America is known for its strong military, while many of the world’s other powerful militaries exist in European countries. Some of the countries that top this list of European superpowers include Germany, France, and the U.K. Each of these nations feature their own versions of advanced weaponry, high-end technology, and major defense spending.
Germany has increased its defense budget in an effort to modernize its overall military force, while its neighbor France maintains a strategic geographic position and is superior for its access to nuclear weapons. Luckily for America and other NATO members, these incredibly strong countries are allies, ready to use their strength to back the U.S. if needed.
One country striving to rise in the ranks of European powers is Poland, a nation which has raised its defense budget in recent years. This increased spending is said to be ear-marked for equipment and vehicles.
Here 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look into the military powers in Europe. To determine the countries with the strongest military might in Europe, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 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 included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well.
Why Are We Covering This?
The military might of most European countries comes from their historical involvement in World War II. This would ultimately shape how Europe looks today and much of the geopolitical relationships within the region. Each of these nations has its own strengths and weaknesses, most of these arising from geography, national industry, and military alliances.
Here is a look at the European countries with the strongest militaries:
38. Moldova
- Military strength score: 4.2311
- Active military personnel: 8,500
- Total military aircraft: 3
- Total military vehicles: 450
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
37. Iceland
- Military strength score: 3.5038
- Active military personnel: 0
- Total military aircraft: 0
- Total military vehicles: 175
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
36. Kosovo
- Military strength score: 3.4115
- Active military personnel: 10,000
- Total military aircraft: 0
- Total military vehicles: 922
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
35. Montenegro
- Military strength score: 2.9109
- Active military personnel: 2,350
- Total military aircraft: 11
- Total military vehicles: 662
- Total navy ships and submarines: 13
34. Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Military strength score: 2.3996
- Active military personnel: 12,770
- Total military aircraft: 24
- Total military vehicles: 450
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
33. North Macedonia
- Military strength score: 2.1717
- Active military personnel: 9,000
- Total military aircraft: 20
- Total military vehicles: 2,156
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
32. Luxembourg
- Military strength score: 2.1458
- Active military personnel: 1,000
- Total military aircraft: 1
- Total military vehicles: 180
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
31. Latvia
- Military strength score: 1.9911
- Active military personnel: 17,250
- Total military aircraft: 7
- Total military vehicles: 1,544
- Total navy ships and submarines: 18
30. Ireland
- Military strength score: 1.8779
- Active military personnel: 7,765
- Total military aircraft: 25
- Total military vehicles: 1,064
- Total navy ships and submarines: 6
29. Slovenia
- Military strength score: 1.8286
- Active military personnel: 7,300
- Total military aircraft: 38
- Total military vehicles: 1,502
- Total navy ships and submarines: 2
28. Albania
- Military strength score: 1.8188
- Active military personnel: 6,600
- Total military aircraft: 19
- Total military vehicles: 976
- Total navy ships and submarines: 19
27. Lithuania
- Military strength score: 1.7395
- Active military personnel: 23,000
- Total military aircraft: 9
- Total military vehicles: 1,356
- Total navy ships and submarines: 11
26. Estonia
- Military strength score: 1.7237
- Active military personnel: 7,700
- Total military aircraft: 7
- Total military vehicles: 1,409
- Total navy ships and submarines: 10
25. Austria
- Military strength score: 1.2351
- Active military personnel: 16,000
- Total military aircraft: 104
- Total military vehicles: 848
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
24. Belgium
- Military strength score: 1.2064
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Total military aircraft: 110
- Total military vehicles: 4,606
- Total navy ships and submarines: 9
23. Slovakia
- Military strength score: 1.1891
- Active military personnel: 19,500
- Total military aircraft: 37
- Total military vehicles: 2,048
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
22. Croatia
- Military strength score: 1.1333
- Active military personnel: 14,325
- Total military aircraft: 81
- Total military vehicles: 3,076
- Total navy ships and submarines: 32
21. Belarus
- Military strength score: 1.0901
- Active military personnel: 63,000
- Total military aircraft: 183
- Total military vehicles: 6,700
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
20. Bulgaria
- Military strength score: 1.0132
- Active military personnel: 37,000
- Total military aircraft: 65
- Total military vehicles: 7,420
- Total navy ships and submarines: 40
19. Serbia
- Military strength score: 0.9038
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Total military aircraft: 112
- Total military vehicles: 3,954
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
18. Hungary
- Military strength score: 0.8478
- Active military personnel: 41,600
- Total military aircraft: 62
- Total military vehicles: 7,797
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
17. Finland
- Military strength score: 0.7967
- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Total military aircraft: 164
- Total military vehicles: 11,716
- Total navy ships and submarines: 246
16. Denmark
- Military strength score: 0.7743
- Active military personnel: 20,000
- Total military aircraft: 119
- Total military vehicles: 4,056
- Total navy ships and submarines: 91
15. Romania
- Military strength score: 0.7712
- Active military personnel: 81,300
- Total military aircraft: 131
- Total military vehicles: 9,990
- Total navy ships and submarines: 20
14. Czechia
- Military strength score: 0.7706
- Active military personnel: 28,000
- Total military aircraft: 88
- Total military vehicles: 6,757
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
13. Switzerland
- Military strength score: 0.6097
- Active military personnel: 101,584
- Total military aircraft: 147
- Total military vehicles: 4,304
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
12. Norway
- Military strength score: 0.5664
- Active military personnel: 23,250
- Total military aircraft: 102
- Total military vehicles: 7,048
- Total navy ships and submarines: 25
11. Netherlands
- Military strength score: 0.5644
- Active military personnel: 41,380
- Total military aircraft: 143
- Total military vehicles: 3,176
- Total navy ships and submarines: 112
10. Portugal
- Military strength score: 0.5609
- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Total military aircraft: 117
- Total military vehicles: 11,173
- Total navy ships and submarines: 113
9. Greece
- Military strength score: 0.4349
- Active military personnel: 142,700
- Total military aircraft: 632
- Total military vehicles: 57,030
- Total navy ships and submarines: 187
8. Sweden
- Military strength score: 0.4009
- Active military personnel: 24,400
- Total military aircraft: 212
- Total military vehicles: 7,958
- Total navy ships and submarines: 353
7. Poland
- Military strength score: 0.2917
- Active military personnel: 202,100
- Total military aircraft: 468
- Total military vehicles: 13,956
- Total navy ships and submarines: 45
6. Spain
- Military strength score: 0.2882
- Active military personnel: 133,282
- Total military aircraft: 513
- Total military vehicles: 15,046
- Total navy ships and submarines: 168
5. Germany
- Military strength score: 0.2847
- Active military personnel: 181,600
- Total military aircraft: 618
- Total military vehicles: 79,317
- Total navy ships and submarines: 64
4. Ukraine
- Military strength score: 0.2598
- Active military personnel: 900,000
- Total military aircraft: 321
- Total military vehicles: 22,110
- Total navy ships and submarines: 104
3. France
- Military strength score: 0.1878
- Active military personnel: 200,000
- Total military aircraft: 972
- Total military vehicles: 85,023
- Total navy ships and submarines: 128
2. Italy
- Military strength score: 0.1863
- Active military personnel: 165,500
- Total military aircraft: 800
- Total military vehicles: 61,892
- Total navy ships and submarines: 309
1. United Kingdom
- Military strength score: 0.1443
- Active military personnel: 184,860
- Total military aircraft: 664
- Total military vehicles: 27,203
- Total navy ships and submarines: 117
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