This article looks at 20 countries with the strongest armies in the world, with a focus on the capabilities of their ground forces.
A new report published by risk intelligence company, Verisk Maplecroft, has revealed that the number of conflict zones worldwide has increased by nearly two-thirds over the past three years. Ukraine, the Middle East, and parts of Africa have seen wars and unrest intensify, with no immediate end in sight for most conflicts.
READ ALSO: U.S. Foreign Military Aid by Country: Top 20 Countries and 8 Best Military Drone Stocks To Buy According to Analysts.
On November 19, Kyiv marked 1,000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Azerbaijan and Armenia continue to engage in sporadic exchange of fire along the border after the latter lost control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in late 2020. The Middle East is going through its worst crisis since the Arab-Israeli War in 1973, with the battle spreading from Gaza to Lebanon in continuation of Israel’s response to the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on the country.
While the human impact of these conflicts has been tragic, the defense industry has seen a boom, with countries substantially increasing their military expenditure. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military spending reached a record high of $2.44 trillion in 2023, up 6.8% compared to last year, the steepest rise since 2009. This was also the ninth successive year in which global military spending had risen.
Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s share price has surged 47% since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In its recent Q3 2024 earnings call on October 21, the company reported net sales of $17.1 billion for the quarter, up 1.2% year-over-year, driven by robust performances from Missiles and Fire Control, and Rotary and Mission Systems segments. Net earnings stood at $1.6 billion, translating to an EPS of $6.80 per share, which beat expectations of $6.54. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) expects annual revenue in 2024 to be $71.25 billion, reflecting a 5% growth from 2023.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has also seen solid returns, having gained 15% since the conflict in the Middle East escalated in October last year. The company posted a revenue of approximately $10 billion during the third quarter of 2024, attributed to a surge in demand for advanced weapons amid intense escalations in the Middle East and the Ukraine-Russia war. EPS was logged at $7, comfortably beating expectations of $6.08 per share. Considering a sustained demand for its weapons, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) anticipates full-year revenue to be between $41 billion and $41.4 billion.
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Methodology
Several weighted metrics integral to the strength of ground forces were considered to rank the strongest armies in the world. These included GDP (10%), defense spending (10%), technological capabilities (10%), active manpower (10%), battle tanks (10%), the strength of their nuclear arsenal (15%), the fleet size of attack helicopters (15%), armored fighting vehicles (5%), self-propelled artillery (5%), towed artillery (5%), and rocket projectors (5%).
We then observed where each country ranked on a given metric and calculated its weighted ranking score. For instance, the country with the largest nuclear arsenal ranked first on the metric, which had a weightage of 15%. Therefore, its weighted ranking was 0.15 (1×15%). This was done for all metrics considered in our research.
Finally, weighted ranking scores for each metric were aggregated to get an overall weighted ranking. The 20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World are ranked in descending order of their weighted ranking.
Data on GDP was sourced from the IMF, while SIPRI was consulted for figures related to defense spending. We referred to the Power Atlas for nuclear weapons and WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 2024 for technological capabilities rankings. We sought information related to manpower, battle tanks, attack helicopters, armored vehicles, and artillery units from our articles Top 25 Powerful Countries in the World by Military Strength, Artillery Strength by Country: Top 20 Militaries, 15 Militaries with the Most Armored Fighting Vehicles in the World, and 15 Countries with the Most Attack Helicopters in the World.
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20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World:
20. Algeria
GDP (2023): $224 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $18.26 billion
Active Manpower: 325,000
Tanks: 1,632
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 35,990
Self-propelled Artillery: 224
Towed Artillery: 483
Rocket Projectors: 236
Attack Helicopters: 75
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 115
Weighted Ranking: 17.60
Algeria boasts a well-equipped army with a large budget. The country receives most of its weapons from Russia. It has an impressive fleet of attack helicopters – the ninth largest in the world in terms of fleet size. The country also enjoys significant strength in artillery power.
19. North Korea
GDP (2023): $21 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $1.6 billion
Active Manpower: 1,320,000
Tanks: 5,845
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 24,696
Self-propelled Artillery: 4,500
Towed Artillery: 4,500
Rocket Projectors: 2,920
Attack Helicopters: 20
Nuclear Weapons: 40
Technological Capabilities Rank: N/A
Weighted Ranking: 17.45
North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world, with an active manpower of over 1.3 million troops. It also boasts the second-largest fleet of battle tanks and has a sizable number of artillery units. Despite most of its military equipment being outdated, it has enough of them to be considered a competent force.
18. Iran
GDP (2023): $366 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $10.28 billion
Active Manpower: 610,000
Tanks: 1,996
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 65,765
Self-propelled Artillery: 580
Towed Artillery: 2,050
Rocket Projectors: 775
Attack Helicopters: 13
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 64
Weighted Ranking: 17.45
Iran has one of the strongest armies in the Middle East, with a large number of active troops. The country is equipped with a diverse range of missiles, which were on display when Tehran launched strikes on Israel in October. Iranian soldiers are also battle-hardened because of their direct and indirect involvement in several ongoing regional conflicts.
17. Taiwan
GDP (2023): $752 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $16.61 billion
Active Manpower: 215,000
Tanks: 1,010
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 19,868
Self-propelled Artillery: 300
Towed Artillery: 1,120
Rocket Projectors: 223
Attack Helicopters: 91
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: N/A
Weighted Ranking: 17.40
The Taiwanese army is the largest branch of the country’s armed forces, with an estimated 215,000 active personnel. Taipei, since independence, has raised a strong military due to the perceived threat it faces from China. Earlier this month, Taiwan’s defense ministry laid plans on acquiring weapons worth $2.2 billion from the US next year amid escalating threats from Beijing.
16. Italy
GDP (2023): $2.19 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $35.53 billion
Active Manpower: 165,500
Tanks: 200
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 61,892
Self-propelled Artillery: 64
Towed Artillery: 108
Rocket Projectors: 21
Attack Helicopters: 57
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 26
Weighted Ranking: 16.8
Italy is next on our list of countries with the strongest armies in the world, whose troops are widely regarded for their contribution to international peacekeeping missions. In addition to an active force of 165,500 soldiers, the country has a reserve force of over 18,000 personnel. Italy boasts a large fleet of armored fighting vehicles and a sizable number of battle tanks.
15. Ukraine
GDP (2023): $173 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $64.75 billion
Active Manpower: 900,000
Tanks: 1,777
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 22,110
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,205
Towed Artillery: 1,012
Rocket Projectors: 491
Attack Helicopters: 33
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 60
Weighted Ranking: 15.70
Ukraine’s strong resistance that is keeping Russia at bay has been widely acclaimed by defense experts across the world. It is now the eighth-largest defense spender in the world, having channeled nearly $65 billion toward military expenditure in 2023. Kyiv has received battle tanks and artillery from numerous allies over the past two years that have aided its fight.
14. Israel
GDP (2023): $522 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $27.5 billion
Active Manpower: 170,000
Tanks: 1,370
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 43,407
Self-propelled Artillery: 650
Towed Artillery: 300
Rocket Projectors: 150
Attack Helicopters: 48
Nuclear Weapons: 90
Technological Capabilities Rank: 15
Weighted Ranking: 15.40
Israel is the most technologically advanced country in the Middle East, which is reflected in its military strength as well. Its ground troops are well equipped with modern, sophisticated weapons, which, coupled with the country’s aerial prowess, has resulted in Israel being regarded as one of the strongest militaries in the world.
13. Pakistan
GDP (2023): $340 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $8.52 billion
Active Manpower: 654,000
Tanks: 3,742
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 50,523
Self-propelled Artillery: 752
Towed Artillery: 3,238
Rocket Projectors: 602
Attack Helicopters: 57
Nuclear Weapons: 165
Technological Capabilities Rank: 91
Weighted Ranking: 14.65
Pakistan is among the countries with the strongest armies in the world. Despite economic challenges, the South Asian country has raised a powerful military due to the perceived threat of aggression from India and the volatility on its western border with Afghanistan. It is a battle-hardened force because of its decades-long war against terror. The country also has a large arsenal of nuclear weapons.
12. Egypt
GDP (2023): $398 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $3.16 billion
Active Manpower: 440,000
Tanks: 5,340
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 77,596
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,489
Towed Artillery: 1,557
Rocket Projectors: 1,119
Attack Helicopters: 100
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 86
Weighted Ranking: 14.35
Egypt has the most powerful military in Africa. The country has been actively increasing its defense expenditure to bolster national security amid rising militancy in the Sinai peninsula and the instability in Libya. It has the third-largest fleet of battle tanks in the world and also boasts a sizable number of armored fighting vehicles and artillery units.
11. Saudi Arabia
GDP (2023): $1.07 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $75.81 billion
Active Manpower: 257,000
Tanks: 1,485
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 20,694
Self-propelled Artillery: 1,236
Towed Artillery: 2,017
Rocket Projectors: 490
Attack Helicopters: 34
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 47
Weighted Ranking: 14.35
Saudi Arabia spent over $75 billion on defense expenditure in 2023, making it the fifth-largest military spender in the world. The oil-rich kingdom is actively leveraging its economic strength to raise a strong military. It has an active manpower of 257,000 troops, who are equipped with advanced weaponry.
10. Germany
GDP (2023): $4.43 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $66.82 billion
Active Manpower: 181,600
Tanks: 295
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 79,317
Self-propelled Artillery: 134
Towed Artillery: 0
Rocket Projectors: 33
Attack Helicopters: 55
Nuclear Weapons: None
Technological Capabilities Rank: 9
Weighted Ranking: 14.20
Germany has one of the strongest armies in the world, with a manpower of over 181,000 troops. The country spent 1.57% of its GDP on defense expenditure last year. Looking ahead, the government plans on meeting NATO’s target of spending at least 2% of the GDP on defense and is also working on increasing its active troops to 203,000 by 2031.
9. United Kingdom
GDP (2023): $3.33 trillion
Defense Spending (2023): $74.9 billion
Active Manpower: 184,860
Tanks: 213
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 27,203
Self-propelled Artillery: 71
Towed Artillery: 126
Rocket Projectors: 41
Attack Helicopters: 52
Nuclear Weapons: 225
Technological Capabilities Rank: 5
Weighted Ranking: 14.15
The United Kingdom may not be the military might that it once used to be. However, it still has one of the strongest armies in the world, which is equipped with a large arsenal of nuclear weapons and a wide range of other advanced, sophisticated weapons. It is the fifth most technologically advanced country in the world.