Posted on 12/20/2014 4:04:53 AM PST by iowamark
There's only one real way to compare military strength, and thankfully the world hasn't had many opportunities lately.
Despite the potential powder keg in the South China Sea, standoffs in Ukraine, and proxy wars throughout the Middle East, inter-state warfare between the world's military powers has been all but banished from the global scene (for the time being, at least).
For a simpler evaluation of military power, we turned to the Global Firepower Index, a ranking of 106 nations based on more than 50 factors including overall military budget, available manpower, and the amount of equipment each country has in its respective arsenal, as well as access to natural resources...
We've created a chart to compare the top 35 militaries according to the Global Firepower Index...
US has reduced its defense budget by 7.8% chiefly because of America's gradual withdrawal in overseas military operations, such as in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Russia, meanwhile, has increased its arms spending by $88 billion and plans to "modernize" its arsenal. Aircraft carriers are key, and very few countries have one.
Aircraft carriers contribute greatly to a country's overall military strength. These massive vessels allow nations to project their force far beyond their borders and across the entire face of the globe. They're essentially mobile naval and air force bases. Aircraft carriers can also carry drones, which significantly change the global surveillance game.
The US's absolute monopoly on super-carrier vessels significantly boosts the country's forward operating power. The US has deployed an aircraft carrier toward the Persian Gulf to bolster its sea and air power before possible strikes against ISIS in Iraq. Russia has previously deployed an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean to display its seriousness in propping up Assad in Syria...
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
The Norks have a ton of midget subs. Hard as hell to locate in shallow water. Perfect for dropping of killer squads behind the lines.
I think there is a big difference in most “powerful” and most “reliable.”
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