Military

The 30 Nations with the Largest Arsenals of Self-Propelled Artillery

South+Korea+artillery | M115 8-Inch Howitzer (USA)
Gary Todd / Public Domain / Flickr

Self-propelled artillery plays an important role in modern warfare, allowing for long-distance strikes while offering improved mobility to dodge any enemy offensive. Countries that invest the most in these units are some of the strongest in the world. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at countries with the most self-propelled artillery. (These are the U.S. Army’s longest range artillery weapons, ranked.)

To identify the countries with the most self-propelled artillery, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of self-propelled artillery in their arsenal. We included supplemental information regarding the total military vehicles, tanks and MLRS units, as well as each country’s overall military strength score.

One of the main advantages of self-propelled artillery is the ability to provide quick fire support in any given scenario. These units are also outfitted with advanced targeting systems that allow for accurate strikes at great distances.

The versatility of these units cannot be stated enough. As opposed to the older towed artillery units, these are highly mobile and can “shoot and scoot” where they fire a salvo and immediately move to miss any potential counterattack.

Overall, self-propelled artillery is a vital component of most modern military forces. These units offer serious firepower at range as well as impressive mobility. (These are the NATO countries with the most artillery firepower.)

Here is a look at the countries with the most self-propelled artillery:

Why Are We Covering This?

Kichigin / iStock via Getty Images

Self-propelled artillery is important in modern warfare because it combines mobility and firepower. Unlike towed artillery, these units can move independently, making it easier to avoid enemy attacks. Many countries have invested heavily in these units and understanding which countries have the most gives further context to modern military strategy.

30. India

abhisheklegit / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

  • Self-propelled artillery: 140
  • Towed artillery: 3,243
  • Total artillery: 3,383
  • Total military vehicles: 151,248
  • Total tanks: 4,614
  • Total MLRS: 702
  • Military strength score: 0.1023 – #4 – out of 145

29. Indonesia

BM-21+Grad | BM-21 "Grad"
jacobsroom / Flickr

  • Self-propelled artillery: 153
  • Towed artillery: 414
  • Total artillery: 567
  • Total military vehicles: 11,604
  • Total tanks: 313
  • Total MLRS: 63
  • Military strength score: 0.2251 – #13 – out of 145

28. Brazil

edbrambley / Flickr

  • Self-propelled artillery: 172
  • Towed artillery: 460
  • Total artillery: 632
  • Total military vehicles: 44,044
  • Total tanks: 469
  • Total MLRS: 78
  • Military strength score: 0.1944 – #12 – out of 145

27. Japan

petesphotography / iStock via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 173
  • Towed artillery: 480
  • Total artillery: 653
  • Total military vehicles: 37,662
  • Total tanks: 518
  • Total MLRS: 54
  • Military strength score: 0.1601 – #7 – out of 145

26. Vietnam

Paul Biris / Moment via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 180
  • Towed artillery: 700
  • Total artillery: 880
  • Total military vehicles: 18,578
  • Total tanks: 2,029
  • Total MLRS: 450
  • Military strength score: 0.3158 – #22 – out of 145

25. United Arab Emirates

tomasdelcoro / Flickr

  • Self-propelled artillery: 183
  • Towed artillery: 99
  • Total artillery: 282
  • Total military vehicles: 12,253
  • Total tanks: 354
  • Total MLRS: 162
  • Military strength score: 0.8083 – #51 – out of 145

24. Jordan

Jordan Pix / Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 199
  • Towed artillery: 84
  • Total artillery: 283
  • Total military vehicles: 24,148
  • Total tanks: 1,365
  • Total MLRS: 88
  • Military strength score: 1.4651 – #80 – out of 145

23. Myanmar

mj0007 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

  • Self-propelled artillery: 215
  • Towed artillery: 1,868
  • Total artillery: 2,083
  • Total military vehicles: 8,139
  • Total tanks: 705
  • Total MLRS: 586
  • Military strength score: 0.5251 – #35 – out of 145

22. Algeria

DancingMan / iStock via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 224
  • Towed artillery: 483
  • Total artillery: 707
  • Total military vehicles: 35,990
  • Total tanks: 1,632
  • Total MLRS: 236
  • Military strength score: 0.3589 – #26 – out of 145

21. Kazakhstan

  • Self-propelled artillery: 246
  • Towed artillery: 450
  • Total artillery: 696
  • Total military vehicles: 6,012
  • Total tanks: 300
  • Total MLRS: 407
  • Military strength score: 0.9495 – #58 – out of 145

20. Iraq

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Self-propelled artillery: 281
  • Towed artillery: 1,446
  • Total artillery: 1,727
  • Total military vehicles: 39,872
  • Total tanks: 848
  • Total MLRS: 425
  • Military strength score: 0.7441 – #45 – out of 145

19. Azerbaijan

U.S. Army Europe / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Self-propelled artillery: 294
  • Towed artillery: 300
  • Total artillery: 594
  • Total military vehicles: 29,312
  • Total tanks: 920
  • Total MLRS: 218
  • Military strength score: 0.9934 – #59 – out of 145

18. Syria

mel-nik / iStock via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 295
  • Towed artillery: 2,400
  • Total artillery: 2,695
  • Total military vehicles: 14,550
  • Total tanks: 2,720
  • Total MLRS: 614
  • Military strength score: 1.0026 – #60 – out of 145

17. Taiwan

  • Self-propelled artillery: 300
  • Towed artillery: 1,120
  • Total artillery: 1,420
  • Total military vehicles: 19,868
  • Total tanks: 1,010
  • Total MLRS: 223
  • Military strength score: 0.3302 – #24 – out of 145

16. Belarus

  • Self-propelled artillery: 369
  • Towed artillery: 170
  • Total artillery: 539
  • Total military vehicles: 6,700
  • Total tanks: 517
  • Total MLRS: 206
  • Military strength score: 1.0901 – #64 – out of 145

15. Poland

39955793@N07 / Flickr
  • Self-propelled artillery: 525
  • Towed artillery: 0
  • Total artillery: 525
  • Total military vehicles: 13,956
  • Total tanks: 612
  • Total MLRS: 211
  • Military strength score: 0.2917 – #21 – out of 145

14. Morocco

  • Self-propelled artillery: 565
  • Towed artillery: 306
  • Total artillery: 871
  • Total military vehicles: 13,710
  • Total tanks: 1,564
  • Total MLRS: 208
  • Military strength score: 1.0081 – #61 – out of 145

13. Iran

Military rockets, wall with barbwire and Iran national flag
Valery Evlakhov / Shutterstock.com

  • Self-propelled artillery: 580
  • Towed artillery: 2,050
  • Total artillery: 2,630
  • Total military vehicles: 65,765
  • Total tanks: 1,996
  • Total MLRS: 775
  • Military strength score: 0.2269 – #14 – out of 145

12. Greece

BalkansCat / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

  • Self-propelled artillery: 589
  • Towed artillery: 729
  • Total artillery: 1,318
  • Total military vehicles: 57,030
  • Total tanks: 1,365
  • Total MLRS: 152
  • Military strength score: 0.4349 – #32 – out of 145

11. Israel

Photo by Andrew Burton / Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 650
  • Towed artillery: 300
  • Total artillery: 950
  • Total military vehicles: 43,407
  • Total tanks: 1,370
  • Total MLRS: 150
  • Military strength score: 0.2596 – #17 – out of 145

10. Pakistan

Pakistan+tanks | Sherman Mark 5 Tank at Ajni Square, Nagpur
ganeshdhamodkar / Flickr

  • Self-propelled artillery: 752
  • Towed artillery: 3,238
  • Total artillery: 3,990
  • Total military vehicles: 50,523
  • Total tanks: 3,742
  • Total MLRS: 602
  • Military strength score: 0.1711 – #9 – out of 145

9. Turkey

IC / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

  • Self-propelled artillery: 1,038
  • Towed artillery: 1,747
  • Total artillery: 2,785
  • Total military vehicles: 55,104
  • Total tanks: 2,231
  • Total MLRS: 286
  • Military strength score: 0.1697 – #8 – out of 145

8. Ukraine

usarmyeurope_images / Flickr
  • Self-propelled artillery: 1,205
  • Towed artillery: 1,012
  • Total artillery: 2,217
  • Total military vehicles: 22,110
  • Total tanks: 1,777
  • Total MLRS: 491
  • Military strength score: 0.2598 – #18 – out of 145

7. Saudi Arabia

  • Self-propelled artillery: 1,236
  • Towed artillery: 2,017
  • Total artillery: 3,253
  • Total military vehicles: 20,694
  • Total tanks: 1,485
  • Total MLRS: 490
  • Military strength score: 0.3235 – #23 – out of 145

6. Egypt

Chris Hondros / Getty Images

  • Self-propelled artillery: 1,489
  • Towed artillery: 1,557
  • Total artillery: 3,046
  • Total military vehicles: 77,596
  • Total tanks: 5,340
  • Total MLRS: 1,119
  • Military strength score: 0.2283 – #15 – out of 145

5. United States

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Self-propelled artillery: 1,595
  • Towed artillery: 1,267
  • Total artillery: 2,862
  • Total military vehicles: 360,069
  • Total tanks: 4,657
  • Total MLRS: 694
  • Military strength score: 0.0699 – #1 – out of 145

4. South Korea

Gary Todd / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Self-propelled artillery: 3,189
  • Towed artillery: 4,863
  • Total artillery: 8,052
  • Total military vehicles: 66,492
  • Total tanks: 2,501
  • Total MLRS: 581
  • Military strength score: 0.1416 – #5 – out of 145

3. China

Anton Petrus / Moment via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 3,850
  • Towed artillery: 1,434
  • Total artillery: 5,284
  • Total military vehicles: 174,300
  • Total tanks: 5,000
  • Total MLRS: 3,180
  • Military strength score: 0.0706 – #3 – out of 145

2. North Korea

Anton Petrus / Moment via Getty Images
  • Self-propelled artillery: 4,500
  • Towed artillery: 4,500
  • Total artillery: 9,000
  • Total military vehicles: 24,696
  • Total tanks: 5,845
  • Total MLRS: 2,920
  • Military strength score: 0.5313 – #36 – out of 145

1. Russia

  • Self-propelled artillery: 6,208
  • Towed artillery: 8,356
  • Total artillery: 14,564
  • Total military vehicles: 161,382
  • Total tanks: 14,777
  • Total MLRS: 3,065
  • Military strength score: 0.0702 – #2 – out of 145

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