The US is locked in an escalating face-off with top rivals Russia and China. But head-to-head comparisons of military strength are hard to come by – which is what makes the Global Firepower annual rankings so noteworthy.
Their 2019 Military Strength Ranking draws on more than 55 factors to assign a Power Index score to 137 countries – adding Moldova this year. Global Firepower appears to have changed its methodology for 2019 from that of previous lists, yielding different index numbers.
The Most Powerful Militaries In The World In 2020
10. Germany
Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.2097
Total population: 80,457,737
Total military personnel: 208,641 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 613 (ranked 17th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 122 (ranked 20th)
Combat tanks: 900 (ranked 26th)
Total naval assets: 81
Defense budget: $49.1 billion
9. Turkey
Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.2089
Total population: 81,257,239
Total military personnel: 735,000 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 1,067 (ranked 10th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 207 (ranked 14th)
Combat tanks: 3,200 (ranked 7th)
Total naval assets: 194
Defence budget: $8.6 billion
8. United Kingdom
Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.1797
Total population: 65,105,246
Total military personnel: 233,000 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 811 (ranked 15th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 129 (ranked 19th)
Combat tanks: 331 (ranked 49th)
Total naval assets: 76; one aircraft carrier
Defense budget: $47.5 billion
7. South Korea
Power Index rating: 0.1761
Total population: 51,418,097
Total military personnel: 5,827,150 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 1,614 (ranked 5th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 406 (ranked 6th)
Combat tanks: 2,654 (ranked 9th)
Total naval assets: 166; one aircraft carrier
Defence budget: $38.3 billion
6. Japan
Power Index rating: 0.1707
Total population: 126,128,156
Total military personnel: 303,157 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 1,572 (ranked 6th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 297 (ranked 8th)
Combat tanks: 1,004 (ranked 25th)
Total naval assets: 131; four aircraft carriers
Defence budget: $47 billion
5. France
Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.1584
Total population: 67,364,357
Total military personnel: 388,635 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 1,248 (ranked 8th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 273 (ranked 10th)
Combat tanks: 406 (ranked 44th)
Total naval assets: 118; four aircraft carriers
Defense budget: $40.5 billion
4. India
Power Index rating: 0.1065
Total population: 1,296,834,042
Total military personnel: 3,462,500 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 2,082 (ranked 4th out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 520 (ranked 4th)
Combat tanks: 4,184 (ranked 6th)
Total naval assets: 295; one aircraft carrier
Defense budget: $55.2 billion
3. China
Power Index rating: 0.0673
Total population: 1,384,688,986
Total military personnel: 2,693,000 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 3,187 (ranked 3rd out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 1,222 (ranked 2nd)
Combat tanks: 13,050 (ranked 2nd)
Total naval assets: 714; one aircraft carrier
Defense budget: $224 billion
2. Russia
Power Index rating: 0.0639
Total population: 142,122,776
Total military personnel: 3,586,128 (estimated)
Total aircraft strength: 4,078 (ranked 2nd out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 869 (ranked 3rd)
Combat tanks: 21,932 (ranked 1st)
Total naval assets: 352; one aircraft carrier out of service indefinitely
Defence budget: $44 billion
1. United States
Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.0615
Total population: 329,256,465
Total military personnel: 2,141,900 (estimated)
Total aircraft: 13,398 (ranked 1st out of 137)
Fighter aircraft: 2,362 (ranked 1st)
Combat tanks: 6,287 (ranked 3rd)
Total naval assets: 415; 24 aircraft carriers
Defense budget: $716 billion
