---
title: "The top 10 militaries in the world"
date: "2018-04-02"
modified: "2022-09-19"
authors:
  - name: "Logan Nye"
    job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran"
    link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/logan-nye/"
url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/top-10-militaries-world-ranked/"
categories:
  - "Military News"
---

# The top 10 militaries in the world

![](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/legacy/assets.rbl.ms/17215420/origin.jpg>)

It's always fun to sit around and war game which country could beat up which, and it's even better when you have hard facts to back up your decisions.

---

Below is a summary of the top ten militaries in the world, according to [Global Firepower](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/>), which tracks military power through publicly-available sources. We've scrapped Global Firepower naval comparisons since they track naval strength by number of ships, making a patrol boat equal to a supercarrier. This [list of the largest navies by weight](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>) is being used instead.

Below the spreadsheet we've added a breakdown of each military power.

### Breakdown

### 1. United States of America

![US Navy photo](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/legacy/assets.rbl.ms/17215418/origin.jpg>)
*Photo: US Navy Chief Photographer's Mate Todd P. Cichonowicz*

No real surprise here. The U.S. spends [$577 billion per year](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/defense-spending-budget.asp>), nearly four times more than China's $145 billion defense budget. The U.S. is behind both India and China on all measures of manpower, but it makes up for it with [vastly superior airpower](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/aircraft-total.asp>) and a [carrier fleet](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz-class_aircraft_carrier>) larger than any [other country's entire navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>).

### 2. Russia

America's Cold War rival still packs a major punch. Its high ranking is fueled strongly by [superior armor numbers](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/armor-tanks-total.asp>). Russia also fields a [large navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>) and is the world's largest [oil producer](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/oil-production-by-country.asp>). Russia is fourth for number of military personnel, but its numbers are padded by [short-term conscripts](<https://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/more-than-150-000-russian-men-called-up-for-mandatory-conscription-/508201.html>). Though it isn't calculated by GFP, Russia's [special operations forces](<https://www.cnn.com/2014/04/21/world/europe/ukraine-crisis/>) and [propaganda arms](<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/25/us-set-to-revive-propaganda-war-as-putin-pr-machine-undermines-baltic-states>) have been proving themselves in Ukraine where Russia is a major destabilizing force.

### 3. China

[China](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=China>) has the [second largest military budget](<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-31706989>), [third largest fleet of aircraft](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/aircraft-total.asp>), [second largest tank force](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/armor-tanks-total.asp>), and the world's [largest number of military personnel](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp>). China's special forces also took [3 of the top 4 spots at 2014](<https://www.popsci.com/blog-network/eastern-arsenal/chinese-special-forces-take-1st-2nd-and-4th-place-%E2%80%9Colympics%E2%80%9D-elite>)'s Warrior Games in Jordan. Though China technically has a draft, it is rarely used.

### 4. India

![Indian military parade](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/legacy/assets.rbl.ms/17277195/origin.jpg>)
*Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Antônio Milena*

[India's ranking](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=india>) is largely due to its [large labor force](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/labor-force-by-country.asp>) and [large number of service members](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp>). It also has a large fleet of aircraft and tanks as wells as a [respectable navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>). It suffers though due to a large amount of [oil consumption vs. a very small amount of oil production](<https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=in>). Interestingly, India's Border Force is the only modern military force that maintains a camel-mounted regiment.

### 5. United Kingdom

Despite a small tank force, low number of aircraft, and low number of military personnel, the United Kingdom maintains a spot in the top five with the world's fifth [largest navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>) and fifth [highest military budget](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/defense-spending-budget.asp>). The British military is also aided by geography as it's hard for an invading force to attack an island.

### 6. France

France doesn't post up the most impressive numbers of ships, planes, and tanks, but what equipment it has is modern and very capable. [Mirage](<https://www.mirage-jet.com/>) and [Rafale](<https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/rafale/>) jets, [Tiger](<https://www.airbushelicopters.com/website/en/ref/Tiger_51.html>) helicopters, [LeClerc](<https://www.army-technology.com/projects/leclerc/>) main battle tanks, and the only [nuclear-powered carrier](<https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-aircraft-carrier-france-is-sending-to-chase-down-isis-in-iraq-2015-1>) outside the U.S. provide the main muscle behind the French military. France also manufacturers much of its own military supplies, meaning it has the ability to create more equipment in a protracted war.

### 7. South Korea

Though South Korea has the [sixth largest military by population](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp>), the [sixth largest fleet of aircraft](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/aircraft-total.asp>) in the world, and the [eighth largest navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>), it has a relatively [small budget](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/defense-spending-budget.asp>) and [armored corps](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/armor-tanks-total.asp>). Its largest threat is North Korea which, despite having the[ largest navy by number of ships](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/navy-ships.asp>), is weak because of antiquated equipment and undertrained personnel.

### 8. Germany

![German tank](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/legacy/assets.rbl.ms/17277190/origin.jpg>)
*Photo: US Army Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger*

Germany got a decent rank on Global Firepower and a great one at [National Interest](<https://nationalinterest.org/feature/europes-4-deadliest-military-powers-12214?page=2>) due to a strong economy, military spending, and good training. However, news coming out of Germany suggests its position may be weaker than it appears on paper. It [consumes](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/oil-consumption-by-country.asp>) much more oil than it [produces](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/oil-production-by-country.asp>), and imports come from Russia, its most likely adversary. Germany's ability to weather an oil shortage is also decreasing as it [moves away from coal and nuclear power](<https://phys.org/news/2014-11-nuclear-phase-out-germany-debates-scrapping.html>). Also, it's [facing a major problem with its standard rifle](<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/22/german-military-to-stop-using-gun-that-cant-shoot-straight-if-hot>).

### 9. Japan

Japan would be ranked higher if its people had a greater appetite for war. The [sixth largest military spender](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/defense-spending-budget.asp>), it has the [fifth largest air fleet](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/aircraft-total.asp>) and the [fourth largest navy](<https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/lets-sea-the-10-biggest-navies-in-the-world/?view=all>). Still, a lackluster ground game drags it down and its constitution limits the military's ability to project force worldwide.

### 10. Turkey

An expanded [military industry](<https://www.army-technology.com/features/featureturkeys-formidable-defence-industry-rising-star-or-natos-unruly-ally-4207115/>) bodes of good things to come for Turkey's military. It has a [large military population](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp>) and [tank force](<https://www.globalfirepower.com/armor-tanks-total.asp>). It is [upgrading its navy](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Naval_Forces#Future_of_the_Turkish_Navy>). The Turkish preparations for war are becoming more urgent as [ISIS stands at its doorstep](<https://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2015/05/13/pm-isis-at-turkeys-doorstep-direct-threat-to-national-security>).

### NOW: The most-epic military movie ever needs your help to get made

### OR: [The US military took these incredible photos in just one week-long period ](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/military-photos-may9/>)

## Author
Logan was an Army journalist and paratrooper in the 82nd. Now, he's a freelance writer covering military history, culture, and technology. He has two upcoming podcasts and a Twitch channel focused on basic military literacy.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JustLoganNye>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/ProfHarlequin-111921498198749>)