The Most Powerful Militaries

All around the world, battlefields are constantly evolving. The fight for control and power no longer hinges on the size of a country’s army, but on their tactics, technology, financials, and logistical capabilities as well. And believe you me, some countries have a lot more of those than others! So, taking all that into account, let's find out which countries have the most formidable military forces in the world!

Germany

During the Second World War, fascist-controlled Germany saw no less than a staggering 17.3 million soldiers serve in its army, air force and navy! But after the country suffered its crushing defeat, the winning allied powers placed limitations on Germany’s military, which was reduced down to a paltry 100,000 soldiers!

The country was then divided into the East and West, and the West became a member of the NATO political and military alliance. Then, under strict NATO edicts, West Germany built up a military numbering 495,000 to help fight in the Cold War! Eventually, the East and West sections were reunified in 1990, but reunification came at a cost. The German Armed Forces were limited again to a maximum of just 370,000 personnel; It’s like NATO just couldn’t make up its mind!

Fortunately, Germany has since adopted a strong anti-war attitude and, today, has a military made up of just 182,650 active-duty personnel with 30,000 reserve members. However, their military defense budget of approximately $50 billion gives them the 6th highest military spend in the world, even though it’s just 1.2% of the country’s GDP.

Clearly, that isn’t being frittered away on masses of manpower! Instead, Germany focusses more on military research and weapon advancement, something that helped them make great gains in the Second World War. They’re in the process of developing a state-of-the-art semi-autonomous weapons system linking drones, satellites, and fighter and reconnaissance aircraft!

Those will add to their moderately sized military arsenal, which includes 712 aircraft, 245 tanks, and 4,583 armored vehicles. So even though Germany has been bound by military constraints for the best part of a century, their smart investments have kept them unprecedentedly powerful.

Italy

Germany wasn’t the only country to be slapped with military limitations following the Second World War! After seesawing between winning and losing sides, Italy’s military was also limited in size. Its Royal Army alone had seen 2.56 million soldiers serve, but to assure peace with the allied nations, that was reduced to a mere 250,000 maximum personnel.

But fast forward to today, and Italy like Germany is now a key NATO ally. Its privileged position in the Mediterranean region makes it a valuable strategic foothold for the defense of NATO’s southern flank. To support that, Italy now has approximately 175,000 active personnel making up their armed forces, all powered by a modest military budget of $18.1 billion.

Compared to Germany’s $50 billion, that may not sound like much! But a large portion of that goes towards developing Italy’s Naval capabilities, which currently sports 249 assets, including 2 aircraft carriers and 9 destroyers. All up, that means Italy has the 11th largest naval fleet in the world! And that’s pretty important considering it has almost 4750 miles of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.

Without that seaborne defense, Italy would be vulnerable to attacks from volatile countries across the water like Syria or Israel. But should those nations ever decide to attack, Italy won’t go down without a fight. Its land force has 200 tanks and nearly 7,000 armored vehicles, which works out to roughly 1 vehicle for every 25 active troops! On top of that, they have 860 available aircraft, with 99 fighters and 38 transport vehicles. That means they’re ready to mobilize troops by land, air, or sea all before you can say Mama Mia!

Turkey

Throughout history, Turkey has constantly been referred to as "The Army Nation" and with very good reason. Born out of a war of independence with the old Ottoman Empire, Turkey was declared a republic in 1923. But today, they share several boarders with volatile nations such as Syria, Iraq, and Iran not exactly an enviable position to be in!

To ensure they can defend their own soil in the wake of any sudden conflicts, they’ve built up a massive military presence. The country currently boasts an impressive 355,000 active troops with a further 380,000 reserves. But how has Turkey managed to attract so many recruits? Technically, they don’t have to recruit. Their secret lies in conscription laws, which state all males aged 20 to 41 must enroll into military service for a minimum of 6 months.

But they’re not the only ones protecting their boarders! Since 1952, Turkey has been a proud and prominent member of NATO. By establishing themselves as a valuable ally, NATO created the Allied Land Command to help defend Turkey from any kind of attack. With 12 strong allies behind it, Turkey grasped the opportunity to begin investing in military equipment.

Today, they have approximately 8,800 armored vehicles as well as 2,622 tanks to defend their 1,750 miles of shared boarders. And with an intimidating 1,055 military aircraft, they also have the world’s 9th largest Airforce at their fingertips! But maintaining a military against unstable territories comes at a cost!

In 2020, The Turkish defense budget reached $19.7 billion, taking up a whopping 2.7% of the country’s GDP. It sounds like a lot, but if you were neighbors with those volatile nations, you’d probably want some serious financial firepower as well!

Brazil

You might not think that Brazil, a country famous for its rainforests, festivals, and football would have a prolific military presence! But what you may not know is that Brazil was actually under a military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. Despite throwing the shackles of that oppressive regime off, Brazil still clings to the strength of its militarized past through its ex-army President Bolsonaro.

Under his reign, Brazil has amassed around 334,000 active personnel along with an immense 1.3 million reserve members. Although it’s not just Brazil’s patriotic spirit making up the ranks of its soldiers, but a strict conscription law as well! Every male between the ages of 18 and 45 must enlist for roughly 10 to 12 months.

That explains why Brazil has the 6th largest reserve force in the entire world! But all that manpower is a huge drain on its financials! The country’s defense budget of $27.8 billion is dominated by personnel expenses, which make up roughly 73% of its overall spend. The little that’s left over is earmarked for inactive military, including payment of pensions.

As such, the country has a small but even spread of equipment across its Army, Navy and Air Force. With 715 military aircraft, and 437 tanks, they’re certainly a force to be reckoned with. But with just 126 transport aircraft and less than 2000 armored vehicles, all that manpower can’t be transported in any kind of hurry! It just goes to show that a country’s military prowess relies on much more than just masses of manpower.

Egypt

Egypt has long been regarded as one of the most advanced and modern countries in the middle east, but it’s not always had a strong militaristic reputation. From 1947 to 1973, Egypt took on Israel in 5 separate wars and astoundingly lost all of them. Fortunately, under the guidance of the United States in 1979, both nations signed a peace treaty, one which saw Egypt receive a huge amount of military and economic aid from the US.

But following a military coup in 2013, the US put a hold on all its military support! That led Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to build a stronger set of armed forces through any means necessary. He adjusted the country’s conscription laws, dictating all males aged 18 to 30 must complete 1 to 3 years of military service. Not only that, but they must remain in the country’s military reserve for up to 9 years!

That has provided Egypt with approximately 440,000 active personnel, along with a sizeable 480,000 in reserves. They make up the country’s Army, Navy, Air Force, and separate Air Defense Force, which specifically defends Egypt from air-based attacks. Even though the military dictatorship has been heavily criticized by many countries, the manpower it’s produced has been essential in hunting down and fighting against terrorist groups.

In that, nations such as the US have re-affirmed their support for Egypt, and China even sold them several state-of-the-art Wing Loong drones to aid in the fight against terrorism. With the assistance, Egypt’s military equipment has been massively modernized. They currently own a humungous 4,295 tanks, 11,700 armored vehicles, and 1084 rocket projectors, giving them the 4th largest land force in the world. And with just over 1,500 miles of coastline, they’ve precured 2 Mistral class aircraft carriers to support their 303 dedicated fighter aircraft.

United Kingdom

It’s well-known that the little island nation of the UK once had a military that spanned the globe, covering about 25% of the world at the height of the British empire. Its strong military history helped it come out on top in both World Wars, and even though those days are long behind it, it still retains a powerful military presence.

However, its Royal Navy, Army, Airforce, Marines and British Gurkhas are roughly comprised of just 150,000 active-duty personnel, with only 36,000 in reserve. It’s a surprisingly low number, but that’s because the UK focuses on training elite squads of soldiers instead of relying on masses of manpower. And that kind of cut-throat efficiency also extends to all their available military equipment. Their naval fleet of just 88 ships including 2 Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers are used to maintain approximately 145 overseas bases in 42 countries.

Those strategically placed stations make the tiny island a hugely important ally to NATO, as it’s ready to strike and logistically support any alliance members who might come under attack. And since it announced its exit from the European Union in 2016, the UK has been steadily increasing its defense budget year after year, with a promise of $55.4 billion in 2021!

But even though they recently severed ties with the European Union, they’re still more than ready for a worst-case scenario conflict. They possess a phenomenal 215 strategic nuclear warheads along with four Vanguard class Trident nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. That sea based nuclear deterrent makes it clear that even though its military isn’t as strong as it used to be, Britannia still clearly rules the waves!

France

Even though it’s been long associated with fine wine, cheese, and white flags, you might be surprised to learn that France actually has the largest military in the European Union! With approximately 268,000 active personnel and 183,000 in reserve, that all-volunteer manpower makes up the 5 main branches of France’s military. Those are the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard and National Gendarmerie, who all report directly to the President of France.

The latter two are technically police forces which sit under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior which is responsible for the general security of the country. But they don’t just defend French soil! As a founding member of NATO, they’ve played a fundamental role in tackling international terrorism and have approximately 30,000 troops deployed overseas.

Despite that impressive international presence, France has seen more than 40 terrorist-related incidents on its own soil since the year 2000! As such, it’s drastically increased its military budget, from $33.8 billion in 2000, to a staggering $53.9 billion in 2020! Much of that goes towards purchasing, developing, and maintaining their equipment like their 1,229 aircraft which make up the 8th largest air force in the world. They also own an amazing 4 aircraft carriers as part of their 180-ship-strong naval fleet.

That’s almost 100 more than the UK! And it’s not just their numbers that are intimidating, because the underwater portion of that fleet carries submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Those are designed to deliver France’s nuclear warheads, of which it has a terrifying 290 in total. Fortunately, France has assured the rest of the world that those are just a "life-insurance policy" to deter any future invasion attempts. With all that nuclear firepower on their side, it’s safe to say that anyone who tries to mess with France will end up as French toast!

South Korea

When Japan surrendered after World War 2, the end of their 35-year annexation of Korea split the peninsula into two zones of occupation; the then U.S. controlled South Korea, and communist North Korea. But in 1950, the North launched a full-scale invasion on the South, which lasted for three long years. Even though both sides signed an armistice treaty in 1953 that ended the hostilities, the countries are technically still at war.

With the constant threat of attack or invasion from North Korea looming over them, it’s no surprise South Korea has a colossal 580,000 active troops in its ranks and a staggering 3.1 million in reserves. Compared to North Korea’s 1.28 million active & 600,000 reserves, The South is a sizable opposition! And as you’ve probably guessed those numbers mainly come from the country’s universal conscription service.

That see’s all male citizens between the ages of 18 to 28 serve in the military for an average of 20 months. Their laws are so strict that not even their popstars are exempt from service! Alongside their huge amount of manpower, they also command the fifth largest number of military aircraft in the world, with approximately 414 fighter planes and 112 dedicated attack helicopters.

Their land force contains a massive 14,000 armored vehicles and 2614 tanks, while their Navy is sitting pretty on 2 colossal aircraft carriers, 12 destroyers and 111 patrol boats. All of that comes from their $48 billion defense budget, which makes up more than 2.7% of their GDP. But for all their equipment, the South adheres to strict non-proliferation policies on nuclear weapons.

North Korea, on the other hand, has developed between 30-40 nuclear warheads which they’re not afraid to show off! Fortunately, the South has close defense ties with America, China, and the UK to help defend them from external attacks. After all, who needs a few nukes when you have big, powerful friends with lots of nukes?

Japan

After their disastrous involvement in the Second World War, Japan like Italy and Germany had to abide by some serious military restrictions: The country’s entire military was disbanded, they were banned from using war to settle international disputes, and they were prohibited from ever maintaining a military again. But in 1954, they were given permission to establish the Japanese Self-Defense Force, which are explicitly authorized to defend Japan and maintain the peace within its borders.

So not only is that force one of the youngest in the world, but it’s also one of the smallest. Its Air, Ground and Maritime divisions consist of just over 247,000 active personnel with a mere 56,000 in reserve. That’s little over a fifth of the manpower their war-mongering neighbor North Korea has!

However, their real power isn’t in their troops, but in their tech. With a defense budget of $51.7 billion, Japan’s Technology Defense Sector has created some of the most advanced weaponry in the world. Like its multi-tier-defense-system against ballistic missiles, state-of-the-art stealth fighter jets, and the continuing development of hypersonic missiles which will fly 3 times faster than the speed of sound!

Japan's Secret Military Plans Revealed: Hypersonic Missiles and Tomahawks! by Military Tech Channel

Their unmatched technical capabilities have made them an invaluable ally, allowing them to establish an intelligence-sharing pact with South Korea and a strong security relationship with the USA. But they’re not just relying on the firepower of their friends!

To defend themselves from an oversea invasion, Japan has 4 aircraft carriers to support 1,561 military aircraft which work alongside their 40 destroyers of a 155-ship-strong naval fleet. So should a certain North Korea dictator get any bright ideas about attacking that little island nation, you can guarantee he’ll be blown out of the water!

India

India currently ranks as the 7th largest country in the world with the second largest population, although it used to be much bigger. It was partitioned from neighboring Pakistan in 1947, with its east section eventually becoming the secular state of Bangladesh. But since the partition, boarder conflicts with Bangladesh and Pakistan as well as China and Nepal have put India on a constant war footing.

To defend those disputed boarders, its military consists of a huge 1.4 million active personnel with 2.1 million in reserve. But what makes that so astonishing is that India has never had a mandatory military service, meaning it has the single largest un-conscripted military in the world. That doesn’t just encompass an Army, Navy and Airforce, but also extends to their central armed police, specialist, and civil defense forces.

Their Navy boasts a fully equipped aircraft carrier, and a strong fleet of submarines and patrol boats to guard its 4,393 miles of coastline. And their Airforce, with over 2,000 capable aircraft, makes them the 4th most formidable thing in the sky. It supports that with a sizeable $73.65 billion defense budget, but with the cost of living being so low in India, less than half of that is designated for maintenance, pay, infrastructure, and expenses.

That means a mammoth $18.52 billion is earmarked for new weapon purchases, which include 22 cutting-edge MQ-9 Reaper drones, six P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, and a brand-new surface to air missile system! As shiny and new as all that tech is, their biggest military asset comes in the form of their 150-strong stockpile of nuclear warheads. While Pakistan also wields 160 nuclear warheads, it’s enough to keep both sides at bay in the long term.

China

In the year 2000, China had a staggeringly sized army of 3.9 million active soldiers. But even with all that manpower, the command structure of the People’s Liberation Army or PLA for short was archaic. That rendered its Army, Navy, and Airforce completely unprepared for any kind of modern warfare. After the US demonstrated its firepower in China’s back yard throughout the Gulf War and Taiwan Straits Crisis, China re-evaluated its military priorities and began investing in quality over quantity.

Today, it has a reduced 2.1 million active personnel, with 510,000 in reserves. While the country technically has a conscription law, it supposedly hasn’t been implemented since 1949. Instead, China relies on patriotic volunteers. However, its recruitment videos have been labelled as propaganda and highly criticized for including frame-for-frame scenes of Hollywood movies!

Regardless of that, it’s still the largest active-duty military force in the world, although the PLA itself has been completely restructured and modernized! Its Ground Force, Navy and Airforce are joined by a Rocket Force and Strategic Support force. Though unconfirmed, they’re also purported to have an elite Cyber-warfare squad!

Though their existence is disputed, they’ve been accused by the UK, Japan, India, the US and many more of hacking and espionage. The cyber warfare capabilities those experts have are some of the most extensive and well-practiced in the world, but that’s not surprising if you look at their funding. China has clearly benefitted from a monumental boost in its defense budget, which increased from $22.9 billion in 2000, to an eye-watering $237 billion in 2020!

For a little perspective, India, Japan, South Korea, France, and the UK have a combined defense budget of $250 billion. But thanks to its thriving economy, all that moula makes up just 1.9% of China’s GDP. But that budget also goes a long way to fueling their threatening 320 nuclear missiles. As much as all those missiles may set your teeth on edge, it’s not all that much when you compare it to their notoriously nuclear northern neighbor Russia.

Russia

At the height of the 44 year-long Cold War, the Soviet Union and United States kept each other at bay with the threat of mutually assured nuclear destruction. Russia like many countries had raced to produce as much military equipment, personnel, and nuclear weaponry as it could. But by 1991, when the threat of an all-out nuclear war had blessedly simmered down, the consequences of decades of stockpiling hit Russia like a freight train.

In 1992, following the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia engaged in a small war with Georgia. Despite having almost 1.9 million active troops, little Georgia amazingly resisted a crushing defeat! All that ageing equipment stockpiled over decades and an over-reliance on conscription had left Russia unbelievably weak. As such, Russia began a series of military reforms.

Today, it has just over 1 million active personnel, with around 2 million in reserves. That is thanks to Russia’s strict conscription law, which sees every male aged between 18 and 27 serve for at least 12 months. But President Putin recently vowed to put an end to it, in order to develop a more professional military. In terms of equipment, the country has roughly 13,000 tanks, 27,000 armored vehicles, and more than 14,000 rocket projectors and artillery. With over 4,000 aircraft, an aircraft carrier, and over 600 naval assets, it’s a formidable force over land, air, and sea!

Even though a vast portion of its equipment is outdated by modern warfare standards, it hasn’t stopped Russia from making bolshy moves like the recent annexation of Crimea, the Ukraine invasion or its intervention in the Syrian Civil War. But that might come from the confidence it has regarding its nuclear capabilities. The thing is, Russia has a terrifying 4,315 active nuclear warheads in its back pocket.

But maintaining that massive arsenal along with the rest of its military puts its defense budget at just $65.1 billion. It may not sound like a lot compared to China, but that’s roughly 3.9% of Russia’s GDP! However, both Russia and China somehow fall short on the financial side compared to the number one military power in the world.

United States of America

It’s hardly a surprise thanks to all of President Trump’s boastful tweets, that the United States of America undisputedly has the mightiest military in the world. They played a crucial role in World War 2 and managed to outlast the urge to push the big red nuclear launch button during the Cold War.

But as of the 21st century, they’ve only claimed a conclusive victory in 5 of the 12 wars they’ve participated in. Those victories include the invasion of Iraq, Operation Ocean Shield, Operation Observant Compass, and 2 interventions in Libya. That is because the United States’ military strength isn’t derived from dominance, but deterrence.

Its voluntarily drafted 1.4 million active personnel and 860,000 reserves make up America’s Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard, and who could forget Space Force! That also includes the 160,000 troops it has stationed in more than 150 countries around the world, along with 60,000 to 70,000 troops deployed in combat in the Middle East. But it’s not just manpower they have plenty of!

America has more airpower than any other nation on earth, with more than 13,000 military aircraft at its disposal. The US also leads the world with nearly 40,000 armored vehicles, 91 Navy destroyers, and an astounding 20 aircraft carriers. And those aren’t your grandaddy’s antique’ war-makin’ machines! The U.S. is constantly investing in the latest military tech, like the XQ-58A Valkyrie; A drone designed to fly alongside human pilots to help them see further and fight better!

And like that wasn’t overkill enough, it also has a stockpile of 3,800 nuclear warheads! But all that war-power doesn’t come cheap. In 2020, America spent an insurmountable $738 billion on its defense! For contrast, the combined defense bill of every country in that list is $678.8 billion. Everything really is bigger in the US of A!

If you were amazed at the most powerful militaries, you might want to read about the most elite special forces in the world. Thanks for reading!