The power index of a nation is used to calculate how powerful an army is. The research takes into account the size of the military, their financial situation, and the extent of technological developments made in the military sector. Here are the top ten nations and their armies according to the Global Fire Power Index.
Germany
Starting at the back, we find Germany, which funds the military with an annual investment of roughly $45 million. Contrary to popular belief, Europe’s most powerful economy does not spend “that much.” The general populace is less likely to engage in military operations as a result of World War II, and Germany has seen a steady fall in the number of people joining the military. The legal requirement to join the military was abolished in 2011 for civilians. However, Germany still has 145,000 reservists and more than 180,000 active military personnel. They have a land army of about 5,000 units and a 710-strong air force.
Turkey
Turkey currently makes enormous investments in its armed forces under the presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdoan, who effectively has unrestricted power. It is not surprising that Turkey has a $18.8 billion budget to support the military sector given the country’s proximity to numerous conflicts in the Middle East, including those involving the Kurds, the Islamic State, and wars in Syria. They have 16,000 units available on the ground and 660,000 active and reserve troops, as well as a 1,000-unit air force.
United Kingdom
The UK army does not currently have as many active military personnel as other countries, with a budget of $54 billion invested in the armed services. Around 205,000 people make up its regular army, and the Royal Air Force has 908 aircraft at its disposal. With only 66 ships in its fleet, the Royal Navy is somewhat diminutive compared to the other militaries on this list. However, the 160 nuclear heads that the UK army possesses are what gives them most of their strength.
South Korea
Given how close North Korea is, it seems natural that South Korea has invested about $34 billion in its defenses. A stunning 2,900,000 individuals are held in reserve, bringing the total number of troops on hand to around 640,000. They have around fourteen hundred aircrafts, which amounts to significant airborne weaponry. Additionally, they have 2,346 tanks and about 15,000 ground operating units.
Japan
Since the signing of the post-World War II peace accord, Japan has been forbidden from maintaining an offensive army. However, Japan experienced a rise in the funding allocated to its armed forces as a result of China’s dominance over the entire Asian continent. Japan has an air force of 1,595 aircraft and more than 247,000 active military personnel, with annual investments of $49 billion. They have 131 warships at their disposal, which contributes to their strong naval force.
France
France, which shares a border with Germany, likewise put a freeze on a number of military-related investments. Their budget, which is at $43 billion per year and falls short of the NATO’s suggested goal, is still too low. Just over 220,000 people are currently serving in the military, with 500,000 more in reserve. 1,000 aircraft and 9,000 ground operating units are counted. Once more, their nuclear power, which consists of 290 warheads, is where the “real” power rests.
India
It is not surprising that India has an army of 1.325 million people, with more than 2 million reservists, given that it is currently the second most populous country in the world, with more than 1.3 billion people living there. They have over 1,800 aircraft and 16,000 land vehicles, including 3,500 tanks, for a $55 billion budget. Their nuclear warheads have differing official numbers. Nevertheless, it is believed that they have close to 200 ballistic missiles.
China
The military is the most populous nation in the world has 2.285 million active duty personnel and an additional 2.3 million reserve personnel. China now has the largest land military in the world, along with 25,000 vehicles. All of this is funded by a $125 billion budget, which also includes a robust air force of 2,800 aircraft and about 300 nuclear warheads. In the years to come, these numbers are most likely to rise dramatically because China’s military expenditure is anticipated to rise by another 12.2%.
Russia
Russia, another nation whose military spending is anticipated to increase by more than 40% in the coming years, now holds the record for the most nuclear warheads, with about 8,500. Russia is funding more than 760,000 active soldiers and nearly 2.5 million reserve soldiers with a budget of $76.6 billion at the moment. They are also in the lead when it comes to tank strength, with up to 15,500 strongly equipped vehicles.
United States Of America
The United States has ranked highest on the Global Fire Power Index with a mind-blowing $612.5 billion budget spent on military objectives, which is more than all of the previous entries on this list. With an additional 800,000 soldiers in reserve, the US maintains a sizable army of 1.4 million men. They have the largest air force in the world, with 13,398 aircraft, including 5,760 helicopters. With 19 massive ships, they also own the largest fleet that can accommodate those planes. They are extremely close to Russia in terms of the amount of nuclear warheads that are currently in use, with 7,500 warheads.