the same time an open secret. It seems that the United States today is present in all the conflicts that occur on the planet. Quite officially and tangible, or invisibly, which does not change the essence - the United States in modern world This is the most aggressive state. At the same time, it is clear that, in fact, American territories can only be physically threatened by a nuclear attack.

It is obvious that today, in terms of its unpredictability and visual aggressiveness, the most dangerous army on the planet is the US Armed Forces. Experts suggest that, perhaps, in the coming years, the United States will overtake China in terms of numbers and budget. But socialist China does not need to “bring democratic values ​​to the world.” And this inspires cautious optimism. However, today in Russia, which already has a professional, strong, modern army, there is simply no point in being afraid of anyone.

By the way, "occupied" Russian troops Ukraine occupies only 25th place in the “firepower” ranking; now it is clear why experts laugh out loud when they hear from Ukrainian leaders that Kyiv is at war with Moscow.

The Turkish army, unlike our neighbors, is one of the top 10 armies in the world with 660 thousand personnel and a budget of 25 billion a year, but with actions like the sneaking down of a Russian plane, both the army and the country in general have discredited itself in the eyes of the whole world.

We may be concerned about cunning Japan. Despite the fact that, according to its Constitution, Japan cannot have full-fledged armed forces, they exist, and moreover, in many respects they are ahead in their development of the armies of less peace-loving states.

The most “harmless” army is Germany. According to the main military doctrine of this country, its armed forces are focused on peacekeeping missions and participation in various coalitions. That is, the Germans can only fight with those who are obviously weaker. But no one will ever dare to write Germany off.

It is also worth emphasizing to our readers that although the “firepower” rating is currently recognized as one of the most truthful, experts say that it is not entirely correct. There is a lot of classified information that he simply cannot take into account, and according to some objective criteria he is not always correct. In particular, the distribution of places in the ranking between Russia and the United States raises many questions. It seems that according to objective figures, the United States is more powerful, but this is not quite enough to indiscriminately assign the United States the unconditional first place in the world in military power.

A powerful and combat-ready army is the key to a country’s significant weight in the international arena. Moreover, in connection with the well-known events in Syria and Ukraine, the closest attention is increasingly being paid to the military power of different countries. Many people ask the question: “Who will win the world war?”

Today we present the annually updated, official ranking of world armies, V full list included the most powerful armies in the world in 2018.

The top 10 was compiled according to data from a specialized resource.

• number of armies of the world (regular number of troops, reservists)
• weapons (airplanes, helicopters, tanks, navy, artillery, other equipment)
• military budget,
• resource availability, geographical location,
• logistics.

Nuclear potential is not taken into account by experts, but those recognized receive an advantage in ranking.

In 2018, the rating included136 countries. New to the list are Ireland (116th), Montenegro (121st) and Liberia(135 position).

By the way, San Marino has the weakest army in the world in 2018 - only 84 people.

Germany's military budget increased from 45 to 46 billion dollars. At the same time, the number of military personnel decreased - from186 up to 178 thousand people. The German army is completely professional, i.e. There has been no compulsory conscription in the country since 2011.

9. Turkish Armed Forces

In the past, the country of luxurious beaches and beautiful tomatoes ranked eighth in the top armies of the world. The number of its armed forces is 350 thousand people, and its military budget is 10.2 billion dollars.

8. Japan Self-Defense Forces

A country Rising Sun worsened its military performance and dropped one place in the list of the best armies in the world. The military budget decreased from 49 to 44 billion dollars, but the number of military personnel did not change - over 247 thousand people.

7. South Korean Army

Compared to the previous ranking, South Korea “jumped” from 10th to 7th place. There are 625 thousand military personnel serving in the Korean army. The eternal rival, North Korea, has 945 thousand soldiers. And South Korea's defense budget is $40 billion.

6. British Army

Although the country's position on the list has not changed, it has improved its performance in terms of army size (197 thousand people versus 188 thousand people). However, it still remains the smallest army in the ranking.

England's military budget decreased compared to 2017 from 55 to 50 billion dollars.

5. French Army

The French army, which opened the top 5 most powerful armies world, is small in number. Currently, 205 thousand people serve in it. At the same time, the country's defense budget is $40 billion.

4. Indian Armed Forces

The country's military budget is $47 billion. The number of Indian armed forces is 1,362,000 people, the country's army is the third largest in the world.

3. Chinese Army

The Celestial Empire has the largest human military force in the ranking of armies in the world. It employs 2,183,000 people. According to Wikipedia, there are 1.71 military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom. And China’s military budget is huge, comparable to the army - $151 billion (increased from $126 billion compared to 2017).

2. Russian Army

The Russian armed forces are superior to almost all armies of the world in terms of weapons power in all branches of the military - air, ground and sea. The size of the Russian army for 2018 is 1,013,000 people. The military budget is $47 billion. Among the superpowers, Russia has a very high rate of the number of military personnel per 1000 inhabitants - 5.3 people.

1. US Army

The most powerful army in the world, according to Globalfirepower, American. By the way, it is not the largest in terms of numbers, but the most powerful in terms of available weapons, including nuclear potential, which is not taken into account by experts. The size of the US Army is 1,281,900 people, and the defense budget is 647 billion.dollars.

Comparison table of armies of the world (Infographics)

No matter how armed the army is, the morale of the soldiers will play an important role in winning a world war. In this regard, it is a big mistake to consider the current distribution of seats to be absolutely correct.