Which country has the best weapons in the world? Rating of the most powerful armies in the world (According to Globalfirepower). How much does defense cost?

Do you know which countries have the most powerful armies in 2018? If not, then it will be useful for you to familiarize yourself with this ranking table of the world’s armies in 2018. This informational article will tell the reader about the ten states with the most powerful military apparatus, ranking all participants in the ranking according to a descending principle (from smallest to largest).

Egypt

Making their debut in the 2018 ranking of the world's armies are the Egyptian armed forces, whose total strength is about 450 thousand people (not counting the reserve). The military formation is structurally composed of four divisions: ground forces, naval forces (hereinafter referred to as the Navy/Navy), the air force (Air Force), and air defense (air defense). The ground forces include tank, ground and mechanized divisions armed with more than 3,700 tanks, 2,500 mortars, and 4,000 armored personnel carriers. The Egyptian Air Force consists of 350 aircraft and 35 thousand military personnel. The Navy consists of more than 40 thousand employees and 60 combat vessels. Egypt is officially a country without nuclear weapons.

Germany

The German army is called the Bundeswehr, which consists of three (6 in total) main power structures: the Navy (20,000), the Air Force (30,000), and the ground forces. The total strength of the entire Bundeswehr is 180,000 people. Compulsory military service in Germany was abolished in 2011. Since then, only professional military personnel (contract service) have been found in the ranks of employees. A special feature of the German Bundeswehr is the medical unit (23,000 members) - this is a full-fledged structural unit of the Bundeswehr, which is engaged in the treatment of military personnel, the development of modern military medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, etc. Germany is one of the few countries that has curtailed its nuclear program.

Türkiye

Türkiye ranks 8th in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world in 2018. Military service is compulsory for all men aged 20-40 years. Turkey has the most powerful ground forces in the world (after the United States) and numbers about 400 thousand people, armed with more than 4,500 tanks and 4,000 self-propelled artillery of various calibers. The Turkish Navy (about 15 thousand people) is relatively small compared to the UK. The Turkish Navy has about 20 submarines, 30 frigates and corvettes at its disposal.

Japan

After World War II, the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces were completely disbanded, replaced by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, which are still active today. The basic principles of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces: do not attack, do not use nuclear weapons. As of 2018, the Japanese army has more than 250 thousand voluntary personnel (in Japan there is no compulsory military service, all military personnel are hired to serve at their own request). The legal status of the Japan Self-Defense Forces is not fully delineated, and therefore the Japanese army is considered to be a public domain.

Great Britain

The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Armed Forces of Great Britain is the current monarch. Great Britain took 6th place in the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world in 2018, numbering 200 thousand people. 20% of all armed forces are the navy (numbering about 40 thousand people). The English fleet is considered one of the most modern and powerful in the world (after the USA) - this is not surprising, because Great Britain is an island. The ground forces number 80 thousand people + 25 thousand reserves. The UK has 4 submarines with nuclear warheads on board.

France

France is a leader in the ranking of the combat effectiveness of the world's armies. Today the country has the most modern weapons of its own production, nuclear weapons and numerous human resources. Every year, about 30-40 billion US dollars are spent from the state budget on defense purposes. More than 300 million military personnel are constantly ready to defend the interests of the state. More than 15% of the military personnel are women, the highest percentage of any country. France also constantly accepts orders from various countries for the production of aircraft carriers, fighters and other military equipment, which very well replenishes the state treasury.

India

One of the largest countries in terms of population (1.4 billion) has an army of many millions to protect its borders. Every year, about 50 billion dollars are financed from the country's budget to maintain the combat effectiveness of the country's defensive structure. India is armed with ground forces (1.2 million people), navy (60 thousand people), air force (127,000) and coast guard. India is part of the “nuclear club”, and is one of the main producers of nuclear warheads for all members of this association. India is armed with about 1 thousand combat fighter aircraft and 500 combat helicopters, about 4 thousand tanks, 2000 infantry fighting vehicles, 30 thousand anti-tank systems.

China

The Chinese armed forces are considered the largest army in the world in terms of numbers, amounting to more than 2.5 million people. China is armed with more than 8,000 tanks (including light and trackless ones), 4,000 armored personnel carriers, 3,500 MLRS and self-propelled howitzers, and 1,700 combat aircraft. The structure of the PRC army includes 5 branches of the military: ground, navy, air force, missile forces, and strategic troops. The official handgun in China is the QBZ-95 assault rifle. China is a member of the “nuclear club”, and therefore China has nuclear warheads in its arsenal.

Russia

Russia occupies second place in the ranking of the combat effectiveness of the world's armies. Every year, the Russian budget funds about 70-80 billion dollars to maintain the army. The permanent armed forces number approximately 800 thousand people, excluding the reserve (2 million). In terms of the number of military personnel, Russia ranks 5th in the world (China ranks first). The army of the Russian Federation is armed with: tanks (more than 3 thousand units), infantry fighting vehicles (more than 4 thousand), armored personnel carriers (approximately 7200 units), self-propelled artillery units (2000+ thousand), as well as more than 1000+ mobile tactical missile systems (half of the bottom is occupied by the Grad system), etc.

USA

The USA is the country with the largest army in the world in 2018. The total number of military personnel is 1 million. The main unit of the US domestic armed forces is the regular army (460 thousand), as well as reserve troops: the national guard (340 thousand) and reserve troops (200 thousand). The armed forces also include the coast guard, military police and navy. The United States is armed with: tanks, military vehicles, artillery, tactical missile and anti-tank systems, aviation and aircraft carriers, etc. Every year the United States spends more than 600 billion dollars on defensive purposes.

The ranking of the ten strongest armies in the world in 2019 was compiled based on data Global Firepower. The military power of each state was assessed according to more than 50 different criteria. The economic situation of the states also played a significant role in its place in the ranking.

10 Germany

Germany opens the top ten strongest armies in the world in 2019. Until July 1, 2011, in Germany, all adult citizens of the country were required to serve under conscription (6 months of military service or alternative labor service in social and charitable organizations). Now the Bundeswehr has moved to a fully professional army. Germany has been a member of NATO for many years, so in the event of any military threats, it can count on the help of the United States and other allies.

The German ground forces consist of four headquarters bases, which include multinational NATO corps from the so-called "rapid deployment forces", 5 task forces with headquarters in other army corps (Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, as well as French), five divisions and auxiliary units and units.

The general focus of the German army is mainly focused on conducting peacekeeping missions as part of coalition forces, as well as resolving local low-intensity conflicts. This is reflected in the fundamental document on German military development. Thus, if a military conflict arises near the borders of Germany or martial law is declared, the state is ready for war only with a virtually “toothless” enemy. This conclusion suggests itself if you familiarize yourself with the degree of combat, technical and logistical support of the Bundeswehr.

9 Türkiye

Ninth place is the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish army is recruited by conscription, the conscription age is 20 - 41 years, the period of compulsory military service is from 6 to 12 months. Upon discharge from the army, a citizen is considered liable for military service and is in the reserve until the age of 45. In wartime, in accordance with the law, men aged 16 to 60 years and women aged 20 to 46 who are able to bear arms can be drafted into the army.

The state and directions of development of the Turkish armed forces are determined by the foreign policy situation that has developed today in the Middle East region. It would be hard to call it simple. The situation currently observed in the Middle East poses many serious challenges and security threats to the Turkish state.

First of all, this is a large-scale conflict that is blazing in Syria, a high probability of the creation of an independent Kurdish state in the territories of Syria and Iraq, active terrorist activities of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), a frozen conflict with Greece around Cyprus and islands in the Aegean Sea.

8 UK

Compared to last year, the UK armed forces have dropped from sixth place to eighth in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world. The military budget was also cut by $2.5 billion, with the bulk of the budget spent on scientific research in the field of engineering and technology. Despite its considerable resources, it is the policy of the Ministry of Defense that British troops participate in military operations of any kind only as part of a coalition.

The Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces is the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The UK Armed Forces are under the control of the Defense Council of the Ministry of Defence. The main task of the British armed forces is to protect the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, ensure security and protect the interests of Great Britain, and participate in international UN peacekeeping operations and NATO operations.

The UK is believed to have around 225 thermonuclear warheads, of which 160 are operational, but the exact size of the arsenal has not been officially disclosed. Since 1998, the only component of the UK's nuclear force has been the Trident group of SSBNs. The group consists of four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines based in Faslane, Scotland. Each submarine carries up to 16 Trident II missiles, each of which can carry up to eight warheads. At least one armed submarine is always on alert.

7 South Korea

According to the constitution, all South Korean men are required to serve in the military. The conscription age ranges from 18 to 35 years. In wartime, military service is compulsory for men between the ages of 18 and 45. The duration of conscription service ranges from 21 to 24 months. In terms of the number of military personnel per capita, South Korea ranks second in the world after its northern neighbor, the DPRK.

The army of South Korea is almost twice as large as the army of the DPRK, but in terms of its mobilization resources it is in no way inferior to its northern neighbor. On the side of the Republic of Korea is a more than twofold superiority in population - more than 51 million according to 2015 data, against 24 million for its northern neighbor, the GDP of the Republic of Korea exceeds the GDP of the DPRK by more than 100 times, and the armed forces, although smaller in number, are armed with much more modern types of weapons and military equipment. The economic capabilities of the two Koreas today are simply incomparable.

Over the past 20 years, South Korea has created first-class armed forces that are able to successfully resist the army of almost any state. By almost all indicators, the armed forces of this country are today among the ten strongest armies in the world, especially taking into account the very high level of combat training. The armed forces also have a strong rear in the form of a powerful industrial base.

6 Japan

Unlike the UK, the Japanese army rose from eighth place in the ranking to sixth compared to last year. The Japan Self-Defense Forces is the modern name for the Japanese armed forces. Formed in 1954 from the National Security Forces created two years earlier. The main task of the Self-Defense Forces is the defense of the state, the protection of freedom and independence of Japan. The ninth article of the Japanese Constitution greatly limits the military activities of the Self-Defense Forces that are not directly related to the defense of the country.

Japan's military doctrine involves close cooperation with the United States (with which Tokyo has a military alliance), permission to use the Self-Defense Forces to protect allies, even if Japan itself was not attacked, and containment of China in the East China and South China Seas. Today, the island state is clearly seeking the right to independently oppose the DPRK.

The unresolved dispute over the Kuril Islands is a source of tension in Russian-Japanese relations. What character will this dispute take on if Japan has a full-fledged army? Given the revival of its combat power, the only deterrent to a violent invasion of the islands is Russian nuclear weapons. So the militarization of Japan cannot but worry Russia.

5 France

Fifth place is occupied by the armed forces of the French Republic. The armed forces of France are the second in size and level of equipment in Europe. At the same time, the French army is the largest on the Continent among those whose military doctrine provides for foreign military operations. In addition, it has two additional differences. Firstly, France has its own tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. Secondly, the country's armed forces have a balanced structure, including a powerful navy, and probably have the most experience in independent military operations among all EU and NATO countries.

Most of the top officials of France, starting with Charles de Gaulle, stated that nuclear weapons are the basis for the independence of the Fifth Republic in making foreign policy and strategic decisions. France was also called a “nuclear monarchy,” since decision-making on nuclear weapons issues is entirely the prerogative of the country’s president.

France is one of the founders of NATO, but from 1966 to 2009 Paris was not part of the military structure of the alliance, demonstrating its independence in military and international affairs. In the very foreseeable future, the French Armed Forces will lose the ability to conduct even very limited independent operations. This is precisely what explains the country's return to the NATO military structure. However, the capabilities of the alliance as a whole are also rapidly declining.

4 India

The Armed Forces of India is the military organization of India, intended for the defense of the Republic, the protection of the freedom and independence of the state, one of the most important instruments of political power. There is no mandatory call. India ranks first in the world in terms of arms imports and has nuclear weapons.

With 1.12 million soldiers, the Indian Army is the second largest in Asia. India, located between its traditional rivals Pakistan and China, needs a ground force capable of protecting its long territorial borders. Local insurgents operating within the country, as well as the need to conduct operations in a country of 1.2 billion people, also force India to maintain a significant military force with a large number of infantry units.

A special feature of the Indian armed forces is its very close cooperation with the Russian defense-industrial complex. The Indian Army is armed with a huge amount of military equipment and weapons produced in the Soviet Union and Russia. For example, it is not Russia that has the largest fleet of T-90 tanks in the world, but India.

3 China

The top three are opened by the People's Liberation Army of China. A noticeable geopolitical trend in recent decades has been the rapid rise of China and its gradual transformation from a regional leader into a superpower that no longer hides its global ambitions. Today, China has the second economy in the world, and it continues to grow rapidly; more than a third of world GDP growth is already provided by China.

The Chinese army is a conscript army, men are recruited to serve in the armed forces at the age of 18 and remain in the reserves until the age of 50.

China continues to increase spending on defense needs: if at the beginning of the 2000s the country spent $17 billion on the army and military-industrial complex, then in 2019 this figure reached $224 billion. In terms of military spending, China confidently ranks second, significantly ahead of Russia. China still lags behind Russia in some areas: aircraft and rocket engines, submarines, cruise missiles - but this gap is rapidly closing. Moreover, the PRC is gradually turning into a powerful player in the global arms market, confidently occupying the niche of inexpensive and high-quality weapons.

2 Russia

Second place is occupied by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Military service in the RF Armed Forces is provided for both by contract and by conscription. Military service is regulated by Federal Law No. 53-FZ “On Military Duty and Military Service”. Males aged 18 to 27 years are subject to compulsory military service.

It should be noted the powerful military-industrial complex that Russia inherited from the Soviet Union. It 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.

On March 11, 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that since 2013, the number of high-precision cruise missiles in the Russian army has increased more than 30 times. Shoigu said that over the course of six years, the Russian Armed Forces also received 109 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles, three Borei strategic missile submarines, 7 Bal and Bastion coastal missile systems and 108 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

1 USA

It is safe to say that today the US Army is the strongest on the planet. The state, which does not have a potential enemy near its borders, was able to build powerful armed forces with the most modern weapons. The American army occupies a leading position on the planet in terms of the level of funds spent on it. Thus, the 2019 military budget provided for spending $716 billion on the needs of the army, which is 3 times more than China’s defense spending and 16 times more than Russia’s.

The American army is recruited voluntarily and is based on a contract basis. American citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America who have a residence permit and have at least a secondary education are accepted for service. The minimum candidate age for military service is 18 years.

For many years, the US Army has confidently held first place in the ranking of the strongest armies in the world. Americans have their military bases almost all over the world. American soldiers have the most modern military equipment at their disposal, which is updated frequently. The USA has enormous nuclear potential. The navy has 24 powerful aircraft carriers, and the state has the largest air fleet in the world, which numbers about 13,398 units.

Each historical era is, to one degree or another, associated with the dominant position of a particular state. The strength of the state and its power were determined not only by the size of the territory under its control, but also by the condition of its army. In ancient times, it was the army that was the face of the state. A strong and powerful army not only ensured the protection of its own territory, but also became an important element in the economic development of ancient civilizations. Since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs, the army becomes the key to achieving world domination. Later, this postulate was repeatedly confirmed in reality.

World-famous historical figures such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Charlemagne, Napoleon Bonaparte and their followers were well aware of how much their power and personal power depended on the state of their own armed forces. In ancient times, first the Persians and Greeks, then the ancient Romans had the most powerful armies. With the collapse of ancient empires, new rulers appear on the scene and new states emerge. Today it is difficult to believe that small countries, which today have little say in world politics, once had strength and power. Genghis Khan had the strongest army at one time. The Mongols managed to conquer not only all of Asia and the Middle East, but also entered Eastern Europe.

The Mongol conquerors were replaced by the era of the Crusades, where the two strongest armies of that time, the army of the Crusaders and the army of Salah ad-Din, fought in head-to-head combat. The Middle Ages were marked by the emergence of several poles of world politics. In the east, mainland China was gaining power, in the middle of Asia the power of the Mughal Empire was growing, and the Ottoman Empire was dominant in the Middle East and North Africa. In Europe there was an irreconcilable struggle between England and Spain, France and Austria. In every corner of the globe, politics was decided by regiments and battalions, guns and navies. In those distant times, those countries and states that relied on a well-armed and trained army dominated.

Even the Roman Emperor Augustus believed that legions decide everything. The famous phrase said by Emperor Augustus - “Var, give me back my legions” could mean how important the presence of an army was for the state and power. Later, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte said: “Big battalions are always right”!

Almost the entire period of its development, humanity was constantly in a state of war. There has never been a period when peace reigned in the world. Wars gave way to bloody civil confrontations, and the conquest of territories gradually turned into colonization. One war followed another, some armies became victorious, others faded into oblivion. So it was, so it is and so it will be. As long as there are weapons in the world, as long as people strive to assert their will over others, there will be the most powerful armies in the world and armed conflicts.

Modern era and military forces

Unlike the place and role of the army in the history of mankind in the past, the modern era has made significant adjustments to the development of the armed forces. Now it is no longer the number of soldiers and the military talent of the commander that decide the outcome on the battlefield. Wars and armed conflicts, which often begin in the offices of power, are based on the economy, the quality of training of personnel and weapons. The times of large and numerous armies, into which the bulk of the male population was drafted, are history. The armament of countries that claim to be world and regional leaders has also changed dramatically. The combat effectiveness of an army is assessed by the availability of a wide variety of weapons, including airplanes and helicopters, communications equipment and missiles, artillery, tanks and ships. Countries that have modern and combat-ready armed forces make the difference in world politics. Any state that wants to have a powerful army is forced to spend enormous amounts of money from its own budget.

A modern army is not tons of fodder, mountains of gunpowder and cast iron cannonballs. Combat-ready armed forces are a modern, complex mechanism that, along with logistical support, involves complex technologies, technical means and electronic systems. In the 20th century, humanity made a rapid leap in its development. Accordingly, the military power of states increased. The economic development of countries determined the power of their armed forces. The emergence of new technologies and their application in the creation of weapons marked the beginning of the arms race. First came rifled firearms. Then armored battleships and cruisers entered the arena. The advent of the airplane and machine gun at the beginning of the 20th century marked the end of infantry dominance on the battlefield. Military equipment, armor and engines have become determining factors in the combat effectiveness of any army.

The two World Wars that swept the planet in modern history, a number of other conflicts, and finally the emergence of nuclear weapons, clearly showed by what criteria the strength of the army is measured today.

Criteria for assessing the power of modern armed forces

The undisputed largest army today is the National Liberation Army of China (PLA). The armed forces of communist China are the largest in number. However, to say that the largest army in our time is a priori the strongest is a clear exaggeration. Naturally, a huge country with a population of nearly 2 billion people cannot have a small army. In addition, after World War II, China finally turned into a unified and centralized state capable of pursuing its policies on the world stage. The presence of China's nuclear potential has only strengthened China's position in world politics.

However, in current conditions, the strength and power of the army is measured by other criteria. First of all, the following parameters are assessed:

• the size of the military budget;
• the presence of all types of troops in the armed forces;
• military-technical support for the army;
• level of training of military units;
• technological aspect;
• presence of motivation.

The nuclear weapons that the USA, Russia, China, Great Britain, France, Pakistan, India, North Korea and Israel have today cannot be assessed as the main criterion for the power of the armed forces. The atomic bomb and nuclear missile forces today are more of a ticket to the elite club of states and a kind of tool for deterring potential aggression. In the military-political aspect, the comparison of armies is carried out on the basis of the art of command and control, the quality of training and equipping the armed forces with high technologies. The emphasis is on conventional weapons. As before, the main characters on the battlefield are man and machine. The level of training of army units and the amount of modern military equipment determines the power of the armed forces of states. Accordingly, the assessment when choosing the strongest armies in the world is based on these positions.

If China has the largest army, then in military-technical terms the leading roles are occupied by the US Army, the Russian Armed Forces, the PLA, the Armed Forces of India, South Korea, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Turkish Army. Next come the armies of Great Britain, France and Germany. This arrangement of countries is explained by the results of analytical studies that are carried out annually around the world. Here, of course, you can add the Israeli IDF, but in the rankings this one of the most combat-ready armies in the world is for some reason outside the top ten.

Place in the ranking determines the result

A number of international expert agencies and analytical institutes compile a rating of the armies of the world, which are the most powerful and powerful at the moment. It can be noted that the places of countries in the latest rankings have changed little over the past 10-15 years. As before, leadership belongs to two states: the United States and Russia. These countries continue to be each other's main opponents, inheriting the effect of confrontation from the Cold War. The second half of the 20th century was marked by an unprecedented arms race that unfolded between two military camps. The Western coalition was led by the US Armed Forces, the Eastern bloc relied on the strength and power of the Soviet armed forces. Today, the Russian army and the US armed forces continue to adhere to military-technical parity in all branches of the military, not counting the nuclear potential of the two countries.

These two states have all available weapons. The size of the Russian and US armies is also at a high level, as is their military-technical potential. The first places in the ranking are awarded to these two armies, taking into account the fact that the acceptable likelihood of a military conflict between the two countries will be the beginning of a global catastrophe.

The strength and power of the armed forces of Russia and the United States is assessed differently. The United States is relying on the development of its naval forces. Their nuclear-powered aircraft carrier fleet has no equal and ensures the power of the United States in the oceans. Following the fleet overseas, the air force is constantly increasing in quantity and quality. The US ground army in terms of size, firepower and number of weapons is approximately in equal positions with the Russian ground forces. Russia has an undeniable advantage over the Americans in the number of tanks and motorized armored vehicles. In terms of the number of cannon and rocket artillery, and the number of tactical missile launchers, there is parity between the two armies.

The only thing that cannot be compared is the military budget of the two countries. In this regard, the United States is far beyond the main group of rating participants. The amount of 612 billion dollars is not affordable for the Russian economy, which in turn can allocate about 70 billion dollars for military expenditures.

China rightfully occupies third place in the top 10 most powerful armies in the world. His PLA is no longer an archaic army, but a completely modern, technically equipped and numerous armed force. The strengthening of China’s position in the ranking is also facilitated by its rather large military budget, which, according to data for 2016, amounted to no less than 215 billion dollars. The Chinese today have everything in the army, both nuclear missile forces and a large navy. Aviation and ground forces have the necessary amount of military equipment, including many modern models. It is important to note that at the beginning of the new millennium, China set a course for the complete modernization of its own armed forces, the ultimate goal of which is the creation of a modern, high-tech and combat-ready army.

• the Indian army, which numbers 1 million 325 thousand people, has a military budget of 56 billion dollars;
• the South Korean army has a military budget of 36.8 billion dollars;
• the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, which number 247 thousand people, and the military budget is equivalent to the figure of 47 billion dollars;
• the Turkish armed forces are the largest in Europe, numbering 510 thousand people and with the smallest military budget, only 18 billion dollars;
• the British armed forces, which number 188 thousand people and have a military budget of $48 billion;
• the French army is financed by 55 billion dollars with a strength of 222 thousand people;
• The German Bundeswehr has 186 thousand people under arms with a military budget of 41 billion dollars.

When assessing the positions of countries in the ranking, it is difficult to agree with the criteria on the basis of which the report was made. The armament of the countries of the world today is so diverse, both qualitatively and quantitatively, that it is not correct to assess the combat effectiveness of armies in this case. One should evaluate, first of all, the economic potential of states that invest in their own armed forces and the motivation facing the military.

Which country's army is the largest and strongest in the world?

Which countries have the strongest and most numerous armies on the planet? It is difficult to answer the question about the combat effectiveness of the army of any country. Many factors must be taken into account, especially their behavior in actual military operations.

It is much easier to evaluate an army by its quantitative indicators. Although, for example, the Indian army (India is the second most populous country in the world) in this aspect is not considered even the most combat-ready in the world.

So, the best ten armies in the world.

1. Chinese army - 2.3 million troops

More recently, it was equipped with obsolete and ineffective equipment. But recently, thanks to gigantic cash injections, the Chinese have begun a large-scale program of technical re-equipment of their army with the most modern military equipment.

2. US Army - 1.477 million military personnel

This army is not the largest in the world, although at present it has no equal in experience in conducting modern combat operations, and both its tactical and technical equipment are at the highest level.

3. Pakistani army - 1.451 million troops

Its composition is staffed primarily by men on a voluntary basis. The age for conscription is from 17 to 23 years. There are many female military personnel serving in the air force and navy.

4. Indian Army - 1.325 million troops

The Indian Armed Forces Reserve also consists of 535 thousand people who are well prepared for military service. The Indian Air Force is considered by most military experts to be the best in the world.

5. North Korean army - 1.106 million troops

She took part in the Korean War (1950-1953) and in minor local wars with the armies of the United States and South Korea. Since 1953, it has been in a state of constant combat readiness. It has a large number of artillery systems and tanks in its arsenal. Recently, the KPA's strategic missile forces have begun to develop rapidly.

6. Russian army - 1.027 million military personnel

The structure of this army has at its disposal all possible types and types of troops. Despite the fact that after the collapse of the USSR its position was significantly weakened, the Russian army with its nuclear missile potential still remains one of the most powerful armies on the planet.

7. South Korean army - 687 thousand military personnel

This army has extensive experience in conducting combat operations during the Vietnam and Korean wars. Most of its armed forces (560 thousand people) are ground forces.

8. Iranian army - 650 thousand troops

It is rightfully considered one of the best Middle Eastern armies. It consists of 14 ground divisions, 15 air force formations, as well as 1,400 helicopters and aircraft, 170 warships. Recently, it has been armed with powerful long-range ballistic missiles Shahab-3.

9. Iraqi army - 450 thousand troops

This army has always been considered the most technically equipped of the Middle Eastern armies. After the regime of Saddam Hussein was overthrown in the 2003 war, the army began to reorient itself towards Western tactical and organizational principles. As for its technical equipment, the Iraqi army is currently dominated by obsolete Russian and Soviet-made weapons.

10. Myanmar army - 425 thousand troops

The national army is supplemented by about 72 thousand people of paramilitary formations - the militia. Starting this year, all civilians of the country - both women and men - aged 18-35 are required to undergo military training for a period of two years.

A new edition of the annual report, The Military Balance, is due out today. It is published - always in a very impressive volume - by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). This organization, located in Britain, is considered one of the most authoritative in this field. The IISS has been publishing its annual reviews of military strength and the state of troops of different countries since 1959.

This year, as in the past, the review will include information on the military capabilities and military economies of 171 countries. Detailed data indicates each country's fighting forces, army personnel levels, weapons stockpiles, and economic performance of military-industrial complexes.

Analysts in uniform consider these reports some to be a reference book, others just a useful source, but they agree that the institute’s employees try to be objective when preparing their annual document. Well, at least to the extent that the mentality of a Westerner allows.

There is no text yet, but the three main characters have already been determined

The report is due to be released on February 14, but customers will actually be able to start analyzing it only from tomorrow morning. For now, Tsargrad analysts have an extended summary of it. It is clear from it that the main characters of the document will be three countries - the USA, Russia and China. Moreover, additional articles (along with traditional descriptions of new orders for weapons and delivery schedules) will be devoted to the last two.

Against the general background of the description of the modernization of strategic forces in these three countries, there will be separate reviews of Chinese and Russian aviation weapons (remember the recent “leak” of information about the Russian X-101 aircraft-based strategic cruise missiles, discussed with reverence and a slight trembling in the voice in the American magazine The National Interest), as well as about the development of artificial intelligence in the interests of defense. Russia will “receive” an additional “bonus” in the form of thematic texts on the modernization of its strategic forces.

As a new feature, the latest The Military Balance 2018 evaluates in detail military development in China, Russia and the United States, as well as in France and Great Britain. This, presumably, indirectly but indisputably declares the “pool” of the first five leading armies of the world. A sort of permanent committee of the “Security Council” of the secret military “UN” of our world. The similarity is complemented by an indication of a separate analysis of the military potential of Norway, Qatar, Sudan, Uganda and Venezuela - as if they were non-permanent members of an armed and very dangerous “Security Council”, without the right of veto...

In addition, they promise to describe and graphically depict the most important events in the field of defense procurement in 2017, as well as show and outline a number of new weapons developments. Among which the Russian combat aircraft Su-57 (T-50) is specifically mentioned. Much attention will be paid to the naval forces. “National cyber capabilities” are considered separately.

The first armies of the world were identified by Russian military experts

While the world's militarized public is waiting for the release of a new IISS review, Tsargrad asked Russia's leading military experts to express their opinion on the top strongest armies in the world.

The military expert closest to what IISS is doing in terms of professional activity is Igor Korotchenko (editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine, director of the Center for Analysis of the Global Arms Trade LLC), although he was skeptical about the very compilation of such ratings, he spoke traditionally academically:

“We are not talking about which army is the largest, but which army is the strongest and most combat-ready, which army has the widest range of weapons to solve certain problems of political leadership.”

Based on these considerations, the expert believes that “at a minimum, the armies of the United States and Russia will lead this rating,” since “today both the United States and Russia are the largest militarily powers - in terms of both parity and availability in arsenals, including strategic nuclear weapons."

Further, according to Korotchenko, the ranking will include China, Japan, Great Britain, and India. “Well, I don’t rule out that the army of North Korea,” he added to the top 7 most combat-ready armies in the world. But at the same time he made a reservation: “It must be said that compiling such ratings is a rather artificial thing. Because only war can accurately assess the real situation. And God forbid that it happens.”

“But we can confidently say today that the Russian Armed Forces are rightfully one of the best in the world both in terms of technical equipment and in combat and morale. Therefore, regardless of the compilers of the ratings, we can sleep peacefully, considering that the army reliably ensures our security,” concluded Igor Korotchenko.

But another well-known military expert, Viktor Litovkin, gave a completely different rating of the world’s armies: “The largest armies in the world are: the United States army is first, the Chinese are in second place. Then is the North Korean army. Then is the Russian army. And on I can probably place the Turkish army in fifth place."

When asked why this was so, the expert just shrugged: “This is if we talk about numbers. The largest army in terms of numbers is the United States, China is in second place, North Korea is in third place. And so on. “The size of each of these armies exceed 1 million 200 thousand people, at a minimum,” he noted.

“But if you take it in terms of power, in terms of combat potential, then, of course, the United States is in first place, Russia is in second, China is in third,” Viktor Litovkin especially emphasized. “In fourth place, in principle, everything is there.” more complicated. This is the French army, and the English, and the German, and so on."

Another prominent Russian expert in the military field, military observer of Komsomolskaya Pravda, Viktor Baranets, outlined and substantiated his point of view in great detail: “All ratings that from time to time fall into the public information network, emanating either from the United States or from others NATO countries, often smack of very serious politicization. This is the case. Secondly, the methods of compiling ratings among experts raise very serious questions. I am saying that it is difficult, for example, today to compare the American and Russian armies, which in terms of the quantity and quality of nuclear weapons "They are not inferior to each other in anything. But the Americans still like to put themselves in first position and push Russia to second."

“I believe that today the level of armament of the Russian army, and its combat readiness, mobility, logistics, weapons - all this suggests that the Russian army is in no way inferior to the American one,” the expert emphasized. “True, the Americans have a favorite "argument: Russia has general-purpose forces, that is, non-nuclear forces, both in smaller quantities and in lower quality. And here I would partly agree: in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, we seriously damaged our general-purpose forces and took a very long time to restore them."

As for the world top armies, Viktor Baranets outlined the following order in it: “I am absolutely sure that the Americans will put themselves in first place in this ranking. They will put Russia in second, otherwise it will be illogical - over the past two or three years, American generals they simply declared in unison that the biggest military threat to the armed forces of the United States of America is the Russian army. In third place, of course, will be the Chinese army. This is an army with nuclear weapons, it is considered the largest in the world in terms of the number of bayonets under battle flags. it has almost 2.5 million people.

“In fourth place, no matter what we say, I would still put the half-million-strong Turkish army. We must not forget that in addition to the fact that it has a contingent of half a million, it is very well armed. It has a very serious degree of combat readiness, as evidenced by actions of its units in Syria,” Baranets noted.

“As for the further ranking, I would put the Indian army in fifth place - taking into account its number, of course. And then I would put the North Korean army. Because both armies have nuclear weapons,” he concluded.

1. USA
2. Russia
3. China
4. India
5. Türkiye
6. North Korea
7. France
8. UK
9. Germany

In principle, the assessments of “Tsargrad” coincide with this rating... almost. Because it is necessary to take into consideration one more, no, even two circumstances.

The first is that in terms of nuclear potential, Russia and the United States are equal to each other. This is officially stated in the START treaty. According to the law of mathematics, we are therefore obliged to remove these quantities from the formula. Just like the nuclear weapons of other powers. Let's also remove other things that are equal - weapons of the same class and quality, logistics, and management.

And then the remaining aspects of the issue come first in the formula: the size of the army, the quality of its main weapons, its training, cohesion, combat experience and morale.

And in this sense, there is no need to even guess: the armies of Russia and the United States each have their own touchstone for demonstrating these qualities: Syria, respectively, and Afghanistan. The war is waged by conventional means, the war is waged primarily by air and special operations. The war in both cases has approximately the same political background in the form of a legitimate government trying to cope with the armed opposition.

And now we look at the results that Russia has achieved in Syria, and that the United States has achieved in Afghanistan. They are, to put it mildly, opposite.

Add to this the fighting spirit, which in one army gives rise to heroes one after another, and which forces the other army to huddle in bases and hide behind the backs of government troops - and the picture will be complete.

1. Russia (morale, combat experience, weapons)
2. China (numbers, weapons, ideology)
3. USA (weapons)
4. DPRK (morale, numbers, ideology)
5. Israel (combat experience, morale, weapons, ideology)
6. India (numbers, weapons)
7. Türkiye (combat experience, weapons)
8. Iran (morale, combat experience, ideology)
9. Vietnam (morale, weapons)
10. France (weapons)

All that remains is to compare with the list that IISS produces. But for some reason there is confidence that no matter what it is, the top 10 of “Tsargrad” will be more correct.