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Military and economic experts regularly determine the global index of military power - the Global Firepower Index. This is one of the most objective ratings, it takes into account more than 50 different indicators. This year, experts analyzed the armed forces of 127 states.

When compiling the Global Firepower (GFP) Index, not only is a rigorous calculation of tanks, aircraft and warships carried out, but also the number of personnel of the army and its reserve, the level of financing of the military sphere, the country's transport infrastructure, oil production, the size of public debt and even the length of the coastal lines - in a word, all the factors that can affect the combat effectiveness of the national army.

The presence of a nuclear arsenal is not taken into account, but the states that possess nuclear weapons receive a "bonus". The top three - the United States, Russia and China - has remained unchanged for three years. This is what the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world looked like in 2015.

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

1. USA

Photo site army.mil.

Defense budget - $587.8 billion (nearly $588 billion)

5,884 tanks

19 aircraft carriers

13762 aircraft

The total number of ships of the Navy - 415

Army size - 1,400,000

2. Russia

Defense budget — $44.6 billion

20,215 tanks

1 aircraft carrier

3,794 aircraft

Army size - 766,055

3. China

Defense budget - $161.7 billion

6,457 tanks

1 aircraft carrier

2,955 aircraft

Army strength - 2,335,000

4. India

Defense budget - $51 billion

4,426 tanks

3 aircraft carriers

2,102 aircraft

Army strength - 1,325,000

5. France

A photo: page French Armed Forces on Facebook.

Defense budget — $35 billion

406 tanks

4 aircraft carriers

1,305 aircraft

Army strength - 205,000

6. UK

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

Defense budget — $45.7 billion

249 tanks

1 helicopter carrier

856 aircraft

Army size - 150,000

7. Japan

Defense budget - $43.8 billion

700 tanks

4 helicopter carriers

1,594 aircraft

Army size - 250,000

8. Turkey

Defense budget — $8.2 billion

2445 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

1,018 aircraft

Army size - 410,500

9. Germany

Defense budget — $39.2 billion

543 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 0

698 aircraft

Army size - 180,000

10 Italy

Photo from flickr.com

Defense budget — $34 billion

200 tanks

Aircraft carriers - 2

822 aircraft

Army size - 320,000

11. South Korea

Defense budget — $43.8 billion

2,654 tanks

1 aircraft carrier

1,477 aircraft

Army strength - 625,000

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 should I put it, probably with Ukraine. Plus, he is conducting a military operation in Syria. And the United States fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is also involved in operations in Syria.

Political significance on the world stage is impossible without a strong, combat-ready army, on which a large amount of budget funds is spent. In past centuries, the pledge of support for warriors actually meant the greatest degree of success for a politician. Nothing has changed since then.

The armed forces are a guarantee of the independence, success of the country and the security of citizens. We present to the attention of readers the rating of the strongest armies in the world, an assessment of weapons and manpower.

Modern era and military

Modern countries need to protect their borders no less than their territories hundreds of years ago. However, today there are known countries in which there are no armed forces. To protect the population, police formations or equivalent units are used there. The list includes 21 states, including:

• Andorra;
• Vatican;
• Haiti;
• Iceland;
• Costa Rica;
• Monaco;
• Solomon islands.

Location of countries in the world that do not have their own regular troops

It is noteworthy that some publications include in this list Japan, whose armed forces are called self-defense forces. Legislatively, the actions of this structure are very limited and can only be associated with defense activities. However, it is wrong to say that Japan does not have an army.

The strength of modern troops lies not so much in numbers, but in the uniqueness of weapons, the number of tanks, submarines, and other equipment. Technological progress has given mankind not only cars and rockets, but also nuclear weapons.

Modern armies are divided into types of troops, intelligence departments and other special services.

Below is the top 10 most powerful armies in the world, let's talk about the evaluation criteria.

Criteria for assessing the power of modern armed forces

Several criteria are used to assess the strength of armies:

• the number of manpower and reservists;
• military budget (calculated both as a fixed amount and as a percentage of GDP);
• the number of planes and helicopters;
• number of tanks;
• the number of nuclear warheads and their means of delivery;
• the number of submarines and missile carriers;
• degree of fuel availability;
• geographical data.

Rating of the strongest armies in the world

The list of the most powerful armies in the world is based on the annual Global Firepower report. The organization studies the armed forces of various countries and puts each force index. Looking at the number, it is easy to understand whose army is the strongest, and whose army is behind in most indicators. This is the most detailed rating in the world.

10th place - Bundeswehr (Germany)

In 2019, the German Armed Forces lost several ranking lines, but remained in the top ten. Since 2011, he has been one of the professional formations in which there is no place for conscripts.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen during the inspection of equipment

• Number: 178,641;
• airplanes/helicopters: 714/384;
• tanks: 432;
• submarines: 6;
• budget: $45.2 billion;
• force index: 0.2461.

The provision of the army in Germany is very good. The country is a member of NATO, but, contrary to its obligations, does not spend 2% of GDP on defense. Actively involved in conflicts abroad. The last operation is the fight against ISIS in Afghanistan.

9th place - Turkey

The troops consist of five divisions that guard the borders at sea, in the air and on land, and also keep order inside the country. It is not professional, recruits are annually called up from among the citizens of the country suitable for the age.

View of the Turkish airbase Indzherlik, also used by NATO troops

There is a system of official buyout from the service. To do this, a young man needs to undergo initial military training for up to 5 weeks and pay 500 million lira (equivalent to 6 billion rubles). Thus, very rich citizens replenish the country's budget.

• Number: 350,000;
• airplanes/helicopters: 1056/475;
• tanks: 2446;
• submarines: 12;
• budget: $10.2 billion;
• force index: 0.2216.

Turkey has its own military training centers. Citizens in the reserve are required to undergo retraining annually.

8th place - Japan

The Japan Self-Defense Forces or Jieitai are a special kind of troops. According to the Constitution, the country does not have the right to participate in military conflicts of other countries, and the purpose of creating an army is the defense of the state. All this is in the past. Today, the country is consistently among the ten most powerful armies in the world with a huge defense budget. Since 2015, participation in military conflicts abroad has been officially allowed (parliament decision).

Japan spares no expense to equip self-defense forces

• Number: 247,157;
• airplanes/helicopters: 1508/622;
• tanks: 679;
• submarines: 17;
• budget: $44 billion;
• force index: 0.2107.

The draft age in Japan has been raised to 32. In recent years, the militarization of Japan has been carried out at an active pace.

7th place - South Korea

Armed Forces of South Korea

• Number: 625,000;
• airplanes/helicopters: 1560/748;
• tanks: 2654;
• submarines: 16;
• budget: $40 billion;
• force index: 0.2001.

The Republic of Korea officially participated in the war in Iraq, losing only one fighter killed.

6th place - Great Britain

By 2019, Britain's troops have become even stronger, according to Global Firepower. The state is a member of NATO, consistently ranked among the best armies in the world.

British army soldiers

• Number: 197,730;
• airplanes/helicopters: 832/333;
• tanks: 227;
• submarines: 10;
• budget: $50 billion;
• force index: 0.1917.

The advantage of the army of the Kingdom lies in the huge budget. Regularly participates in military conflicts and NATO peacekeeping missions. The last operation is Serval, in which French forces suppressed an uprising in the Republic of Mali. The British Army is peaceful and calm. Accidents and suicides are rare.

5th place - France

The fifth place among the strongest is occupied by France, and it holds last year's positions. The armed forces of the Republic are considered the strongest in Europe.

French regular troops are often involved in international armed conflicts

• Number: 205,000;
• airplanes/helicopters: 1262/570;
• tanks: 406;
• submarines: 10;
• budget: $40 billion;
• force index: 0.1869.

France has also deployed combat aircraft in Tajikistan. 7% of the NATO contingent is represented by the military force of the Republic. The guarantor of the country's security is not only a strong army, but also nuclear weapons. Its number was reduced as much as possible with the end of the Cold War.

The Fifth Republic is a country with a developed industry. It manufactures airplanes and helicopters and sells them abroad. The French army has a large number of women (14%) who even serve in the navy. These are the most feminized aircraft in the world.

4th place - India

The top five has remained unchanged for several years. This suggests that strong armies are seriously outperforming competitors. One of the leaders is India. The number of the army of this country is unprecedented and exceeds 1 million soldiers. Regular divisions include:

• army;
• naval forces;
• air Force.

Military parade in Delhi, timed to coincide with Republic Day, 2017

It is believed that in the event of war, the mobilization of the army will exceed 700 million people.

• Number: 1,362,500;
• airplanes/helicopters: 2185/720;
• tanks: 4426;
• submarines: 16;
• budget: $47 billion;
• force index: 0.1417.

The Indian army vastly outnumbers the French forces in terms of tanks, aircraft and other parameters. The state is a strong nuclear power recognized by world leaders. It is noteworthy that the post of Minister of Defense of India is held by a woman, Nirmala Sitharaman.

The industry of India partially supplies the armed forces with equipment.

3rd place - China

The number of active Chinese army has more than 2 million soldiers. In the event of war, this figure will rise to 750 million.

The largest army

• Number: 2,183,000;
• airplanes/helicopters: 3035/985;
• tanks: 7716;
• submarines: 73;
• budget: $151 billion;
• force index: 0.0852.

China maintains military bases in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, ensuring security and an uninterrupted supply of fuel. China is in second place in terms of the budget of the armed forces, second only to the United States in this matter.

Since the army is large, a strategic agency was created in 2016 to deal with security issues.

Interesting fact: The Chinese army does not take young people with tattoos. Military school soldiers must not snore, otherwise they will be fired.

2nd place - Russia

• Number: 1,013,628;
• airplanes/helicopters: 3914/1451;
• tanks: 20300;
• submarines: 62;
• budget: $47 billion;
• force index: 0.0841.

Russia is the leader in terms of the number of tanks - more than 20 thousand and nuclear warheads (8484 pieces). The delivery system for weapons of mass destruction is very well developed. The troops are made up of conscripts and contractors. The share of the latter is higher, and this trend has been outlined since 2015. The mobilization resource is more than 30 million people.

Russian soldiers in Syria

The supply of military units is carried out at the expense of a strong and developed military-industrial complex, which includes dozens of enterprises. They produce weapons known all over the world:

• Kalashnikov assault rifles;
• sea ​​and land-based air defense;
• helicopters MI and Ka;
• reconnaissance ships;
• submarines of project 636;
• planes Su, Tu.

Russia is in third place in terms of the number of submarines, behind China and the United States. In recent years, the rearmament of the army has accelerated. The Russian Federation has several bases outside the country:

• in Abkhazia;
• Transnistria;
• Kyrgyzstan;
• Kazakhstan;
• Belarus;
• Tajikistan and other countries.

It is planned to strengthen positions in Asia and northern Africa.

The RF Armed Forces are characterized by two types of problems:

• desertion;
• corruption.

Several criminal cases have been initiated against officials related to multimillion-dollar embezzlement. The problem of desertion often stems from extra-statutory relationships. They are trying to eradicate hazing in the Russian troops, since it is also the cause of suicides.

It's no secret which army is the strongest in the world.

1st place - USA

The United States is the most powerful country in the world in terms of the level of equipment of the troops. Its budget is higher than the spending of all countries in the top ten, and is estimated at several hundred billion dollars.

US Army soldiers in Afghanistan

• Number: 1,281,900;
• airplanes/helicopters: 13362/5758;
• tanks: 5884;
• submarines: 66;
• budget: $647 billion;
• force index: 0.0818.

The distribution of the budget takes place according to the orders of the Ministry of Defense. So, about 20% is annually spent on upgrading weapons and other purchases.

The United States has a developed military-industrial complex. The supply of its own army and the forces of other states is carried out in accordance with military contracts.

There are about 900 military bases outside the US around the world:

• in Europe (Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Kosovo and so on);
• in Africa (Niger, Djibouti and others);
• Latin America (Cuba, Brazil, Honduras);
• Oceania (Australia, Guam);
• Asia (Bahrain, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Afghanistan);
• Middle East (Israel, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia).

The United States Army has a problem with military suicides. In different years, their number either increases or slightly decreases, although the management is trying to fight it. Official figures exceed Russian ones.

This is how a powerful rating of the strongest armies looks like today. The pace of development of the armed forces is both striking and alarming. A new arms race, mutual accusations of strong sides, the emergence of new types of weapons are visible to the naked eye. Over the past decade, the world has become more militant, divided into several warring camps.

The Global Firepower website evaluated the power of the armies of 126 countries according to 50 criteria. At the same time, the nuclear potential of the countries was not taken into account, but the state of the economy was taken into account. The authors put the US Army in first place (0.1661 points), Russia in second (0.1865), and China in third (0.2315). To what extent does the rating reflect reality? And what are the prospects for the three strongest armies in the world?

"The Russian army is the best in the world"

The authors warn that the ranking did not take into account the nuclear potential of countries, the current potential of political and military leadership, the number of weapons was not a determining factor, and landlocked countries were not punished for the lack of a navy, and vice versa, maritime powers - were punished. Factors such as geographical location and the economic situation in the country were taken into account.

The absolute value of the "strength index" ("PwrIndx") for a perfect army should be "0.0000", which is really unattainable. The rating is formed by a system of bonuses and penalties. For example, Austria, which is landlocked, does not receive a penalty for an insufficient navy, but does receive them for not having a usable merchant marine.

The authors indicate the following factual sources: cia. gov, CIA World Factbook, wikipedia. com, available data in the media and bloggers. Some values ​​were estimates when official data were not available, the introductory section says.

As a result, the top ten most powerful armies included the US, Russia, China, India, Great Britain, France, South Korea, Germany, Japan and Turkey. Let's compare the figures for the first three most powerful armies.

1. By the number of military personnel in first place is the Chinese army - 2.333 million people, in second - the United States (1.4 million), the Russian army - in third (766.055 thousand troops). Curious data on the personnel reserve. Here, Russia is in first place with 2.485 million people, China is in second place with 2.3 million, and the United States with 1.1 million people.

Of course, the quality of the military is different. The US military is 100 percent manned by contract soldiers. The level of their material and technical equipment is high.

In Russia, they have just begun to modernize military equipment, while the Chinese army still takes quantity. But in terms of fighting spirit, the Russians, hardened in recent conflicts, are superior to the soldiers of their "rivals." At the beginning of the year, an attack on the American cruiser Vicksbur was imitated by a Su-34. There was no electronic impact on the ship, but the Americans did not even manage to use the air defense system, and two dozen sailors filed a letter of resignation.

2. On ground combat systems, in particular in terms of tanks, in the first place is the Russian army - 15,398 tanks (main battle tanks, light tanks and tank destroyers on wheels or tracks). In second place is the Chinese army (9,150 tanks), in third place are the Americans (8,848 armored vehicles).

Russia has a huge advantage (many times) in armored combat vehicles (armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles), self-propelled guns, towed guns and multiple launch rocket systems. We will not give figures here, the reader can see them for himself. This advantage is due to the fact that our possible theater of operations is the near abroad, and no one has yet canceled the alleged tank attack on Berlin.

New Russian tanks will consolidate this superiority. Mass delivery of the latest T-14 Armata tanks to the Russian army will begin at the turn of 2017-2018. There are no new developments in the United States; the Pentagon relies on upgraded versions of its Cold War combat vehicles - the M-1 Abrams and Bradley.

China has a third generation tank - VT-4 (MBT-3000). The Chinese claim that it even surpasses the Armata in key parameters. But this tank is intended exclusively for export supplies, the Chinese army is not going to fight with it. The question is why?

3. Air force- the rating takes into account aircraft and helicopters of all types of troops. Here, the leadership of the US Army, this obliges, of course, their "island" position. The alleged theater of operations is in Eurasia, and equipment and soldiers must be delivered there.

The United States has 13,892 aircraft, of which 2,207 are fighters, 2,797 attack aircraft, 5,366 transport aircraft, and 6,196 helicopters.

In second place is the Russian army. In total, it has 3429 aircraft, of which 769 fighters, 1305 attack aircraft, 1083 transport aircraft, 1120 helicopters. China has a total of 2860 aircraft in service, of which 1066 fighters, 1311 attack aircraft, 876 transport aircraft, helicopters 908.

In terms of quality indicators, the Russians began to catch up with the Americans. General Frank Gorenz, commander of the US Air Force in Europe, said this recently at a meeting with journalists. In particular, the general noted "the ability (of the Russians) to create extremely well-protected zones with the help of access restriction systems," for example, in the Crimea and the Kaliningrad region.

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

How to determine the real alignment of forces among the states participating in military conflicts? When compiling the rating of armies, parameters such as the budget, the size of the army, the number of weapons (armored vehicles, aircraft, aircraft carriers and submarines) are usually taken into account. The technical level of weapons affects the position in the list to a lesser extent, and it is almost never possible to assess the real combat capability of the army. Nuclear potential or its absence in this list was not taken into account. The position was also influenced by the economic situation of the countries.
The Global Firepower organization evaluates the military potential of more than one hundred countries according to 50 different criteria. In 2016, the United States ranked first in the world in terms of having the largest military budget, the largest number of aircraft carriers, and the largest air fleet. Russia leads in the number of tanks (15,000) and nuclear warheads (8,484 units). China is ahead of everyone in the size of the army.
Not so long ago, the National Interest magazine made a forecast on the combat power of the armies of the world in 15 years. The analysis was based on the following parameters: access to innovation and other important national resources, support from politicians and the ability of the military to learn and improve in a peaceful environment. As a result, the five most powerful armies, in their opinion, will include the armed forces of India, the United States, France, China and Russia.
This rating, compiled by the American portal The Richest, may raise some questions. For example, the Israeli army is losing one position to Egypt, mainly due to the number of employees and tanks. However, in all clashes, the first country always defeated the second, despite the numerical superiority. It is also strange that the list does not include Iran with its half a million soldiers, 1500 tanks and 300 combat aircraft. Our readers will probably have many more questions for the authors of this list.

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, having served in both World War I and World War II as part of the British Empire. Members of the Australian Armed Forces are consistently involved in all NATO operations. In accordance with national doctrine, Australia should be able to stand alone against an invasion from outside. Located on the edge of the world, with no real competitor, Australia is considered one of the safest countries, as ground invasion is impossible. The Australian Defense Force is relatively small but technologically advanced. They are formed on a professional basis only from Australian citizens, they are technically well equipped, they have a modern fleet and many combat helicopters. With a small number of personnel, but with a serious budget, the Australian Armed Forces are able to deploy their troops in several locations at the same time if necessary.

Germany

Budget: $40.2 billion
Number: 180 thousand people
Tanks: 408
Aviation: 663
Subs: 4
After the Second World War, 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 GDR Armed Forces were behind even Poland (and Poland is not in this rating at all). At the same time, Berlin actively sponsors the eastern allies in NATO. After 1945, Germany was never directly involved in major operations, but they sent troops to support their allies during the Ethiopian Civil War, 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 think of Adolf Hitler, who is responsible for the deaths 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, which makes it weaker; they are now planning to overhaul their strategy and implement new recruitment processes.

Italy

Budget: $34 billion
The number of active army: 320 thousand people.
Tanks: 586
Aviation: 760
Subs: 6
The totality of the military forces of the Italian Republic, designed to protect the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of the state. They consist of ground forces, naval forces, air forces and the carabinieri corps.
Italy has not been directly involved in armed conflicts in any countries in recent times, but has always been involved in peacekeeping missions and has deployed its troops in the war on terrorism.
Weak during the Second World War, the Italian army currently owns two active aircraft carriers, which house 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 currently at war, but is an active member of the UN - willingly transfers its troops to countries that ask for help.

Great Britain

Budget: $60.5 billion
Active Army: 147,000
Tanks: 407
Aviation: 936
Subs: 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, there were three big wars with Iceland in Great Britain, which did not become victorious for England - it was defeated, which allowed Iceland to expand its territories.
The United Kingdom once ruled over 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 military budget has been cut due to BREXIT and they are planning to reduce the number of their soldiers in time until 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.

Israel

Budget: $17 billion
Population: 160 thousand
Tanks: 4,170
Aviation: 684
Subs: 5
The main enemy of the Arabs, Israel has been fighting for its independence since 1947; it is constantly at war with Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and other Arab countries.
Israel has won five consecutive victories in previous wars against Hamas and Palestine since 2000, with heavy reinforcements from the US military.
A country that is not recognized by 31 countries (of which 18 are Arab) is still fighting against its enemies. By law, all citizens of Israel, including those with dual citizenship and living in another country, as well as all permanent residents in the territory of the state, upon reaching 18 years of age, are subject to conscription 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 duties for up to 45 days.
The IDF's greatest strength is the use of technology in upgrading its missile defense systems. The army consists of 3 types of armed forces: land, air force and naval forces. Implementation of the decision on the creation of the fourth type of armed forces - cybernetic troops has begun. The visiting card of the IDF is female military personnel who have proven that the weaker sex with a machine gun is no less effective than the strong one. Not to mention the fact that according to unverified data, Israel has about 80 nuclear warheads in service.
Israel is traditionally the most undervalued member of the Credit Suisse rating. The IDF has won all the conflicts in which it has participated, and often the Israelis had to fight on several fronts against an enemy many times superior in number. In addition to a huge amount of the latest offensive and defensive weapons of our own design, the rating does not take into account the fact that there are several hundred thousand reservists in the country with combat experience and high motivation.

Egypt

Budget: $4.4 billion
Army size: 468 thousand people
Tanks: 4,624
Aviation: 1,107
Subs: 4
Having fought on the side of the Arab alliance against Israel in 4 wars, Egypt has never fought a major battle against any other countries, but has participated several times in operations against ISIS terrorist groups. As in Israel, military service is compulsory for Egyptian men, they can be up to 9 years old. Today, Egypt is trying to keep the peace in its own country and wage a war on terrorism.
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 offset by high combat skills and technical level of weapons. Initialed or signed as of 2014 contracts totaling more than $3 billion for the supply from the Russian Federation of 24 MiG-29m/m2 fighters, air defense systems, anti-tank Cornet, combat helicopters: Ka-25, Mi-28 and Mi-25, Mi-35 . Light weapons. Coastal anti-ship systems. All contracts started 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-type helicopter carriers and attack helicopters for them, this will make Egypt a truly serious military force.

Pakistan

Budget: $7 billion
The number of active army: 617 thousand people
Tanks: 2,924
Aviation: 914
Subs: 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 over the internal politics of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), when the Indian army took revenge on 1965 and played its cards, splitting the country in two. Pakistan has not reached an agreement on the 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 conducting an arms race.
Pakistan's army is one of the largest in the world, it has a lot of tanks and aircraft, the US supports Islamabad with equipment. The main threat is internal, in remote areas of the country ruled by local leaders and the Taliban. Pakistan has medium-range ballistic missiles and about a hundred nuclear warheads. Pucks love and respect their MC immensely, and often seek justice from the military (instead of the courts and the government). Pakistan is said to have friendly relations with the superpowers, including the US, China and Turkey, who are always ready to support them. Recently, joint military exercises with the Russian army have made the Pakistani military much stronger, even though their biggest enemy India has been backed by Russia in previous wars against Pakistan.

Turkey

Budget: $18.2 billion
The number of active army: 410, 500 thousand people
Tanks: 3,778
Aviation: 1,020
Subs: 13
Turkey 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, taking 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.
Turkey claims to be a regional leader, therefore it is constantly building up and updating its armed forces. A huge number of tanks, aviation and a large modern fleet (though without aircraft carriers) allows the Turkish army to be considered the strongest among the Muslim countries of the Middle East.
The semi-European, semi-Asian power, which has the second largest military in NATO after the US, is one of the best trained military forces in the world. Turkey owns a "treasure" of more than 200 F-16s, the 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. In early 2016, when the military attempted a coup, they were defeated by ordinary citizens who took to the streets and re-established an elected government.

France

Budget: $62.3 billion
Active Army: 205,000
Tanks: 623
Aviation: 1,264
Subs: 10
France is one of the few countries whose armed forces have an almost complete range of modern weapons and military equipment of their own production - from small arms to attack nuclear aircraft carriers (which, apart from France, only the United States has). France is the only country (other than Russia) that owns a system of radar guided missiles.
The military history of France spans over 3,000 years. France took part in the First and Second World Wars and faced major defeats. Other major events in the military history of this country: the French-Thai War, the Tunisian War of Independence, the Algerian War of Independence in 1954-1962. After that, 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, it continues to actively intervene in local conflicts.
In 2015, France completed the reform of the armed forces, which began in 1996. As part of this reform, conscription was canceled and a transition to a mercenary army took place, which was less numerous, but more effective. The total strength of the French armed forces was significantly reduced.
Recently, the attack nuclear aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" was put into operation. Currently, France has approximately 300 strategic nuclear warheads, which are deployed on nuclear submarines. There are also 60 tactical warheads.

South Korea

Budget: $62.3 billion
Active Army: 625,000
Tanks: 2,381
Aviation: 1,412
Subs: 13
The main war in which this country participated was the Korean War in 1950. Often this Cold War conflict is seen as a proxy war between the United States and its allies and Chinese and Soviet forces. The composition of 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 to be formations 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 the supply of Chinese troops. Numerous military advisers and specialists were withdrawn 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 United States, 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, many things changed in the world (the new president in the USA, the death of Stalin, etc.), and the war ended with a truce.
The South Korean military is highly backed by the US military, which makes it 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 adversary - the DPRK. The difference, of course, is in the technological level. Seoul has its latest and Western developments, Pyongyang has Soviet technology 50 years ago.
Interestingly, North Korea is considered the leader in the number of submarines (35th in the Global Firepower rating), which has 78 units. However, it is noted that they are almost completely unusable. A third of North Korea's submarines are noisy diesel-powered Romeos, which were obsolete in 1961.

India

Budget: $51 billion
Active Army Strength: 1,408,551
Tanks: 6,464
Aviation: 1,905
Subs: 15
Currently, India is confidently among the top ten world powers in terms of its military potential. The armed forces of India are inferior to the armies of the United States, Russia and China, they are strong and numerous. Speaking of 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 means of delivery. In addition to the armed forces themselves, India has a variety of paramilitary forces in which more than a million people serve: national security forces, special border forces, special paramilitary forces. The fact that India has about a hundred nuclear warheads, three aircraft carriers and two nuclear submarines in service makes it the fifth most powerful.

Japan

Budget: $41.6 billion
Active army strength: 247, 173
Tanks: 678
Aviation: 1,613
Subs: 16
The last battle of World War II was a nightmare for Japan, which was hit by a nuclear attack from the United States. After the defeat in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army was disbanded, and military factories and educational institutions were closed. The occupying authorities banned even martial arts. A ban on the manufacture of Japanese swords was also established, 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 has suffered from nuclear attacks is not allowed to raise its own army.
However, already during the period of American occupation, the creation of armed formations began: in 1950, a reserve police corps was created; in 1952 it was converted to the Security Corps, in 1954 it was converted to the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The Japan Self-Defense Force 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 a very large and relatively modern armed forces, powerful enough in the Asia-Pacific region and capable of solving almost any task. On September 19, 2015, the Japanese Parliament 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 it one of the strongest on this list. Japan recently deployed its troops to South Sudan for the first time since World War II as part of UN peacekeeping missions. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are armed with 4 helicopter carriers and 9 destroyers. However, Japan does not have nuclear weapons and this, together with a small number of tanks, makes some experts think that the position of this army is overestimated.

Russia

Budget: $84.5 billion
Active Army strength: 766,033
Tanks: 15,398
Aviation: 3,429
Subs: 55
It would be disrespectful to the national military history to try to retell it in one paragraph.
A 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, the production and purchase of military equipment, is more than 84 billion dollars. The air force includes over 3,000 aircraft. No less equipped is the navy, consisting of 55 submarines and 1 aircraft carrier. The country has more than 8,000 nuclear warheads and 15,000 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 RF Armed Forces are inferior to China only in the number of submarines. And if the rumors about a Chinese secret nuclear stockpile are not true, then it is far ahead of him in this area. It is believed that Russia's strategic nuclear forces have about 350 carriers and about 2,000 nuclear warheads. The number of tactical nuclear charges is unknown and may be several thousand.
One of the three most powerful and experienced armies in the world, the Russian army is a big threat to China and the US. Russia constantly invests in its military budget and produces the latest aircraft, helicopters and ammunition. By 2020, Russia plans to add six more army aviation air bases to the existing eight. In addition, more than a thousand new helicopters are planned to be put into operation.

China

Budget: $216 billion
Active Army Strength: 2,333,000
Tanks: 9,150
Aviation: 2,860
Subs: 67
The People's Liberation Army of China is the official name of the Chinese armed forces, the largest in terms of numbers in the world. China is the most populated country in the world with the largest number of soldiers; approximately 2,333,000 people serve (this is only 0.18% of the country's population). China is increasing its military budget by 12% every year to become a superpower against the US. Legislation provides for conscription for men from the age of 18; volunteers are accepted until the age of 49. The age limit for an army reserve soldier is 50 years. The Chinese armed forces are divided into five military command zones and three fleets organized according to the territorial principle: east, north, west, south and center.
After the capitulation of Japan, the USSR handed over to the PLA captured weapons of the Kwantung Army: ships of the Sungari River Flotilla, 861 aircraft, 600 tanks, artillery, mortars, 1200 machine guns, as well as small arms, ammunition and other military equipment.
Chinese officials say that in the course of developing weapons, China does not exceed the feasible level that the economy and society are able to withstand, and even more so does not seek an arms race. However, PRC defense spending increased sharply in 2001-2009.
The second economy in the world has the largest active army, however, in terms of the number of tanks, aircraft 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 we know, China keeps several hundred nuclear warheads on combat duty. However, some believe that in reality the PRC may have several thousand warheads, but this information is classified.

USA

Budget: $601 billion
Troops: 1,400,000
Tanks: 8,848
Aviation: 13,892
Submarines: 72
The USA is directly or indirectly involved in almost all the wars that have been taking place 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 - about 600 billion dollars. American soldiers have at their disposal the most modern military equipment, which is periodically updated. The US has a nuclear capability that includes 7,500 nuclear warheads. The country is also famous for its tanks, and their armored vehicles have more than 8 thousand units. The state also has the largest air force in the world, with some 13,682 aircraft.
Some experts say that the USA can never be invaded because it has the strongest fleet with the maximum number of 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, the Army Newsletter reported that they estimated they had used up about 22 gallons of fuel per day per soldier.
The US is investing billions of dollars to develop the latest military technology, keeping the US at the forefront in areas such as robotics. Recently, the US Army has been looking to create new Cyber ​​Corps and increase soldiers in the Cyber ​​Crime Unit. Their responsibility will be to ensure the security of networks and information databases of systems and to protect against cyber attacks.

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

Today we present the annually updated, official rating of the armies of the world, the list of which includes the most powerful armies in the world in 2016.

The rating of the most powerful armies in the world (According to Globalfirepower)Top-10 is compiled according to the specialized resource Globalfirepower. When compiling the rating, the number of armies of the world, weapons, military budget, resource equipment and logistics fall under comparison. The nuclear potential was not taken into account by the experts. By the way, San Marino had the weakest army in the world in 2016 - only 80 people.

10. South Korea

The Korean army is the third in Asia in terms of numbers - 630 thousand soldiers. The country has a very high number of military personnel per thousand inhabitants - 14.2 people. Defense budget of Korea - $33.7 billion.

9. Germany

The country's military budget is $45 billion. The number of German armed forces is 186,500 people. The German army is completely professional, i.e. There has been no compulsory conscription in the country since 2011.

8. Turkey

The Turkish army is the best in the Middle East. The number of the country's armed forces is 510,000 people. Turkey's military budget is $18 billion. There are just over 7 military personnel per thousand inhabitants of the country.

7. Japan

The Japanese Army opens our list of the best. The combat-ready part of the army has 247,000 servicemen. With such a large number of armed forces, the country has a huge defense budget - $49 billion.

6. UK

The country's military budget is $53 billion. The number of British armed forces - 188,000 military - is the smallest army in the ranking. But the Royal Navy of Britain is the second in the world in terms of tonnage.

5. France

Opens a list of the 5 most powerful armies in the world. The country's military budget is $43 billion. The number of French armed forces is 222,000 people. The key to the combat effectiveness of this army is the presence in it of a full range of weapons of its own production, from warships to helicopters and small arms.

4. India

The country's military budget is $46 billion. The number of Indian armed forces is 1,346,000 people, the country's army is the third largest in the world.

3. China

The largest army in the world is the Chinese army, with 2,333,000 troops. Wikipedia indicates that there are 1.71 military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. China's military budget is $126 billion.

2. Russia

The Russian armed forces surpass almost all the armies of the countries of the world in terms of the power of weapons in all branches of the military - air, land and sea. The number of the Russian army for 2016 is 798,000 people. The military budget is $76 billion. Among the superpowers, Russia has a very high number of military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants - 5.3 people.