The 20 Most Powerful Armies in the World 2024 [Global Firepower]

According to Global Firepower we have listed for you the top 20 most powerful Armies in the world. This ranking is defined by Global Firepower, an analytical portal of 140 military forces around the world based on data such as the number of soldiers, reservists, air force, equipment, annual military budget, among others.

With the new development going on in the world most especially Russia vs Ukraine and also the involvement of other powerful forces all over the world it is important you know the strongest armies in the world.

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Discover the strongest military in the world based on global firepower.

The 20 Most Powerful Armies in the World

This is the military ranking of the 20 countries that currently have the most powerful armies in the world:

1. United States of America

Active Soldiers: 1.3 million
Annual Budget: $770 billion
Air Force: 13,247 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 45,193
Navy Fleet Forces: 484

The United States is the country with the most powerful and strongest army in the entire world. This happens because in addition to having the third-largest army in terms of active soldiers, it is also the one that invests the most in the armed forces. To give you an idea, the country invests 770 billion dollars in the army, while China, the second country that invests the most, has a budget of 250 billion. The United States also has the most advanced technology for combat and defense today.

2. Russia

Active Soldiers: 850,000
Annual Budget: $154 billion
Air Force: 4,173 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 30,122
Navy Fleet Forces: 605

Currently, Russia has the second most powerful military force in the world. Formed in 1992, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian army was one of the most invested in military force in recent decades. Russia is also one of the few countries that produce its own military equipment, having the largest number of tanks and rocket projectors among all armies in the world.

3. China

Active Soldiers: 2 million
Annual Budget: $250 billion
Air Force: 3,285 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 35,000
Navy Fleet Forces: 777

China has the largest army in the world by number of active soldiers. Not surprisingly, the country is the most populous in the world. The country is also the second most funded country in the armed forces, behind only the United States. The great development of China in recent years, makes experts project that the Chinese army will become even stronger in the coming decades.

4. India

Active Soldiers: 1.4 million
Annual Budget: $49.6 billion
Air Force: 2,182 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 12,000
Navy Fleet Forces: 295

The creation of the Indian army took place in 1947 when the country became independent from the United Kingdom and inherited part of the war power of Great Britain. The army had conflicts that resulted in wars against China and Pakistan. Among the main missions of this army, peacekeeping and border patrol in anti-terrorist operations stand out.

5. Japan

Active Soldiers: 240,000
Annual Budget: $47 billion
Aircraft: 1,449 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 5,500
Navy Fleet Forces: 155

Although Japan ranks 19th in the number of active soldiers among armies around the world, the country ranks fifth among the most powerful on the planet. This is due to the high investment in technology and advanced training. Currently, the Japanese constitution prohibits the country from waging war to resolve international disputes.

6. South Korea

Active Soldiers: 555,000
Annual Budget: $46 billion
Air Force: 1,595 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 13,990
Navy Fleet Forces: 234

The main objective of South Korea’s mighty army is to keep the country safe from threats and conflicts with North Korea. Currently, they are the eighth in number of active soldiers and have one of the largest numbers of reservists in the world. This is because military service is mandatory in the country, where all young people must spend 21 months in training.

7. France

Active Soldiers: 205,000
Annual Budget: $40.9 billion
Air Force: 1,055 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 6,558
Navy Fleet Forces: 180

What best defines the French army is its historical prestige. According to British historian Niall Ferguson, of all the documented conflicts that took place since 387 BC, France was present in 168 of them, won 109 and lost 49 battles. Today, the French army ranks seventh among the strongest and most powerful in the world.

8. United Kingdom

Active Soldiers: 194,000
Annual Budget: $68 billion
Air Force: 693 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 5,015
Navy Fleet Forces: 75

The British army ranks on the list as the 8th most powerful in the world. Its history in wars has made the army and the country become a symbol of prestige among the armed forces of the world. Throughout its history, the United Kingdom participated in the Napoleonic Wars, in the United States Revolution and in the First and Second World Wars, which was decisive in making this army one of the most influential in the world and establishing the country as a military and military power. economic.

9. Pakistan

Active Soldiers: 640,000
Annual Budget: $7.6 billion
Air Force: 1,387 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 9,950
Navy Fleet Forces: 114

Pakistan’s army was formed after the Partition of India, which resulted in the country’s independence in 1947. Today, it is the 9th most powerful army in the world and since its inception, it has been involved in four wars with neighboring India and has also had several border conflicts with Afghanistan. It is worth mentioning, that this is also the largest army in numbers of soldiers of an Islamic country in the world.

10. Brazil

Active Soldiers: 360,000
Annual Budget: $18.7 billion
Air Force: 679 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 1,958
Navy Fleet Forces: 112

Brazil is currently among the countries that have one of the 10 most powerful armies in the world. Historically, the country’s armed forces date back to the period of Portuguese colonization, where the main objective was to protect the country from the invasion of other colonizers. After independence, the Brazilian army was involved in internal conflicts and was also an ally in the two great World Wars.

11. Italy

Active Soldiers: 170,000
Annual Budget: $29 billion
Air Force: 862 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 6,908
Navy Fleet Forces: 184

The history of the Italian army dates back to the unification of the country between the 1850s and 1860s. Historically, they were involved in colonization conflicts with China, Libya, northern Italy against the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War and others. important conflicts in the history of the world. After the end of the Cold War, the army was on peacekeeping missions and fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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12. Egypt

Active Soldiers: 450,000
Annual Budget: $4.3 billion
Air Force: 1,062 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 10,000
Navy Fleet Forces: 245

Several internal conflicts make Egypt bet heavily on the army to maintain peace within the country. The Egyptian army is the largest military force on the entire African continent and has been involved in several wars against Israel throughout the 20th century and was also involved in the Gulf War between the years 1990 and 1991.

13. Turkey

Active Soldiers: 425,000
Annual Budget: $9.6 billion
Air Force: 1,057 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 13,270
Navy Fleet Forces: 156

After becoming a member of NATO in 1952, Turkey began a program of modernization of the armed forces, which continues to this day. Currently, the country coordinates the military relations of the armed forces with the member states of the Organization. In addition, it has become one of the most powerful armies in the world, despite having recently experienced several internal problems, such as the failed coup attempt in 2016.

14. Iran

Active Soldiers: 575,000
Annual Budget: $5 billion
Air Force: 543 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 7,600
Navy Fleet Forces: 142

Iran’s army ranks seventh among the largest in numbers of active soldiers worldwide. Historically, he was involved in two major invasion wars, in 1941 against World War II allies and in the 1980s against Iraq, which started the Iran-Iraq War. Recent conflicts involving the United States of America are one of the country’s biggest concerns.

15. Indonesia

Active Soldiers: 400,000
Annual Budget: $9.3 billion
Air Force: 445 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 1,444
Navy Fleet Forces: 296

One of Southeast Asia’s biggest military powers, Indonesia needs a lot of investment and a lot of troops to keep its islands safe. For this, the government promotes a good relationship between the army and the population.

16. Germany

Active Soldiers: 184,000
Annual Budget: $50.3 billion
Air Force: 617 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 9,217
Navy Fleet Forces: 80

Historically, the German army has undergone several transformations and restructurings throughout history. Being a protagonist of the two World Wars and also an important force in the Cold War. The new army was unified when the country was also reunified in the early 1990s. Since then, the army has participated in some international missions, such as the invasion of Afghanistan.

17. Australia

Active Soldiers: 59,000
Annual Budget: $44.6 billion
Air Force: 430 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 1,795
Navy Fleet Forces: 43

The Australian Army was formed in 1901 to form part of the Commonwealth of Nations Military Forces. Throughout its history, this army has been involved in several wars, such as World War I and II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, among others. Today, the main objective of the Australian Army is to promote the security of Australia and its people.

18. Israel

Active Soldiers: 173,000
Annual Budget: $17.8 billion
Air Force: 597 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 8,044
Navy Fleet Forces: 67

The Israel Defense Forces, also known as Tzahal, is one of the most influential in the region due to the international conflicts that the country is in. They influence the politics as well as the economy and culture of the state. Due to rigorous training and mandatory military enlistment in the country, they now have one of the best reputations for combat level in the world.

19. Spain

Active Soldiers: 120,000
Annual Budget: $11.7 billion
Air Force: 503 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 5,033
Navy Fleet Forces: 139

Historically, the Spanish army is one of the oldest in the world and we can consider that its formation dates back to the 16th century. Throughout history, it was involved in hundreds of conflicts involving colonized regions and was also present in the Great World Wars. Today, the army has a reduced number of active soldiers and reservists, but still, it is one of the most powerful in the entire world.

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20. Saudi Arabia

Active Soldiers: 225,000
Annual Budget: $46 billion
Air Force: 897 aircraft
Armored Combat Vehicles: 6,202
Navy Fleet Forces: 57

Saudi Arabia ranks 18th among the largest armies in the world by the number of active soldiers. It is one of the world’s biggest buyers of weapons of war and its oil stock is one of the reasons why the country is one of the biggest international influences today.