The US military website Global Firepower recently published its ranking of global military power for 2025, with the top ten as follows: United States of America, Russia, People’s Republic of China, India, Republic of Korea (South), United Kingdom, France, Japan, Turkey, and Italy.
In particular, the US armed forces are considered far superior to those of other countries, surpassing even the combined strength of the remaining nine, which suggests a strong propaganda component.
In response, the YouTube channel World’s Best Top recently published a video entitled “The 10 strongest armies in the world by 2025! The UK is only in sixth place, where does the People’s Republic of China rank? Number one surprises the world, stronger than the other nine combined,” which details this year’s top ten countries in the global military power rankings and their military strength.
The ranking describes the military strength of the People’s Republic of China, which ranks third, as follows: In 2025, the People’s Republic of China has approximately 2.035 million active-duty military personnel, ranking first in the world. China’s defense budget reached $314 billion last year, used not only for personnel salaries and equipment maintenance, but also for the development of emerging combat capabilities and advanced combat technologies.
As for the Air Force, annual production of the J-20 stealth fighter has exceeded 120 aircraft, and the number of aircraft in service is expected to reach 500 by the end of this year. A stealth system is a combination of design techniques and special materials used to make aircraft, ships, and vehicles less detectable by enemy sensors such as radar, infrared, and sonar. The main goal is to reduce an object’s observable “signature” – its radar cross-section, heat emissions, and sound – to make it more difficult to track and target, thereby increasing survivability and providing a strategic advantage. Equipped with the Shenyang WS-15 stealth fighter’s thrust vectoring engine, it can reach supersonic cruising speeds. In addition, the maiden flight of the sixth-generation J-36 fighter symbolizes the continuous improvement of air combat capabilities.
Since the entry into service of China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in 2012, and the Fujian, which officially entered service this year, the People’s Republic of China now has three aircraft carriers. Construction of the 10,000-ton Type 055 destroyers is accelerating; twelve of the second batch have already been launched, and 16 are expected to be in service by the end of the year. These destroyers are equipped with the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile, with a terminal velocity exceeding Mach 10 (19,312 km/h), capable of penetrating any existing air defense system.
With reference to the army, significant progress has been made, with twenty-nine heavily armed joint brigades constituting the main ground force. Each brigade is equipped with approximately 112 Type 99A battle tanks, over 100 Type 04A infantry fighting vehicles, and 84 modular self-propelled artillery pieces, with a firepower density greater than that of most countries’ armies combined. In particular, there has been an enhancement of intelligence capabilities. Swarms of remotely piloted aircraft can simultaneously carry out reconnaissance, attack, and electronic jamming missions; Z-21 attack helicopters are equipped with millimeter-wave radar and stealth capabilities; and Type 15A light tanks, thanks to adjustable armor modules, demonstrate high adaptability in high-altitude and urban battlefields.
Russia ranks second in terms of military strength, with formidable capabilities in terms of manpower. Last year, its active-duty force numbered about one million, while its reserve force approached two million, with the active-duty force increasing to about 1.5 million by the end of the year. Its defense spending reached $149 billion that year, exceeding 7% of its GDP, making it the third-largest military investor in the world.
In terms of air force modernization, Russia has accelerated its upgrades in recent years. In 2014, modernized weaponry accounted for only 35% of the air force’s total arsenal, but this percentage rose to 72% by 2017. By 2023, the Russian Air Force has acquired over one hundred newly built or refurbished combat aircraft and approximately 150 new helicopters. Pilot training is also substantial, with fighter pilots accumulating 60 to 100 flight hours per year and transport aircraft pilots approximately 120 hours. In terms of radar systems, the Russian military has deployed several types of Nebo-M and Nebo-UM series radars to effectively detect and counter modern stealth aircraft, also employing the Rezonans-NE system in remote areas such as the Arctic to ensure a comprehensive strategic early warning system.
As for the navy, Russia has the second largest fleet of ballistic missile submarines in the world and is the only country on the planet, after the United States and the People’s Republic of China, to possess a strategic bomber force.
As for the United States, which ranks first in military power, it maintains at least 128 military bases (nine official ones in Italy alone: Campania 2, Sicily 2, Veneto 2, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 1, Lazio 1, Tuscany 1) in 49 countries and regions around the world. Last year, their defense budget reached a staggering $886 billion, far exceeding that of other countries. It is more than double that of the People’s Republic of China and more than five times that of Russia. This enormous sum of money is not only used to maintain the operational readiness of conventional forces, but also to support research and development of advanced weapons, global strategic deployment, and the development of emerging military fields such as space warfare and cyber warfare.
The United States currently has approximately 1.328 million active-duty military personnel and approximately 799,000 reservists. The country also boasts the world’s largest private military contracting system, which provides logistical, security, and technical support to the armed forces. The US Air Force is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world, with over 13,000 aircraft, including hundreds of fifth-generation stealth fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
In addition to fighter jets, the US Air Force has a large number of strategic bombers, such as the B-2 Spirit and the B-52 Stratofortress, as well as advanced tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling and early warning aircraft, forming a vast air combat network with global projection capabilities.
As for the Navy, last year the United States had eleven active aircraft carriers, accounting for more than half of the world’s total. Each aircraft carrier strike group is equipped with multiple defensive forces, including frigates, destroyers, and nuclear-powered submarines, and has the ability to operate independently in different maritime areas around the world.
As for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), on November 5, 2025, the Republic of Korea (South) Defense Intelligence Agency, under the Ministry of National Defense, stated in a parliamentary session that authorities assessed that Pyongyang is ready to conduct a nuclear test using tunnel No. 3 at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, on the direct orders of President Kim Jong.
According to a South Korean lawmaker, the South Korean National Defense Intelligence Headquarters drafted the above report during a closed-door review of national affairs by the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, stating that the DPRK (North) continues to enhance and expand its nuclear capabilities in an attempt to induce the international community to increase its tolerance toward its nuclear weapons. The report states that the DPRK (North) is working to expand its uranium enrichment facilities at the Yongbyon Nuclear Science and Weapons Research Center and other locations, to secure more nuclear material, and to build facilities capable of producing large quantities of nuclear warheads.
Regarding the North’s missile development, the Republic of Korea (South) predicts that the North will soon deploy short-range missiles and 600 mm missile artillery for combat, while its medium-range missile program will focus on hypersonic cruise missiles to evade South Korean defenses. The DPRK’s (North) long-range missiles currently appear to have a range of over 13,000 kilometers, capable of reaching the continental United States, but previous tests have all been conducted at high angles; the next phase may involve testing the basic technologies for normal launch.
In addition, Pyongyang is actively promoting the modernization of conventional weapons. Reports indicate that the North is actively investing in the research and development of reconnaissance, attack, and suicide drones; the North is also working to develop large submarines to ensure its long-range operational capabilities, and Kim Jong-un has ordered the construction of two submarines per year. Other indications suggest that the DPRK (North Korea), with Russian technical support, is preparing to launch another military reconnaissance satellite with a higher resolution than those launched previously.
According to the most recent data (2024), the number of active-duty soldiers in the North Korean army is approximately 1.32 million, while the number of reservists is approximately 560,000. This makes it one of the countries with the largest number of soldiers in the world: active-duty personnel: 1.32 million; reserve personnel: 560,000. The breakdown by branch of service includes approximately one million people (army), approximately 60,000 people (navy), and approximately 110,000 people (air force), plus various other services. However, strangely enough, the North Korean army is not among the ten strongest in the world.
Author: Giancarlo Elia Valori – Honorable de l’Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France, Honorary Professor at the Peking University, and President of the Foundation for International Studies and Geopolitics. He plays a leading role in fostering dialogue and cooperation between countries.
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).
Note: This article, like all articles published on World Geostrategic Insights, cannot be republished without the written permission of the editor of World Geostrategic Insights.
Image Source: US Army