Ten Most Powerful Militaries in The World

Each year, the website Global Firepower ranks countries in what they call the “global firepower index,” a ranking of the world’s 126 most powerful militaries. The index uses a 50-point algorithm to determine a nation’s military power. Their system focuses on the diversity of weapons systems and provides bonuses and penalties for things like nuclear arms, diversity of force structures, and alliances (like NATO). The formula is interesting because it makes a smaller but more technologically advanced country competitive with larger militaries from less advanced countries.

1. United States

An M1A2 Abrams tank fires at a target at a live-fire range near Camp Buehring, during Exercise Eager Mace 13. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Timothy Childers)

Is anyone really surprised by this? The U.S. may not top manpower, but they do beat all in land systems. airpower, and naval force, along with a host of other factors, like logistics.

2. Russia 

Russia is first in terms of geographical land mass, which is important for defensive wars, especially when it comes to external invaders.

3. China 

Aside from leading in manpower, the Chinese also have trillions in foreign currency reserves and purchasing power.

4. India 

Indian army infantry vehicles move onto the firing range at Camp Bundela, India Oct. 26, 2009.

Unfortunately for India’s chief rival Pakistan, India is the fourth most powerful force on the planet, while the Pakistanis sit at #13.

5. France 

French troops in Cote d’ivoire in 2003.

6. United Kingdom 

(Ministry of Defence photo)

The UK and the French look remarkably similar at first, but the real disparity is in fixed wing aircraft, fleet strength, and economics. The French have less foreign debt and operate a larger military despite a much smaller defense budget.

7. Japan 

A Standard Missile-3 is launched from the Japanese Aegis Destroyer JS Kongo (DDG 173) enroute to an intercept of a target missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility.

While the Japanese have an available manpower that seems to dwarf the British, their force is (by law) for homeland defense, which focuses on seapower and artillery. Their economy far surpasses the UK’s, however.

8. Turkey 

Turkey’s large manpower reserve and land forces put it next to Japan. Its large external debt and lack of diversity in naval power keep the gap between numbers 7 and 8 quite big, however. It’s important to note Turkey is also a member of NATO and its military is probably designed around the wars it is most likely to have to fight.

9. Germany

During exercise Joint Resolve 26, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), soldiers from the German Battle Group’s 2nd Reinforced Infantry Company, armed with Heckler and Koch automatic assault rifles, seek to capture French soldiers playing the role of paramilitary extremists, near a paramilitary training camp in the town of Pazaric.

Germany’s economy is significantly superior to Turkey’s, even though Turkey has half the annual defense budget. Still, Germany can’t keep up in available manpower.

10. Italy

Italian Soldier from the Folgore Parachute Brigade.

Italy has a large drop off in available manpower and military aged persons. Italy outnumbers the Germans in almost every area, from aircraft and land forces to seapower. And while Italy has almost twice the resource availability, it has half the labor force to work those resources.

This article originally appeared at We Are the Mighty.