Long before the United States emerged as a global superpower, Europe had already been setting the stage for Western Civilization. For centuries, the continent has been a cradle of innovation, culture, and conflict. While the United Kingdom remains a powerful force with its cutting-edge technology, it’s just one nation in the continent’s complex network of military power. (These are NATO’s members, ranked by military power.)
To determine the countries with the strongest military might in Europe, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. We also included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power. It is important to note that we have excluded Russia from this list.
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the military dynamics in Europe is important considering the continent’s deeply rooted geopolitical challenges going forward. Historically, Europe has been marked by wars, shifting alliances, and territorial disputes, and yet it still remains a key player on the global stage. At the same time, alliances like the EU or NATO are some of the most powerful in terms of their influence on the world. Whether it is a question of NATO’s expansion or Russia’s campaign in Eastern Europe, these military forces tilt the region’s balance of power.
These are the strongest militaries in Europe:
38. Moldova
- Total population: 3.3 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.6 million
- Active military personnel: 8,500
- Reserve military personnel: 67,000
- Total military aircraft: 3
- Total helicopters: 2
- Total military vehicles: 450
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 4.2311 (#144 out of 145)
37. Iceland
- Total population: 360,872
- Total fit for military service: 49,800
- Active military personnel: 0
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 0
- Total military vehicles: 175
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 3.5038 (#136 out of 145)
36. Kosovo
- Total population: 2.0 million
- Total fit for military service: 738,000
- Active military personnel: 10,000
- Reserve military personnel: 5,000
- Total military aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 0
- Total military vehicles: 922
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 3.4115 (#135 out of 145)
35. Montenegro
- Total population: 602,445
- Total fit for military service: 85,547
- Active military personnel: 2,350
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 11
- Total helicopters: 11
- Total military vehicles: 662
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 13
- Military strength score and world rank: 2.9109 (#129 out of 145)
34. Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Total population: 3.8 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.0 million
- Active military personnel: 12,770
- Reserve military personnel: 6,000
- Total military aircraft: 24
- Total helicopters: 24
- Total military vehicles: 450
- Total tanks: 91
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 2.3996 (#116 out of 145)
33. North Macedonia
- Total population: 2.1 million
- Total fit for military service: 782,000
- Active military personnel: 9,000
- Reserve military personnel: 60,000
- Total military aircraft: 20
- Total helicopters: 10
- Total military vehicles: 2,156
- Total tanks: 23
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 2.1717 (#110 out of 145)
32. Luxembourg
- Total population: 660,924
- Total fit for military service: 91,208
- Active military personnel: 1,000
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 1
- Total helicopters: 0
- Total military vehicles: 180
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 2.1458 (#109 out of 145)
31. Latvia
- Total population: 1.8 million
- Total fit for military service: 655,000
- Active military personnel: 17,250
- Reserve military personnel: 36,000
- Total military aircraft: 7
- Total helicopters: 7
- Total military vehicles: 1,544
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 18
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.9911 (#99 out of 145)
30. Ireland
- Total population: 5.3 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.0 million
- Active military personnel: 7,765
- Reserve military personnel: 1,700
- Total military aircraft: 25
- Total helicopters: 8
- Total military vehicles: 1,064
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 6
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.8779 (#94 out of 145)
29. Slovenia
- Total population: 2.1 million
- Total fit for military service: 827,000
- Active military personnel: 7,300
- Reserve military personnel: 26,000
- Total military aircraft: 38
- Total helicopters: 12
- Total military vehicles: 1,502
- Total tanks: 55
- Total navy ships and submarines: 2
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.8286 (#91 out of 145)
28. Albania
- Total population: 3.1 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.3 million
- Active military personnel: 6,600
- Reserve military personnel: 2,000
- Total military aircraft: 19
- Total helicopters: 19
- Total military vehicles: 976
- Total tanks: 40
- Total navy ships and submarines: 19
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.8188 (#90 out of 145)
27. Lithuania
- Total population: 2.7 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.3 million
- Active military personnel: 23,000
- Reserve military personnel: 104,000
- Total military aircraft: 9
- Total helicopters: 4
- Total military vehicles: 1,356
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 11
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.7395 (#88 out of 145)
26. Estonia
- Total population: 1.2 million
- Total fit for military service: 459,000
- Active military personnel: 7,700
- Reserve military personnel: 78,800
- Total military aircraft: 7
- Total helicopters: 3
- Total military vehicles: 1,409
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 10
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.7237 (#87 out of 145)
25. Austria
- Total population: 8.9 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.6 million
- Active military personnel: 16,000
- Reserve military personnel: 125,600
- Total military aircraft: 104
- Total helicopters: 66
- Total military vehicles: 848
- Total tanks: 58
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.2351 (#71 out of 145)
24. Belgium
- Total population: 11.9 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.9 million
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Reserve military personnel: 6,400
- Total military aircraft: 110
- Total helicopters: 20
- Total military vehicles: 4,606
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 9
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.2064 (#70 out of 145)
23. Slovakia
- Total population: 5.4 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.3 million
- Active military personnel: 19,500
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 37
- Total helicopters: 22
- Total military vehicles: 2,048
- Total tanks: 36
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1891 (#69 out of 145)
22. Croatia
- Total population: 4.2 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.6 million
- Active military personnel: 14,325
- Reserve military personnel: 20,100
- Total military aircraft: 81
- Total helicopters: 52
- Total military vehicles: 3,076
- Total tanks: 75
- Total navy ships and submarines: 32
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1333 (#66 out of 145)
21. Belarus
- Total population: 9.4 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.7 million
- Active military personnel: 63,000
- Reserve military personnel: 145,000
- Total military aircraft: 183
- Total helicopters: 64
- Total military vehicles: 6,700
- Total tanks: 517
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0901 (#64 out of 145)
20. Bulgaria
- Total population: 6.8 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.6 million
- Active military personnel: 37,000
- Reserve military personnel: 3,000
- Total military aircraft: 65
- Total helicopters: 27
- Total military vehicles: 7,420
- Total tanks: 215
- Total navy ships and submarines: 40
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0132 (#62 out of 145)
19. Serbia
- Total population: 6.7 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.6 million
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Reserve military personnel: 2,000
- Total military aircraft: 112
- Total helicopters: 44
- Total military vehicles: 3,954
- Total tanks: 262
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.9038 (#56 out of 145)
18. Hungary
- Total population: 9.7 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.7 million
- Active military personnel: 41,600
- Reserve military personnel: 20,000
- Total military aircraft: 62
- Total helicopters: 38
- Total military vehicles: 7,797
- Total tanks: 208
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.8478 (#54 out of 145)
17. Finland
- Total population: 5.6 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.9 million
- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Reserve military personnel: 870,000
- Total military aircraft: 164
- Total helicopters: 27
- Total military vehicles: 11,716
- Total tanks: 200
- Total navy ships and submarines: 246
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7967 (#50 out of 145)
16. Denmark
- Total population: 5.9 million
- Total fit for military service: 2.1 million
- Active military personnel: 20,000
- Reserve military personnel: 12,000
- Total military aircraft: 119
- Total helicopters: 34
- Total military vehicles: 4,056
- Total tanks: 44
- Total navy ships and submarines: 91
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7743 (#48 out of 145)
15. Romania
- Total population: 18.3 million
- Total fit for military service: 7.8 million
- Active military personnel: 81,300
- Reserve military personnel: 55,000
- Total military aircraft: 131
- Total helicopters: 67
- Total military vehicles: 9,990
- Total tanks: 345
- Total navy ships and submarines: 20
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7712 (#47 out of 145)
14. Czechia
- Total population: 10.7 million
- Total fit for military service: 4.1 million
- Active military personnel: 28,000
- Reserve military personnel: 4,200
- Total military aircraft: 88
- Total helicopters: 33
- Total military vehicles: 6,757
- Total tanks: 65
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7706 (#46 out of 145)
13. Switzerland
- Total population: 8.6 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.1 million
- Active military personnel: 101,584
- Reserve military personnel: 49,715
- Total military aircraft: 147
- Total helicopters: 41
- Total military vehicles: 4,304
- Total tanks: 134
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.6097 (#43 out of 145)
12. Norway
- Total population: 5.6 million
- Total fit for military service: 1.8 million
- Active military personnel: 23,250
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 102
- Total helicopters: 37
- Total military vehicles: 7,048
- Total tanks: 36
- Total navy ships and submarines: 25
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5664 (#41 out of 145)
11. Netherlands
- Total population: 17.5 million
- Total fit for military service: 6.4 million
- Active military personnel: 41,380
- Reserve military personnel: 6,765
- Total military aircraft: 143
- Total helicopters: 66
- Total military vehicles: 3,176
- Total tanks: 18
- Total navy ships and submarines: 112
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5644 (#40 out of 145)
10. Portugal
- Total population: 10.5 million
- Total fit for military service: 4.0 million
- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Reserve military personnel: 211,700
- Total military aircraft: 117
- Total helicopters: 38
- Total military vehicles: 11,173
- Total tanks: 34
- Total navy ships and submarines: 113
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5609 (#38 out of 145)
9. Greece
- Total population: 10.5 million
- Total fit for military service: 4.0 million
- Active military personnel: 142,700
- Reserve military personnel: 221,350
- Total military aircraft: 632
- Total helicopters: 289
- Total military vehicles: 57,030
- Total tanks: 1,365
- Total navy ships and submarines: 187
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.4349 (#32 out of 145)
8. Sweden
- Total population: 10.5 million
- Total fit for military service: 3.5 million
- Active military personnel: 24,400
- Reserve military personnel: 32,900
- Total military aircraft: 212
- Total helicopters: 53
- Total military vehicles: 7,958
- Total tanks: 120
- Total navy ships and submarines: 353
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.4009 (#29 out of 145)
7. Poland
- Total population: 38.0 million
- Total fit for military service: 15.3 million
- Active military personnel: 202,100
- Reserve military personnel: 350,000
- Total military aircraft: 468
- Total helicopters: 215
- Total military vehicles: 13,956
- Total tanks: 612
- Total navy ships and submarines: 45
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 (#21 out of 145)
6. Spain
- Total population: 47.2 million
- Total fit for military service: 17.6 million
- Active military personnel: 133,282
- Reserve military personnel: 15,150
- Total military aircraft: 513
- Total helicopters: 121
- Total military vehicles: 15,046
- Total tanks: 327
- Total navy ships and submarines: 168
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2882 (#20 out of 145)
5. Germany
- Total population: 84.2 million
- Total fit for military service: 31.0 million
- Active military personnel: 181,600
- Reserve military personnel: 34,000
- Total military aircraft: 618
- Total helicopters: 318
- Total military vehicles: 79,317
- Total tanks: 295
- Total navy ships and submarines: 64
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2847 (#19 out of 145)
4. Ukraine
- Total population: 43.3 million
- Total fit for military service: 15.5 million
- Active military personnel: 900,000
- Reserve military personnel: 1,200,000
- Total military aircraft: 321
- Total helicopters: 130
- Total military vehicles: 22,110
- Total tanks: 1,777
- Total navy ships and submarines: 104
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2598 (#18 out of 145)
3. France
- Total population: 68.5 million
- Total fit for military service: 23.8 million
- Active military personnel: 200,000
- Reserve military personnel: 26,000
- Total military aircraft: 972
- Total helicopters: 447
- Total military vehicles: 85,023
- Total tanks: 222
- Total navy ships and submarines: 128
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1878 – #11 out of 145
2. Italy
- Total population: 61.0 million
- Total fit for military service: 22.2 million
- Active military personnel: 165,500
- Reserve military personnel: 18,500
- Total military aircraft: 800
- Total helicopters: 402
- Total military vehicles: 61,892
- Total tanks: 200
- Total navy ships and submarines: 309
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1863 (#10 out of 145)
1. United Kingdom
- Total population: 68.1 million
- Total fit for military service: 25.1 million
- Active military personnel: 184,860
- Reserve military personnel: 924,000
- Total military aircraft: 664
- Total helicopters: 276
- Total military vehicles: 27,203
- Total tanks: 213
- Total navy ships and submarines: 117
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1443 (#6 out of 145)
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