Top 10 Most Militarily Powerful Countries

The United States of America's Defense budget is $612.5 billion. It has over 1.4 million soldiers and a further 800,000 reservists. It implements cutting-edge technology like the Navy's new rail gun and has 7,500 nuclear warheads at its disposal.

Having spent 26 years in the Air Force and still working for the Air Force as a civilian, I can tell you that the United States is the world leader in logistics. Most wars are lost due to poor logistics. If you can't maintain a long supply line and get your troops where they need to be, your war effort will lose steam and you'll eventually lose. This happened to Napoleon, Santa Ana, Hitler, and even Japan. The Romans also had to avoid overextending themselves.

During the second Gulf War, the US military had to halt its move into Iraq to allow the supply line to catch up. Armies with poor logistics have to win wars quickly, or they risk losing. The United States knows this and fights long, extended wars to wear out the opponent. Unless, of course, we hit with a knockout punch during a police action. The point is, if you have poor logistics, everything else is academic.

The U.S. has advanced technology but is often hesitant to use it, engaging instead in unnecessary and wasteful wars. While they consider themselves liberators, many would argue otherwise. India, on the other hand, is on the UN's list of militaries to assist in crises. Moreover, America is selling military technology to India, making arguments about superiority moot.

The Republic of India's current defense budget stands at $40.4 billion. It has built an army of a sizable 3.5 million, including 1.3 million active military personnel. The manpower of the army is complemented by almost 16,000 land vehicles, as well as 1,785 aircraft, alongside 164 nuclear weapons.

I have read almost all the comments from all 10 countries and found that the people of the USA are overconfident. This will surely be their downfall one day. It's not that Osama Bin Laden was a genius. It's the overconfidence of Americans in believing that no one can strike them deep inside their country. They rebuked us (Indians) in their comments, but they forgot that they are the ones to be rebuked. They also forget that war is not won by weapons alone, but by courage, valor, and self-sacrifice.

In the USA, anyone who meets the physical criteria can become a soldier. On the other hand, here in India, only the jewels are selected for the divine service to the motherland. Americans won't be able to feel the emotions of an Indian soldier. Indian defense service personnel don't work just for their salary. They sacrifice their lives for Mother India. All that I've come to know is that Americans really don't understand what we Indians and Russians are about. They think they are superior only because they have nuclear weapons and high-tech weaponry, but they lack spirituality in serving their country.

They threaten to erase us from the world map but forget that they too can be erased. Lastly, our Army, Navy, and Air Force may not have the best weapons or technologies, but I'm proud that they are the best men in uniform. They are more patriotic, strong both mentally and spiritually, and physically courageous to the extent that they can not only die for Mother India but, before they die, they will eliminate the enemies.

JAI HIND.

The Russian Federation's defense budget stands at $76.6 billion and is expected to grow 44% more in the next three years. It has 766,000 active frontline personnel and 2.5 million in the reserve force. The manpower is backed by 15,500 tanks, making Russia the largest tank force in the world.

Why is the United States in second place? Do you know how many times their military has failed? Countless times in World War 2! They sent up waves and waves of men who just kept failing. When they sent up a small group of Canadians, they succeeded in achieving their goals. Why do you think most European countries dislike the United States? This is fact, not just some hate rant.

Anyway, back to Russia. Russia should be number two. They have the most nuclear weapons, a good air force, and a great navy. Their nuclear power could kill us all! Plus, they receive tough training. The US military just engages in pointless, ridiculous wars. It's like they enjoy fighting and do it because they have nothing better to do. Russia for the win.

The People's Republic of China's defense budget officially stands at $126 billion. It has a formidable army, with 2.29 million active frontline personnel and a further 2.3 million reservists, along with nearly 25,000 land vehicles.

China is nothing like what they were 100 years ago. China learned from its mistakes and its military strength. The only reason the Japanese beat them was that China was fighting a civil war. Therefore, China was not unified. If China had been a single nation, then the war would have been easier for them.

WW2 Era: China fought Japan for eight years during WWII. Japan was much more advanced militarily than China at the time and deployed five million troops into China. In the end, the Japanese still lost to China.

Fast forward to 2013: China has nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines, and fifth-generation stealth fighters. Japan is no match for the Chinese this time around.

Don't forget, the Chinese were the ones who made gunpowder in the first place. Other nations should be thankful that China allowed them to have the military they have now. Every soldier should have a gun, and China invented guns.

Before you think "China is weak" or other nonsense, consider what would happen if China had never exported its gunpowder. Only China's army would have guns then. Everyone else would have bows and arrows and swords, while we would be shooting the crap out of you.

China does not have a paper army, and their weapons do not fall apart. Those who claim they do are ignorant. China is the greatest Asian power and will become a global military superpower alongside Russia and the USA. They are way ahead of Japan economically now and are on the brink of surpassing the USA as the economic superpower.

The United Kingdom's defense budget stands at $60.5 billion and has an army of 146,980 soldiers. They have 407 tanks, 936 aircraft, 73 surface warships, 10 submarines, and 260 nuclear weapons. They also have tea.

The United Kingdom is still technically the strongest country in the world. It is the biggest investor in each of the top five economically performing countries in the world, even more so than China. This makes it the second-richest country in the world behind the US. The UK is home to the world's financial trading center, London, which trades trillions in sterling worldwide every day on the London Stock Exchange. It also has the best-regarded political relations worldwide. Additionally, the UK is home to BAE Systems, the most advanced global company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of defense, security, and aerospace (Air, Sea, and Land) worldwide.

Her troops are volunteers, NOT conscripts. They WANT to serve.

Read this nation's history.

Read how this tiny, fractured nation, after her subjects were taken for slaves - read about the Barbary Corsairs - refused to bow down again.

She has taken knocks, she has taken falls, she has been knocked out, bombed, and battered, but she - and her people - will ALWAYS rise up.

A main nuclear power. Unarguably among the very finest special forces soldiers in the world - SAS, SBS, Pathfinders. Intimate knowledge of every battleground terrain and tactics through hundreds of years of warfare.

The Royal Marines (formed in 1664) have the longest infantry training through NATO.

A source of pride for every single Briton.

The French Republic's defense budget stands at $62.3 billion and has an army of 202,761 soldiers. They have 423 tanks, 1,264 aircraft, 126 surface warships, 10 submarines, and 290 nuclear weapons. Vive la France!

France is the strongest European military power, aside perhaps from Russia, because of its high-tech weapons. Many of these weapons are the most advanced in the world in quality and are produced by France, which is an important weapons exporter. I know that some other Western European countries such as Great Britain and Germany are also military powers, but they are much less involved than France. Moreover, France is the most involved country in current conflicts alongside the USA.

Very few countries have the capabilities to, on one hand, execute a nuclear response at any time, anywhere in the world, and on the other hand, project rapid and massive conventional forces anywhere in the world. They also have a main army that is capable of resisting any attack on the country, all backed by top-notch, nationally-produced technology.

I think the German army is underestimated. They may not have the largest number of troops, nor do they possess nuclear power. However, as I've heard, they could create nuclear weapons within minutes. After all, they are the country that contributed to the invention of the atomic bomb.

Even if they are selling their highly developed tanks and other equipment to other states, that doesn't mean they haven't already developed new weapons that none of their allies know about. I believe German perfectionism makes them one of the most feared enemies you could have.

Remember WWII: if the war had lasted longer without the U.S. entering the conflict, and considering its nearly infinite amount of resources relative to Germany, the country could have fought off all its enemies solely through more advanced techniques. They may not be in first place, but they're still worth mentioning.

Germany's biggest strengths are their ability to muster 36 million men and their underestimation by other countries. You wouldn't fear Germany, this sweet, apologizing country that publishes its military statistics every year, would you? But just compare its manpower to those of other countries: Poland might have 13-14 million men able to fight, France might have 30 million. But none of them could ever match the German superiority of manpower. Standing armies mean technically nothing. Germany could maintain an army of only 500 men. Two days after the declaration of war, it could have mobilized 80% of its manpower.

If you think about it, almost every war that Japan has participated in so far, they've been behind in technology. Then they study their heads off and become insanely strong. Look at WW2. If we end up in WW3, Japan will, without a doubt, be one of the global superpowers when it comes to technology.

Survived for 22,000 years without being successfully invaded. They did get defeated by the USA dropping nukes on them, but even the Mongols couldn't conquer them. And the Mongols basically did nothing but conquer.

Is this a joke? I think Japan is better than Germany because Japan has a more powerful navy, air power, and technologies.

South Korea is strong but still has many areas for military improvement. It has managed to defeat some countries but still relies on external help. I do agree that North Korea is strong, but it is also very aggressive. I'm surprised it's a member of the UN. Overall, South Korea is a respectably strong country that cannot be ignored. It should continue to grow.

Go! The country of a "peaceful quiet morning," which makes it Cho Sun.

Actually, Korea is a peaceful country. Despite loud and noisy neighbors like Japan and China, this country has always been reluctant to fight and has no history of invasion, except for battles to reclaim their lands.

During the Cho Sun dynasty, Korea attacked the Japanese Tsushima Island to discipline Japanese pirates. They conquered the island but returned it to Japan shortly thereafter.

The ancestors of Koreans are called sunbi. They wore white clothing and loved reading and walking through the mountains.

So, if Japan is a country of samurai, Korea is a country of sunbi, which is a character completely opposite to that of samurai.

It's a bit sad for me that South Korea has become a militarily strong country these days. Because of the U.S. and the Soviet Union, Korea was split into two nations. Now these two Koreas pose a threat to each other, compelling South Korea to become a strong military power. In essence, they are doing the things they most wish to avoid.

I hope Korea will be unified again and live as peacefully as they always have in the past.

Turkey has one of the most powerful armies in the world, a continuation of the Ottoman Empire. As you know, the Ottoman Empire was once a dominant global power. Because of this, Turkey's soldiers are experienced and well-trained. They also have a special team called the Maroon Berets, which is the best special team in the world (you can Google it). Turkey is also a highly advanced and civilized country. They have their own weapons and planes, among other things.

The Ottoman Empire, always with God on its way, has always been victorious. Your fathers bestowed it on the soil, and by the permission of Allah, they always obtained victory.

The Navy and MB7 (Maroon Berets 7) are number one in Western Europe. Check out Global Fire Power for more information. The army of Turkey is using the most modernized and high-tech weaponry of the 21st century. It's an honorable member of both NATO and the UN. The MB7 also trains Mossad and U.S. ground troops at the Incirlik military base. The Turkish army has been growing since the 1980s.

It's curious why North Korea is not in the list of the top 10 militaries. North Korea has strong army forces characterized by a deep sense of unity and discipline. Citizens are conditioned from a young age to serve their leader as if he were a god, fueled by propaganda that instills patriotic fervor. Their military is well-trained, with minds filled with a hatred for Americans, a sentiment instilled since kindergarten. If their seniors criticize them, they are conditioned to accept it for self-improvement.

North Korea resembles a large prison camp, with citizens largely unaware of the outside world. The government focuses its main developmental efforts on nuclear weapons and also purchases a significant amount of military hardware from China and Russia.

North Korea may not have the strongest current military, but I think that if North Korea were to enter a war, they would have no problem drafting every single able-bodied citizen into the military. The North Koreans are so brainwashed that they would do anything for their country, literally. North Korea already abuses human rights to the max, so they wouldn't have any problem forcing all of their people into the military. If they were to draft all of their able-bodied people, which is very well possible, it would create a North Korean military of over 20,000,000.

Canada is not a major military power and has only small and lightly-funded armed forces. Canada's military rose in size and professionalism after the two world wars. Canada has an army, navy, and air force centralized under a single hierarchy with joint command units. (Had to copy and paste. Don't mind.)

Canadians train Americans in their combat skills. Our forces may be small, but the skill in a true Canadian could be any country's ticket to hell. We never give up, never surrender, and will never let anyone take our beautiful homeland!

Canada is the strongest. It's a good thing they're so nice. They have so many resources at their disposal. Also, Canadians trained the Americans in combat skills. Canada should be in the top 10. Just because we're peaceful doesn't mean we're not strong.

Italy is the fifth country in terms of importance and contribution within NATO.

It's also part of the 'NATO Quint Group' (USA, Germany, France, Italy, UK), which are the most influential countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Italy is the fifth most important player in NATO, the fifth contributor, and second in terms of the number of soldiers engaged in missions abroad.

Of course, Italy has a great navy. Italy's navy boasts two aircraft carriers, four destroyers, and many other warships.

The Australian army has about 46,000 active soldiers and 56,000 reserve soldiers. The land is vast, but only about 22 million people actually live there. I am Australian, and what I like most about our military is its war history and the SAS. The Aussie SAS are so well-trained that you wouldn't know the difference if you saw a British team in combat or an Australian one, because the British are also well-trained. Australia has pretty good pilots and a navy that keeps our waters safe. The only thing we lack is vehicles, as we don't produce many of our war machinery. Nearly all of it is imported from Western Europe or North America, but at least we know how to make the best use of them.

Australia's Light Horse Division even took Beersheba from Turkey and Germany in World War 1, and they were the only nation to successfully do it. They also fought at Gallipoli alongside New Zealand. Australian soldiers defended their homeland in World War 2 when the Japanese bombed Darwin and other towns. The soldiers also fought at the Kokoda Track. Australia might not have nuclear weapons or the biggest army, but we have one of the bravest armies out there. Australia is also very loyal to their allies because we have fought alongside them in many wars. Overall, if you mess with Australia, it will fight back and win!

Did you know that "This" beat the US, France, and China in the past? With their will to do anything to protect their country and their unmeasured patriotism, they are bold. What kind of army can stand against those during "day and night"? And their creative traps/weapons have made history.

Their military system is so powerful! I mean, Southeast Asia's most powerful military system is something I've really known my whole life to make this country a peaceful and progressive one. Way to go!

They're sizing up their military for the fight for resources in the South China Sea. Vietnam isn't scared of a fight, so it's pretty impressive.

The fact that Iran has protected itself successfully for more than 6,000 years shows its power. Some of the countries at the top of power rankings have only been created 100 or 200 years ago. Some owe their power to their geographical position, being far away from other lands. Iran is located in the middle of everything and has remained a significant, powerful empire.

Iran is a Muslim country with the largest, most powerful, and strongest army in the Middle East. It has up-to-date guns, weapons, and nuclear capabilities. The army is so brave and strong that it fights with immense bravery. PAK Iran ZINDABAD.

You know you're tough when your nickname is Fortress Iran. And due to the fact that they are developing nukes, the fortress might become radioactive.

Taiwan has a very strong military.

HMM...

Egypt Air Force:
Receives 75% of military spending.
Really overpowered!

Army/Marine Corps:
Receives the remaining 25%.
Can still be pretty decent.

They have a very large air force. I think most of their spending is on aircraft, which gives them a huge advantage over opponents, especially those that don't even have an air force.

The country spends a lot on its air force because they know that no one would ever be foolish enough to attack them on land. One would have to go through tons of desert just to get there, and I don't think anyone has the will to do that.

Bappa Rawal chased Muslim invaders all the way to their point of origin, which is Arabia.

The Brazilian army has the best jungle fighters in the world. If they had been in the Afghanistan war, they would have won.

We won all the wars we participated in.

It's a powerful country.

What! Why is Indonesia 78th best in the world? They are clearly top 30 in the world. Do you guys read history? They are actually the 19th best in the world. Sure, they don't have any nuclear power, but they have the best troops and the best weapons. The troops have been trained to be great, which they are. That is why Indonesia should be at least number 7 on this list.

I believe the Indonesian army is not afraid. Besides, the Indonesian army is one strong piece of armed forces.

Indonesia has tough and fearless soldiers. Even without modern tools, they can still survive in any situation.

It is supported by Italy.

Good for its size.

They only have around 100 coast guards and policemen.

There will be peace there forever.

Poland has definitely been growing in military size ever since World War Two, and I would say it's honestly quite overlooked how powerful it can be.

This country suffered but resisted being taken over every time. As it reached today, it's still standing strong.

We can fight back when we want and win. We defeated the Soviets in the Polish-Soviet War.