The most powerful and strongest armies in the world. Rating of the strongest armies in the world 10 strongest countries in the world

The army is an integral attribute of any state. Sooner or later, a conflict arises between neighboring countries or regions within the country, which often ends in armed clashes that claim the lives of thousands of people and destroy cities to the ground. The soldiers are called upon to defend the interests of their country, repelling the attacks of the aggressor, or vice versa, to be the aggressor in relation to another country. In front of you the strongest armies in the world who, like no one else, know what a real war is!

Active living force: 410.5 thousand soldiers.
Army reserve: 185.63 thousand persons liable for military service.
13849 units.
Marine fleet: 194 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 1007 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget:$ 18.185 billion.

Conflicts along the country's borders have forced Turkey to have a strong military force. The total number of citizens ready to take arms is more than half a million, which can serve as a fairly weighty argument for the peace of mind of the inhabitants of this country.

Active living force: 250 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 57.9 thousand persons liable for military service.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 4329 units.
Marine fleet: 131 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 1,590 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 40.3 billion.

After the Second World War, Japan was at a very disadvantage. Hundreds of uncomfortable contracts fell on her head. One such treaty is a small document that prohibits Japan from recruiting more than a certain number of soldiers. The country's budget is more than 40 million US dollars for 250 thousand troops.

Active living force: 180 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 145 thousand persons liable for military service.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 6481 units.
Marine fleet: 81 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 676 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 36.3 billion.

Everyone remembers how strong this country was in the XX century and the Second World War clearly showed this. But the German army was defeated and since then has very much lost its positions. Nevertheless, today this country plays an important role in global politics and has a well-equipped army.

7 South Korea

Active living force: 625 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 2.9 million conscripts.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 12619 units.
Marine fleet: 166 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 1451 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 33.2 billion.

The need to be a strong military power is dictated by the northern neighbor.

Active living force: 205 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 195.77 thousand people liable for military service and more than one hundred thousand policemen.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 7888 cars.
Marine fleet: 118 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 1282 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: 35 billion US dollars.

It remained one of the few armed formations that are fully equipped with weapons, equipment and protective equipment from their own manufacturer. Another unique feature is the huge (against the background of other armies) number of women, about 15%.

Active living force: 150 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 182 thousand people liable for military service.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 6,624 tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
Marine fleet: 76 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 879 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 55 billion.

The size of the British Army makes it one of the largest armed formations in the countries of the European Union. In fact, the troops of England have always been considered a strong enough enemy, instilling fear in all the enemies of Britain. She has preserved this image to this day. Unfortunately, the main pride of England - its fleet, has long ceased to be one of the best in the world, which lowered it to the fifth place in the ranking of the Top 10 most powerful armies in the world.

Active living force: 1.325 million military personnel.
Army reserve: 2.143 million conscripted.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 21164 units.
Marine fleet: 295 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 2,086 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget:$ 40 billion.

Do not be surprised at such a huge number of manpower in India. In a country where more than a billion people live, in no case should you lose your vigilance. For such countries, a strong fist is needed, ready at any moment to repel an external threat or suppress a danger within the country. No one is forced to serve here, the service is carried out exclusively on a paid contract basis by persons who have reached the age of majority.

Active living force: 2.335 million military personnel.
Army reserve: 2.3 million conscripts.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 23664 units.
Marine fleet: 714 units of naval vessels.
Air fleet: 2942 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 155.6 billion.

Another giant country that simply needs the strongest army in the world. The relatively low cost of such a huge number of military personnel in no way affects the quality of their service. A huge air fleet, considered the most powerful after the Russian one. Almost 24 thousand units of military equipment and about 2.3 million soldiers are ready to defend the independence of their country at any moment.

Active living force: 766.06 thousand servicemen.
Army reserve: 2.485 million conscripted.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 61086 units.
Marine fleet: 352 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 3,547 attack aircraft, fighters, transports and bombers.
Annual Defense Budget: USD 46.6 billion.

1.United States of America

Before the collapse of the USSR, the country's army was considered the strongest in the world and was too tough for even the United States. But, alas, after the collapse, it significantly lost ground. But even so, huge reserves, almost ten thousand units of armored equipment and many other weapons make Russia a terrible enemy that is beyond the power of most countries in the world. In addition, the Russian Federation possesses nuclear weapons (their presence in the rating is not taken into account), and in the event of a serious conflict with another state, it will be a very significant addition to military power. And I would also like to say that the main difference between the army of our country and others is, perhaps, the strongest will and spirit of the soldiers. But, since the main role in the ranking is played by the quantitative and qualitative equipment of the army, the number of servicemen and the cost of the defense industry, then, alas, the second line.

Active living force: 1.4 million military personnel.
Army reserve: 1.1 million conscripts.
Number of ground combat vehicles: 54,474 tanks, armored personnel carriers and other equipment.
Marine fleet: 415 units of naval equipment.
Air fleet: 13444 combat and transport helicopters.
Annual Defense Budget: 581 billion dollars.

First of all, the most powerful army in the world in 2016 will amaze you not with the number of soldiers or armored vehicles, but with its budget. If you take the top ten armies in the world, their total budget will hardly reach the American one. A huge number of aviation, a powerful navy and more than 54 thousand units of ground armored vehicles make the United States the most powerful rival on the world stage.

Since ancient times, the armed forces have been the main and main guarantor of the independence of any country and the security of its citizens. Diplomacy and interstate agreements are also important factors of international stability, but as practice shows, when it comes to a military conflict, they often do not work. The events in Ukraine are clear evidence of this. Indeed, who wants to shed the blood of their soldiers for the interests of others? Today we will try to answer the question - whose army is the most powerful in the world, whose military power is beyond competition?

As the Russian Emperor Alexander III once said: "Russia has only two reliable allies - its army and navy." And he is one hundred percent right. Naturally, this statement is true not only for Russia, but also for any other state.

Today in the world there are more than 160 armies of various sizes, weapons and military doctrines.

One of the greatest military leaders in history, the French emperor Napoleon I believed that "the big battalions are always right", but in our time the situation has changed somewhat.

It should be understood that the strength of a modern army is determined not only by its size, but in many respects it also depends on the effectiveness of its weapons, the training of fighters, and their motivation. The time of mass conscription armies is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Modern military forces are not cheap. The cost of the latest tank or fighter jet is tens of millions of dollars, and only very rich countries can afford a large and strong army.

There is another factor that emerged after the end of World War II - nuclear weapons. Its power is so terrifying that it still keeps the world from starting another global conflict. Today, the two states have the largest nuclear arsenals - Russia and the United States. The conflict between them is guaranteed to lead to the end of our civilization.

On the Internet, controversy often flares up about which is the strongest army in the world. This question is somewhat incorrect, since only a full-scale war can make a comparison of armies. There are too many factors that determine the strength or weakness of certain armed forces. When compiling our rating, the size of the armed forces, their technical equipment, the development of the military-industrial complex, army traditions, as well as the level of funding were taken into account.

When compiling the top 10 most powerful armies in the world, the factor of the existence of nuclear weapons was not taken into account.

So, meet the strongest armies in the world.

10. Germany. Our ranking of the top 10 most powerful armies on the planet is opened by the Bundeswehr - the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is composed of the ground forces, the navy, aviation, medical and sanitary services and a logistics service.

The number of the armed forces of the Bundeswehr is 186 thousand people, the German army is completely professional. The country's military budget is $ 45 billion. Despite the rather modest size (compared to other participants in our rating), the German army is very highly trained, equipped with the latest types of weapons, but the military traditions of Germany can only be envied. It should be noted the highest level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - German tanks, aircraft, small arms are deservedly considered one of the best in the world.

Germany could count on a higher place in the top 10, but the foreign policy of this country is peaceful. Apparently, the Germans fought enough in the last century, so they are no longer drawn to military adventures. In addition, Germany has been a member of the NATO bloc for many years, so in the event of any military threats, it can count on the help of the United States and other allies.

9. France. In ninth place in our rating is France - a country with a rich military tradition, a very advanced military-industrial complex and significant armed forces. Their number is 222 thousand people. The military budget of the country is $ 43 billion. The military-industrial complex of France makes it possible to provide its army with almost all the necessary weapons - from small arms to tanks, aircraft and reconnaissance satellites.

However, it should be noted that the French, like the Germans, do not seek to resolve foreign policy issues by military means. France has no disputed territories with its neighbors, as well as frozen conflicts.

8. Great Britain. In eighth place in our ranking is Great Britain - a country that managed to create a world empire in which the sun did not set. But this is in the past. Today the number of the British armed forces is 188 thousand people. The military budget of the country is $ 53 billion. The British have a very decent military-industrial complex, which is able to manufacture tanks, aircraft, warships, small arms and other types of weapons.

England has the second (after the USA) navy in terms of tonnage. It includes nuclear submarines, and two light aircraft carriers are being built for the country's navy.

The British Special Operations Forces are considered to be among the best in the world.

Great Britain is involved in almost all military conflicts where the United States is present (the first and second conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan). So the experience of the British army is not to be missed.

7. Turkey. The army of this country is considered the most powerful among the Muslim armies of the Middle East. The descendants of the militant janissaries managed to create a very combat-ready armed forces, which in the region are second only to the Israeli army in terms of power. That is why Turkey is in seventh place in our ranking.

6. Japan. In the sixth place in the ranking of our top 10 is Japan, which formally does not have an army at all, its functions are performed by the so-called "self-defense forces". However, do not let this name mislead you: the country's armed forces number 247 thousand and are the fourth largest in the Pacific region.

The main rivals the Japanese fear are China and North Korea. Moreover, the Japanese have not yet concluded a peace treaty with Russia.

Japan has a serious air force, ground forces and an impressive navy that is considered one of the strongest in the world. Japan has more than 1600 combat aircraft, 678 tanks, 16 submarines, 4 helicopter carriers.

This country has the third largest economy in the world, so it is not difficult for Japan to allocate serious money for the maintenance and development of its army. Japan's military budget is $ 47 billion, which is not bad for an armed force of this size.

Separately, the high level of development of the country's military-industrial complex should be noted - in terms of their technical equipment, the Japanese armed forces are considered one of the best in the world. Today in Japan they are engaged in the creation of a fifth generation fighter, and it will probably be ready in the coming years.

In addition, Japan is one of the closest US allies in the region. There are American bases on the territory of the country, the United States supplies Japan with the latest types of weapons. However, despite this, Japan plans to further increase its defense spending. But the descendants of the samurai do not have experience and fighting spirit.

5. South Korea. The fifth place in our ranking of the top 10 is occupied by another state of Southeast Asia - South Korea. This country has an impressive military force with a total strength of 630 thousand people. It is in third place in the region, behind only China and the DPRK. South Korea has been at war for over sixty years - no peace has been concluded between Pyongyang and Seoul. The armed forces of the DPRK number almost 1.2 million people; the North Koreans consider their southern neighbors to be their main enemy and constantly threaten them with war.

It is clear that in such a situation, South Korea has to pay a lot of attention to the development of its own army. $ 33.7 billion is allocated annually for defense needs. The South Korean army is considered one of the most equipped not only in its region, but also in the world. South Korea is one of the closest and most loyal US allies in the region, so the Americans supply Seoul with the latest weapons, and there are US bases in the country. Therefore, if the conflict between the DPRK and South Korea nevertheless begins, it is not a fact that the northerners (despite the numerical superiority) will emerge victorious from it.

4. India. In fourth place in our top 10 ranking are the Indian Armed Forces. This huge, densely populated country with a thriving economy has a military of 1.325 million and spends about $ 50 billion on defense.

In addition to the fact that India is the owner of nuclear weapons, its armed forces are the third largest in the world. And there is a simple explanation for this: the country is in a state of permanent conflict with its neighbors: China and Pakistan. In the recent history of India, there have been three bloody wars with Pakistan and a huge number of border incidents. There are also unresolved territorial differences with a strong China.

India has a serious navy with three aircraft carriers and two nuclear-powered submarines.

The Indian government spends significant sums annually on the purchase of new weapons. And if earlier the Indians mainly bought weapons made in the USSR or Russia, now they increasingly prefer more high-quality Western models.

In addition, recently the country's leadership has been paying much attention to the development of its own military-industrial complex. Several years ago, a new strategy for the development of the defense industry was adopted under the motto "Do in India". Now, when buying weapons, Indians give preference to those suppliers who are ready to open production in the country and share the latest technologies.

3. China. In third place in our ranking of the top 10 strongest armies is the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA). It is the largest military force on the planet, with a population of 2.333 million. China's military budget is in second place in the world, second only to the United States. It is $ 126 billion.

China is striving to become the second superpower after the United States, and it is impossible to do this without a powerful armed force, it certainly cannot do without the largest army in the world.

Today, the Chinese are armed with 9,150 tanks, 2,860 aircraft, 67 submarines, a large number of combat aircraft and multiple launch rocket systems. For quite some time now, there has been a debate about how many warheads the PRC has in stock: the official figure is several hundred, but some experts believe that the Chinese have an order of magnitude more of them.

The Chinese army is constantly improving its technical level. If ten to fifteen years ago most of the types of military equipment in service with the PLA were outdated copies of Soviet models, today the situation has changed dramatically.

At present, the PRC is working on the creation of a fifth generation fighter; its latest developments in the field of tank building and missile weapons are not much inferior to models made in Russia or in the West. Much attention is paid to the development of the naval forces: recently, the first aircraft carrier appeared in the Chinese Navy (the former Varyag, purchased from Ukraine).

Given the enormous resources (financial, human, technological) that China has, the armed forces of this country in the coming years will become a formidable rival for the countries that occupy the first positions in our rating.

2. Russia. In second place in our ranking of the top 10 are the Russian armed forces, which in many respects remain the strongest on the planet.

In terms of the number of personnel, the Russian army occupies only the fifth place, behind the United States, China, India and the DPRK. Its number is 798 thousand people. The budget of the Russian defense department is $ 76 billion. However, at the same time, it possesses one of the most powerful ground forces in the world: more than fifteen thousand tanks, a huge number of armored vehicles and combat helicopters.

1. USA. In the first place in the top 10 are the United States of America. In terms of the number of personnel, the US army is second only to China (albeit significantly), its strength is 1.381 million people. At the same time, the US military department has a budget that generals of other armies can only dream of - $ 612 billion, which allows it to be the most powerful country in the world.

The strength of modern armed forces depends largely on their funding. Therefore, the huge American defense budget is one of the main components of its success. It allows the Americans to develop and purchase the most modern (and most expensive) weapons systems, supply their army at the highest level, and simultaneously wage several military campaigns in different parts of the world.

Today, the US Army is armed with 8,848 tanks, a huge number of armored vehicles and other military equipment, 3,892 military aircraft. If during the Cold War Soviet strategists focused on tanks, the Americans were actively developing combat aviation. Currently United States Air Force

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

Even at the dawn of human civilization, people created armed formations to defend their borders. Then wars were won thanks to the size of the army and the skill of the commanders. Today, the military is focusing on modern technology, which allows even such small countries as Israel to have a powerful army. In our review, we will focus on the most modern and powerful armies in the world.

1. North Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is known for its repressive government and its antagonistic relationship with most of the world. Currently, North Korea is armed with 4,200 tanks, 944 aircraft, and 967 warships.

Despite the impressive numbers, North Korea's weapons are considered very outdated. For example, of the 70 submarines currently in service, 20 are rusty remains of the Romeo class, made with 1950s technology.

2. Saudi Arabia

The Royal Saudi Armed Forces are composed of the infantry, air force, navy, air defense, national guard, and a number of paramilitary units. In total, the army of this country is on active service over 230,000 people. These are some of the richest military men in the world.

3. Australia

The constant development of China has led to the fact that Australia, as well as most of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, began to continuously modernize their armed forces. Despite its small size, the Australian Army is considered one of the best and most efficient in the world.

4. Canada

Despite the fact that this country was one of the most peaceful and friendly throughout its history, the Canadian army is among the 25 most powerful in the world. Currently, Canada is armed with 181 tanks, 426 aircraft and 63 warships.

5.Iran

The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran total about 545,000 people. Without a doubt, it is one of the most powerful and dominant forces in the Middle East.

6. Thailand

Historically, the military has been the foundation of unity and peace in Thai society. Although the country has an impressive number of troops and tanks in service, the most fascinating fact is that Thailand has an aircraft carrier but no combat aircraft (since all AV-8S Matador aircraft were decommissioned in 2006) ...

7. Taiwan

Under the constant threat of invasion by the gigantic Chinese army, which has still not abandoned plans to invade and occupy its neighbor, Taiwan has focused its military development on building defenses. That is why such a small island has more helicopters (307) than most countries in the world. Also the number of tanks (2,005) and aircraft (815) in Taiwan is quite impressive in relation to its size.

8. Poland

The tense situation in Ukraine has forced the Polish government to start spending huge amounts of money recently on the defense industry. As a result, the level of the Polish army has increased significantly in just a few years.

9. Vietnam

The Vietnamese People's Army is considered one of the most prestigious and sacred concepts in the local culture. This was especially aggravated after the brave (and victorious, in the eyes of most historians) popular army fought against such superpowers as France and the United States in the twentieth century. The Vietnamese army is an integral part of the culture of this country and is considered one of the strongest in Asia.

10. Israel

Despite its small size, both in territory and population, and its very short history, Israel can proudly claim that its defense forces have been among the most active (if not the most active) in the world over the past five decades. Due to constant tensions in the region, Israel has created an incredibly strong and modernized army.

11. Brazil

With the second largest military forces in the Americas (after the United States) and the largest in Latin America, Brazil currently has 486 tanks, 735 aircraft and 110 ships in service, as well as 330,000 military personnel and officers. ...

Although South America is a relatively peaceful continent, Brazil shares borders with 10 countries and therefore requires a significant number of military personnel.

12. Indonesia

The Indonesian army was formed during the Indonesian National Revolution when it was engaged in guerrilla warfare. Today, with about half a million troops and modern technology, it is considered one of the most powerful armies in Asia.

13. Pakistan

Pakistan has the 13th strongest military in the world due to the country's continuous improvement in military technology. In addition, the Pakistani Armed Forces are the largest contributor to United Nations peacekeeping efforts, with more than 10,000 Pakistani Army personnel serving overseas on a permanent basis.

14. Egypt

The Egyptian armed forces are not only the largest in Africa and the Middle East, but also one of the largest in the world, with an active staff of 470,000. It is also one of the oldest armies since it was created in 3200 BC.

15. South Korea

The fact that this country borders on a dangerous, unpredictable northern neighbor (North Korea) has made South Korea spend crazy money on military equipment and weapons, making its army one of the most modernized and powerful in the world. Currently, Asians boast a 625,000-strong army, 2,381 tanks and 1,451 aircraft.

16.Italy

The Italian military consists of the regular army, navy, air force and carabinieri (who also serve as military police). As of the end of 2014, the 320,000-strong Italian army is the third largest in the European Union and fifth among NATO countries.

17.Germany

The ongoing reform of the German armed forces is the most radical revision of the Bundeswehr in the history of the country. The challenge of international terrorism and global cooperation has led to the need today for a smaller but more flexible troop structure that will not have as strong a defensive function as in the past few decades.

18.Turkey

The Turkish Armed Forces are considered the second largest in NATO (after the US Armed Forces). The estimated strength of the Turkish army is 495,000 people.

19. Japan

The Japan Self-Defense Forces were established after World War II. Although they have been inactive for most of the past fifty years, tensions in the area have steadily grown lately (over North Korea in particular). This forced Japan to urgently modernize the army.

20.UK

Despite its relatively small size compared to countries such as the United States, Russia and China, and the fact that the British government plans to reduce the size of its armed forces by 10% by 2018, the once dominant United Kingdom worldwide - still has one of the most powerful armies in the world.

21. France

France may not be as powerful a military power as it once was, but it is still in the top ten most powerful in the world. Its main hostilities lately are the fight against terrorism in Mali, Afghanistan, Libya, and now it is the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).

Army of the Russian Federation.

Global modernization and Putin's massive military procurement program over the past two decades have made the Russian military one of the most powerful in the world.

25. United States

Despite recent geopolitical misadventures and America's withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States military continues to hold the crown as the most powerful army in the world thanks to the world's largest defense budget.

However, even in the most powerful armies embarrassment occurs. For example, such as the appearance.

Since ancient times, the armed forces have been the main and main guarantor of the independence of any country and the security of the citizens inhabiting it. Diplomacy, interstate treaties are also important factors of international security, but as practice shows, when it comes to a military conflict, they often do not work.

International analytical company GlobalFirepower annually publishes on its portal a rating of the strongest armies in the world. The ranking includes 133 countries. The top ten most powerful armies on the planet, according to Global Firepower, looks like this:

10. Egypt

The ranking of the top 10 most powerful armies on the planet is opened by Egypt, with a total strength of 380,000 armed forces. In service there are 3,723 tanks, 60 warships (including missile boats and landing ships), 1,107 aircraft and 4 submarines.

The scale of the Egyptian military's influence on the country's economy is shrouded in mystery: Egypt's military budget "is secret, this industry, among other things, is not taxed."
As of 2015, the country's military budget was $ 5.5 billion.

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

9. Germany

In ninth place is the Bundeswehr - the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is composed of the ground forces, the navy, aviation, medical and sanitary services and a logistics service.

The number of the Bundeswehr is 186 thousand people, the German army is completely professional. The military budget is $ 45 billion. Despite the rather modest size (compared to other participants in our rating), the German army is very highly trained, equipped with the latest types of weapons, but the military traditions of Germany can only be envied. It should be noted the highest level of development of the country's military-industrial complex - German tanks, aircraft, small arms are deservedly considered the best in the world.

Germany could count on a higher place in the top 10, but the foreign policy of this country is peaceful. Apparently, the Germans fought enough in the last century, so they are no longer attracted to military adventures. In addition, Germany has been a member of the NATO bloc for many years, so in the event of any military threats, it can count on the help of the United States and other allies.

8.Turkey

The army of this country is considered the most powerful among the Muslim armies of the Middle East. The descendants of the militant janissaries managed to create a very combat-ready armed forces, which in the region are second only to the Israeli army in terms of power. That is why Turkey is in eighth place in the ranking.

The number of the Turkish armed forces is 510 thousand people, however, the military budget of this country is only 18 billion dollars. The Turks are the closest allies of the United States in the region, not counting, of course, Israel.

Turkey has a large number of armored vehicles (3,370 tanks) and combat aircraft (over 1,000 units). True, most of the tanks are outdated. The Turkish Navy is the strongest in the Black Sea, it has modern surface ships and submarines. The country is actively developing its military-industrial complex, with the help of the United States, Germany and France.

7. Japan

In seventh place in the top 10 ranking is Japan, which formally does not have an army at all, its functions are performed by the so-called self-defense forces. However, do not let this name mislead you: the country's armed forces number 247 thousand and are the fourth largest in the Pacific region.

The main rivals the Japanese fear are China and North Korea. Moreover, the Japanese have not yet concluded a peace treaty with Russia.

Separately, the high level of development of the country's military-industrial complex should be noted - in terms of their technical equipment, the Japanese armed forces are considered one of the best in the world. Today in Japan they are engaged in the creation of a fifth generation fighter and it is likely that it will be ready in the coming years.

6.UK

The sixth place in the ranking is occupied by Great Britain - a country that managed to create a world empire in which the sun did not set. But this is in the past. Today the number of the British armed forces is 188 thousand people. The military budget of the country is $ 53 billion. The British have a very decent military-industrial complex, which is able to manufacture tanks, aircraft, warships, small arms and other types of weapons.

England has the second (after the USA) navy in terms of tonnage. It includes nuclear submarines; today, two light aircraft carriers are being built for the country's navy.

The British Special Operations Forces are considered to be among the best in the world.

Great Britain is involved in almost all military conflicts where the United States is present (first and second Iraq, Afghanistan). So the experience of the British army is not to be missed.

5. France

In fifth place in the ranking is France - a country with a rich military tradition, a very advanced military-industrial complex and significant armed forces. Their number is 222 thousand people. The military budget of the country is $ 43 billion. The military-industrial complex of France makes it possible to provide its army with practically all the necessary weapons - from small arms to tanks, aircraft and reconnaissance satellites.

4. India

In fourth place in the top 10 ranking are the Indian Armed Forces. This huge, densely populated country with a thriving economy has a military of 1.325 million and spends about $ 50 billion on defense.

3. China

In third place in the ranking is the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA). It is the largest military force on the planet, with a population of 2.333 million. China's military budget is in second place in the world, second only to the United States. It is $ 126 billion.

China is striving to become the second superpower after the United States, and this cannot be done without a powerful military force.

The Russian Air Force is armed with 3,429 aircraft of various types and purposes. Among which there are strategic bombers capable of delivering nuclear strikes against an enemy located at a distance of thousands of kilometers.

Russia has a powerful navy, and its submarines are especially dangerous. Their number is 60 units. The Russian surface fleet is somewhat outdated and is mainly represented by ships made in the USSR, but in recent years the country's leadership has spent huge amounts of money on its renovation.

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

1. USA

In the first place in the top 10 are the United States of America. In terms of the number of personnel, the US army is second only to China (albeit significantly), its strength is 1.381 million people. At the same time, the US military department has a budget that generals of other armies can only dream of - $ 612 billion.

The United States has the most powerful navy, with ten aircraft carrier groups, more than seventy submarines, and a large number of aircraft and support ships.

The Americans are leaders in the development of the latest military technologies, and their spectrum is very wide: from the creation of lasers and robotic combat systems to prosthetics.

And now about those who very much want to be the most formidable, strong and dangerous, but something does not work out.

As for the mighty Ukrainian army, which the head of the independent Petro Poroshenko called “the strongest in Europe” at the end of 2016, in a temper, it modestly sits down ... in 30th place (between the eternally neutral Sweden and the independent Myanmar). And the gallant army of Georgia is dangling somewhere in a wagon train of the ninth decade. Where footcloths are dried, the dwarf armies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

30.Ukraine

According to the rating of military power for 2017, the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is 160 thousand people, the number of reservists is 1 million. multiple launch rocket systems. GFR experts counted 234 combat aircraft, including 39 fighters and 33 attack helicopters. The Navy, according to the GFR, is armed with one frigate ("Getman Sagaidachny"), one minesweeper and three coastal defense ships

82. Georgia

The structure of the Armed Forces of Georgia includes the Ground Forces, the Special Operations Forces, the National Guard, as well as units and institutions of central subordination. Until 2008, it also included the Navy and the Air Force, but both of these branches of the Armed Forces were practically destroyed during the "Five Day War". Subsequently, the Air Force (in a small volume) was revived as a unit of the Ground Forces. As for the Navy, the Georgian leadership decided not to restore it.

95. Lithuania

The ground forces number 8.2 thousand troops (one rapid reaction brigade, two motorized infantry battalions, two mechanized battalions, one engineer battalion, one military police battalion, one training regiment and several territorial defense units), 187 M113A1 armored personnel carriers were in service; 10 BRDM-2; 133 105 mm field artillery guns; 61 120-mm mortars, up to 100 recoilless 84-mm Carl Gustaf guns, 65 ATGMs, 18 anti-aircraft guns and 20 RBS-70 portable anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as over 400 anti-tank grenade launchers of various systems.

The Air Force has 980 military personnel (three airbases and five squadrons), two L-39ZA aircraft, five transport aircraft (two L-410s and three C-27Js) and nine Mi-8 transport helicopters.

The naval forces number 530 people, one small anti-submarine ship "Project 1124M", three Danish patrol ships of the "Fluvefisken" class (P11 "Zemaitis", P12 "Dzukas", P14 "Aukšaitis"), one Norwegian patrol boat of the "Storm" class (P32 Skalvis), three other types of patrol boats, two British-built Lindau minesweepers (M53 and M54), one Norwegian-built mine-sweeping force headquarters (Jotvingis), one survey vessel and one tug.
coast guard - 540 people and three patrol boats.

103. Latvia

The Air Force has 319 military personnel, three aircraft (one L-410 and two An-2) and six helicopters (four Mi-17 and two Mi-2)
The naval forces have 587 servicemen and five ships, the main task of which is the demining of territorial waters.
The reserve of the armed forces is made up of Latvian citizens who have completed military service (5,000 people). In case of general mobilization, the army will receive 14 more light infantry battalions, one air defense battalion, one artillery battalion and several auxiliary units.

110. Estonia

The authors of the study considered the Estonian army the least powerful among the Baltic countries, giving it 110th place. During the year, despite the increase in defense spending, Estonia lost three positions in the ranking.
According to the draft state budget for 2017, military defense spending rose to 2.17% of GDP, amounting to 477 million euros.

133. Bhutan

The army of Bhutan (about 6 thousand people) defends the rear guard - it took the last position. It is strange that the armed forces of Moldova were not included in the rating. They will obviously be stronger than Bhutanese. In fact, such ratings always cause fierce controversy among military experts. Many of them believe that in today's world, the main criterion for the strength of an army is the quantity and quality of nuclear weapons. And here, given the prevailing parity between the United States and Russia in this respect, one can still argue about the place in the rating ...

Military and economic experts regularly define the Global Firepower Index. Of course, comparing the armies of the world in terms of statistical indicators is not an ideal solution, but there is no more objective rating (for example, to check everyone in a real war). The GFP takes into account 66 different indicators: from the geographic location of the country to the degree of industrial development.

A new report for 2018 was released in November. This year, experts analyzed the armed forces of 136 states.

When compiling the Global Firepower Index, not only is a scrupulous calculation of tanks, aircraft and warships is carried out, but also the number of army personnel 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 the coastline are taken into account - in a word , all factors that can affect the combat effectiveness of the national army.

The presence of a nuclear arsenal is not taken into account, but the nuclear-weapon states receive a "bonus". The three leaders - the United States, Russia and China - have remained unchanged for four years.

America has been ahead of everyone in military spending for a long time. In second place in terms of the military budget, also for many years, China. In third place is Russia. The Chinese army is the largest in the world. Russia is the first in the world in terms of the number of tanks.

This is what the top 10 most militarily powerful countries in the world look like in 2018.

10. Germany

Defense budget - $ 45.2 billion

432 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

714 aircraft

The size of the army is 208,640 people.

9.Turkey

Defense budget - $ 10.2 billion

2,446 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

1,056 aircraft

The size of the army - 710,500

8. Japan

Defense budget - $ 44 billion

679 tanks

4 helicopter carriers

1508 aircraft

The strength of the army - 310457

7. South Korea

Defense budget - $ 40 billion

2654 tanks

1 aircraft carrier

1560 aircraft

Army size - 625,000

6.UK

Prince Harry during his military service. Instagram photo of the Royal Navy Marine Corps.

Defense budget - $ 50 billion

227 tanks

2 aircraft carriers

832 aircraft

The strength of the army - 279230

5. France

Photo: page Armed Forces of France on Facebook.

Defense budget - $ 40 billion

406 tanks

1305 aircraft

Navy - 118 (1 aircraft carrier and 3 helicopter carriers)

The size of the army - 388,635

4. India

Defense budget - $ 51 billion

4426 tanks

1 aircraft carrier (aircraft-carrying cruiser of project 1143, former "Admiral Gorshkov")

2185 aircraft

The size of the army - 1,362,500

3. China

Defense budget - $ 151 billion

7716 tanks

1 aircraft carrier ("Liaoning" - completed "Varyag")

3035 aircraft

The number of the army - 2,663,000

2. Russia

Photo: website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Defense budget - $ 47 billion

20,300 tanks

3914 aircraft

Navy - 352 (the only aircraft carrier out of service)

The strength of the army is 1,013,628.

1. USA

Photo site army.mil.

Defense budget - $ 647 billion

5,884 tanks

20 aircraft carriers

13362 aircraft

The total number of ships of the Navy - 415

The size of the army - 1281900

It is worth noting that the most important criterion for evaluating an army is combat operations. And this parameter is not taken into account by the Global Firepower Index. Russia and the United States also have a clear advantage here, for example, over China. Russia was at war with Georgia and, how to put it, probably with Ukraine. Plus is conducting a military operation in Syria. And the United States fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also participates in operations in Syria.

The GFP reading counts only the amount of spending by states on defense, not considering what percentage of a country's GDP they make up. For the top three in the ranking, these figures (data from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute - SIPRI) for 2017 are as follows: China spends 1.9% of GDP on defense, Russia 4.3%, and the United States 3.1%. Only Saudi Arabia spends more than Russia (as a share of GDP) on defense in the world - 10%.