List of countries by level of military equipment

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This is a list of countries by level of military equipment, including naval ships, fighter aircraft and nuclear weapons. This list is indicative only, as strict comparisons cannot accurately be made.

Contents

List

States marked 'TC' are widely considered technologically capable of wielding, operating or developing nuclear weapons, however are signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and are not known to possess any at the current moment. Japan, South Korea and Poland [ citation needed ] are generally considered de facto nuclear states due to their believed ability to wield nuclear weapons within 1 to 3 years. [20] [21] [22] South Africa produced six nuclear weapons in the 1980s, but dismantled them in the early 1990s. South Africa signed the NPT in 1991. [23] [24]

Combat aircraft by country

Figures sourced from the Center for Strategic and International Studies [25] [26] and Flightglobal.com, [27] unless otherwise noted.

RankCountryFightersBombersAttackTotalSources
1 United States (USAF, US Navy)5,2091623435,714
2 Russia (Russian Air Force, Russian Naval Aviation)8621815481,591
3 China (PLAAF, PLANAF)9221602761,358
4 India (Indian Air Force, Indian Naval Air Arm)646227873
5 North Korea 48440154678
6 Pakistan 447136583 [28]
7 Egypt 33826496 [28]
8 South Korea 468488
9 Israel 426426
10 Japan 380380

Figures sourced from the Lowy Institute [29]

RankCountryNavy VLS CellsSources
1 United States (US Navy)10,024
2 People's Republic of China (PRC Navy)4,296
3 Russia (Russian Navy)1,588
4 Japan (Japanese Navy)1,416
5 South Korea (South Korean Navy)808
6 India (Indian Navy)668
7 United Kingdom (Royal Navy)544
8 Singapore (Singapore Navy)384
9 Italy (Italian Navy)304
10 France (French Navy)304
11 Spain (Spanish Navy)240
12 Australia (Australian Navy)208
13 Canada (Canadian Navy)192

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ All data apart from the number of nuclear weapons is taken from The Military Balance (2020). [1]
  2. ↑ Budget is annual
  3. ↑ Fixed-wing aircraft with combat capability
  4. ↑ Includes helicopters that have some attacking capabilities i.e. 'multi-role helicopters'
  5. ↑ Pre-war figures
  6. ↑ Pre-war figures
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 See: NATO nuclear sharing
  8. ↑ Israel neither confirms nor denies possession of nuclear weapons
  9. ↑ Taiwan's political status is disputed.
  10. ↑ Includes United States Coast Guard Budget. [16]

References

  1. ↑ The Military Balance. Routledge. February 14, 2020. ISBN   9780367466398.
  2. 1 2 "World Air Forces directory 2023". Flight Global. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance". Arms Control Association. July 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Lockheed will complete Australian F-35 deliveries by year-end". Flight Global. March 2, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  5. ↑ "New FAB Gripen fighters are already on their way to Brazil". Aeroflap. November 24, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Çad'da HÜRKUŞ ve ANKA teslimatı töreni | SavunmaSanayiST" (in Turkish). August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance | Arms Control Association". armscontrol.org. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  8. ↑ "China's Defense Spending: The $700 Billion Distraction". September 2, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Aircraft Carriers by Country 2023". Wisevoter. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2024). "The Military Balance 2024". International Institute for Strategic Studies. Routledge: 301–304. ISBN   9781032780047.
  11. ↑ "Romanian Air Force Retires Its MiG-21 LanceR Jets". The Aviationist. May 14, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ "How Powerful Is Russia's Military?". Defense One. November 14, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Russia overtakes all of Europe on defense spending in key metric: IISS military balance". February 12, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Just how strong is China's military compared to Taiwan?". August 5, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Chapter Four: Europe: Regional trends in 2022 50; Regional defence policy and economics 52; Poland: defence policy 66; Arms procurements and deliveries 69; Armed forces data section 72" . The Military Balance. 123 (1): 50–149. December 31, 2023. doi:10.1080/04597222.2023.2162716. ISSN   0459-7222. S2CID   256848925.
  16. ↑ "Budget". Coast Guard Budget in Brief. 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018.
  17. ↑ US Navy sources:
    – "Aircraft Carriers – CVN". United States Navy.
    – "The Gator Navy". United States Navy.
    – "Littoral Combat Ship Class – LCS". United States Navy.
    – "The Submarines". United States Navy.
  18. ↑ "Chapter Three: North America: Regional trends in 2022 16; United States: defence policy and economics 18; Canada: defence policy 28; Arms procurements and deliveries 29; Armed forces data section 32" . The Military Balance. 123 (1): 16–49. December 31, 2023. doi:10.1080/04597222.2023.2162715. ISSN   0459-7222. S2CID   256848739.
  19. ↑ "How Many Tanks Does the U.S. Army Have?". April 14, 2025.
  20. ↑ Brumfiel, G. (2004). "We have the technology". Nature. 432 (7016): 432–437. doi: 10.1038/432432a . PMID   15565123.
  21. ↑ Karam, Souhail (March 5, 2007). "Saudi defends Gulf Arab atom plans, criticizes Iran". Reuters.
  22. ↑ Shuster, Mike (April 13, 2010). "Nuclear Capabilities And Potential Around The World". NPR.
  23. ↑ "Nuclear Weapons Program (South Africa)". WMD Around the World. Federation of American Scientists Updated: May 31, 2012.
  24. ↑ Nic Von Wielligh & Lydia Von Wielligh-Steyn (2015). The Bomb – South Africa's Nuclear Weapons Programme. Translated by Sandra Mills. Pretoria: Litera. ISBN   978-1-9201-8848-1.
  25. ↑ "The Asian Conventional Military Balance in 2006" (PDF). Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  26. ↑ "The Israeli and Syrian Conventional Military Balance" (PDF). Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  27. ↑ World Air Force 2014 – Flight International, Flightglobal.com, Accessed November 23, 2014
  28. 1 2 "World Air Forces directory 2022". Flight Global. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Maritime Warfare Firpower" . Retrieved August 13, 2025.

Bibliography

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