10 of the World’s Most Powerful & Best Military Units – Arm Forces

Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy.

In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation’s armed forces. Armed forces that are not a part of military or paramilitary organizations, such as insurgent forces, often mimic military organizations, or use ad hoc structures.

(See also Top 10 of the World’s Best Special Forces/Elite Units.)

Military organization is hierarchical. The use of formalized ranks in a hierarchical structure came into widespread use with the Roman Army.

In modern times, executive control, management and administration of military organizations is typically undertaken by the government through a government department within the structure of public administration, often known as a Department of Defense, Department of War, or Ministry of Defence.

These in turn manage Armed Services that themselves command combat, combat support and service support formations and units.

Here are the world’s best military in a precise top lists.

10 – Italy

Population: 60 Million
Area: 116,347 Mil (301,337 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $34 Billion (1.8% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel: 320,000
Active Reserve Personnel 42,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 586
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 6,972
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 164
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 21
Towed-artillery: 92

Air Forces

Aircraft: 785
Most Popular Aircraft: Euro Fighter Typhoon

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 2
Frigates: 13
Destroyers: 4
Corvettes: 5
Submarines: 6
Coastal Defense Craft: 10

The Italian Armed Forces (italian: Forze armate italiane) encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force. A fourth branch of the armed forces, known as the Carabinieri, take on the role as the nation’s military police and are also involved in missions and operations abroad as a combat force. Despite not being a branch of the armed forces, the Guardia di Finanza is part of the military and operates a large fleet of ships, aircraft and helicopters, enabling it to patrol Italy’s waters and to eventually participate in warfare scenarios.

These five forces have military status and are all organized along military lines, comprising a total of 350,000 men and women with the official status of active military personnel. The President of the Italian Republic heads the armed forces as the President of the High Council of Defence established by article 87 of the Constitution of Italy. According to article 78, the Parliament has the authority to declare a state of war and vest the necessary powers in the Government.

9 – Germany

Population: 81 Million
Area: 137,983 Ml (357,374 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $36 Billion (1% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel: 180,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 145,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 408
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 5,869
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 154
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 50

Air Forces

Aircraft: 676
Most Popular Aircraft: Eurofighter Typhoon

Naval Forces

Submarines: 5
Frigates: 10
Corvettes: 5
Coastal Defense Craft: 4

The German Army has one of the most notable histories with the rise of Hitler.

The German Army was responsible for the start of World War II when it invaded Poland.

After the War ended, Germany was in a divided state and formed the West Germany Army.

After reunification in the 1990s, the armies from the east and west were combined into the current German Army.

The current military force in Germany numbers over 200,000 active soldiers.

8 – Turkey

Population 75 Million
Area: 302,535 Mil (783,562 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget $18 Billion (2.4% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel: 410,500
Active Reserve Personnel: 185,630

Land Forces

Tanks: 3,778
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 7,550
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 1,013
Towed-artillery: 697
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 811

Air Forces

Aircraft: 1,007
Most Popular Aircraft: F-16 Fighting Falcon

Naval Forces

Frigates: 16
Corvettes: 8
Coastal Defense Craft: 29
Submarines: 13

The Turkish Army dates back more than 2,000 years. The modern day Turkish Army is one of the few notable armies that stayed neutral during World War II.

Although the Turkish Army was involved in the Korean War, the largest conflict in the 1900s was in the Turkish Independence War where it fought Russia, Britain, Greece, France and Italy along its borders.

Military service in Turkey is required with few exceptions and it has resulted in Turkey having the second largest ground force in NATO.

7 – Japan

Population: 126 Million
Area: 145,936 Mi/Sq (377,972 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $40.3 Billion (0.9% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel: 250,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 57,900

Land Forces

Tanks: 678
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 2,850
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 202
Towed-artillery: 500
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS):99

Air Forces

Aircraft: 1,590
Most Popular Aircraft: Mitsubishi F-15j

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 3
Destroyers: 43
Coastal Defense Craft: 6
Submarines: 17

The Japan Self-Defense Forces, or JSDF, also known as JSF, JDF, or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established in 1954, and are controlled by the Ministry of Defense. In recent years they have been engaged in international peacekeeping operations including UN peacekeeping.

Recent tensions, particularly with North Korea, have reignited the debate over the status of the JSDF and its relation to Japanese society. New military guidelines, announced in December 2010, will direct the JSDF away from its Cold War focus on the former Soviet Union to a focus on China, especially regarding the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, while increasing cooperation with the United States, South Korea, Australia and India.

6 – United Kingdom

Population: 65 Million
Area 94,058 Mil (243,610 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $55 Billion (2% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel: 150,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 182,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 407
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 5,948
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 89
Towed-artillery. 138
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 42

Air Forces

Aircraft: 879
Most Popular Aircraft: Eurofighter Typhoon

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 1
Frigates: 13
Destroyers: 6
Submarines: 10
Coastal Defense Craft: 18

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: 215

The British Army was organized in 1661 and has been involved in various conflicts including the Napoleonic Wars, Revolutionary War and both world wars.

The British Army has had a significant presence in Northern Ireland and the Balkans while standing beside the United States in the Gulf War in the 1990s as well as the Global War on Terrorism after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The active duty force of the British Army is more than 100,000 strong, making it the second largest army in the European Union behind France.

5 – France

Population: 65 Million
Area: 248,573 Mil (643,801 Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $35 Billion (1.4% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel 205,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 195,770

Land Forces

Tanks: 423
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 6,863
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 325
Towed-artillery: 233
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 44

Air Forces

Aircraft: 1,282
Most Popular Aircraft: Dassault Rafale B/C

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 4
Frigates: 11
Destroyers: 11
Submarines: 10
Coastal Defense Craft: 20

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: 300

The French Armed Forces / Forces armées françaises encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force, the French National Guard and the National Gendarmerie of the French Republic. The President of France heads the armed forces, with the title “chef des armées” or “chief of the armed forces”.

France maintains the sixth largest defence budget in the world and the largest armed forces in size in the European Union (EU).

France also maintains the world’s third-largest nuclear deterrent, behind only Russia and the United States.

4 – India

Population: 1.34 Billion
Area: 1.269 Mil/Sq (3.2 Million Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $40 Billion (1.8% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel 1,325,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 2,143,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 6,464
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 6,704
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 290
Towed-artillery: 7,414
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 292

Air Forces

Aircraft: 2,086
Most Popular Aircraft: Sukhoi Su-30mki

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 2
Frigates: 14
Destroyers: 10
Submarines: 26
Coastal Defense Craft: 135

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: Around 90 To 110

The Indian Army dates back to the Stone Age. Today, it is known as being the largest all volunteer ground force in the world with more than 1,000,000 active duty soldiers.

India has never had to institute a draft to staff its ground force.

The Indian Army has been involved in both world wars as well as several conflicts to fight for its own independence.

Pakistan has been its target on more than one occasion in its military history.

3 – China

Population: 1.38 Billion
Area: 3.705 Mil/Sq (9.6 Million Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $147 Billion (2.1% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel 2,335,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 2,300,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 9,150
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 4,788
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 1,710
Towed-artillery: 6,246
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 177

Air Forces

Aircraft: 2,942
Most Popular Aircraft: Chengdu J-7

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 1
Frigates: 48
Destroyers: 32
Submarines: 68
Coastal Defense Craft: 138

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: 260

The People’s Liberation Army of China is the largest in the world numbering over two million soldiers even after significant cuts in forces in recent years.

The Chinese Army was established in 1927 and involved in the Sino-Japanese conflict, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam.

While technically service is required for all men over the age of 18, China has never had to draft soldiers as there has always been more than enough Chinese men who have volunteered for military service to their country.

2 – Russia

Population: 143 Million
Area: 6.602 Mil/Sq (17 Million Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $47 Billion (3.9% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel 766,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 2,500,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 15,400
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 31,300
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 5,972
Towed-artillery: 4,625
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 3,793

Air Forces

Aircraft: 3,547
Most Popular Aircraft: Sukhoi Su-27

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 1
Frigates: 4
Destroyers: 15
Submarines: 60
Corvettes: 81
Coastal Defense Craft: 14

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: 7,000

Russia has undergone numerous changes throughout its military history dating back to 863.

The modern day army is known as the Russian Ground Force and was founded in 1992.

Previous Russian military organizations, including the Red Army, have been involved in regional conflicts, both world wars and the Cold War.

Before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was the known as the superpower of the world and had surpassed the United States in terms of the number of soldiers and nuclear weapons.

The Russian Ground Force is staffed through mandatory service; though many in the country have either deferred under exceptions or offered bribes to officials not to serve.

1 – United States

Population: 143 Million
Area: 3.797 Mil/Sq (9.8 Million Km/Sq)
Defense Budget: $664 Billion (2.4% Of GDP)
Active Frontline Personnel 1,400,000
Active Reserve Personnel: 1,100,000

Land Forces

Tanks: 8,848
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV): 41,000
Self-propelled Guns (SPG): 1,934
Towed-artillery: 1,300
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS): 1,331

Air Forces

Aircraft: 13,444
Most Popular Aircraft: F-16 Fighting Falcon

Naval Forces

Aircraft Carriers: 19
Frigates: 6
Destroyers: 62
Submarines:75
Coastal Defense Craft: 13

Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear Warheads: 6,800

The United States Army dates back to 1775 when the Continental Army was created to fight in the Revolutionary War.

The U.S. Army has participated in every major world war, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism.

The current active duty force for the U.S. Army numbers over 500,000 with a combined total of over one million with Reserve and National Guard soldiers.

The modern day Army is an all volunteer force with permanent posts throughout the United States as well as Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Japan and Korea.

[Reference/Source: Wikipedia]