The current top 20 militaries have been released and have been ranked according to six variables that are assigned weighted values before tabulating a final score. Credit Suisse acknowledged the difficulties of determining comparative military strength in its report.

Not surprisingly, the USA has ranked top of the list, while Canada surprisingly made the list but landed at the bottom at number 20. And, the only African country to make the list? Egypt.

The factors under consideration for military strength and their total weights are: number of active personnel (5% of total score), tanks (10%), attack helicopters (15%), aircraft (20%), aircraft carriers (25%), and submarines (25%).

The ranks, however, are based purely on qualitative scores and do not take into account the actual quality of arms and levels of expertise and training each military has.

1) United States

• Spends more money on defence than the next nine countries combined.
• Has by far the most aircraft of any country.
• Has cutting-edge technology like the Navy’s new rail gun.
• Has a large and well-trained human force.
• The world’s largest nuclear arsenal.

Budget: $601 billion
Active frontline personnel: 1,400,000
Tanks: 8,848
Total aircraft: 13,892
Submarines: 72

2) Russia

• Has the world’s largest tank fleet.
• Has the second largest aircraft fleet.
• Has the third largest submarine fleet.

Budget: $84.5 billion
Active frontline personnel: 766,055
Tanks: 15,398
Total aircraft: 3,429
Submarines: 55

3) China

• Has the largest military in the world.
• Has the second largest tank fleet.
• Has second largest submarine fleet.
• Has developed a range of potentially game-changing military technologies including ballistic missiles and fifth-generation aircraft.

Budget: $216 billion
Active frontline personnel: 2,333,000
Tanks: 9,150
Total aircraft: 2,860
Submarines: 67

4) Japan

• Is relatively small, but extremely well equipped.
• Has the fourth largest submarine fleet.
• Has four aircraft carriers, although these vessels are only equipped with helicopter fleets.
• Fourth largest attack helicopter fleet.

Budget: $41.6 billion
Active frontline personnel: 247,173
Tanks: 678
Total aircraft: 1,613
Submarines: 16

5) India

• Has the most active manpower of any country aside from China and the US.
• Has the most tanks and aircraft of any country besides the US, China, or Russia.
• Has access to nuclear weapons.
• Expected to become the fourth highest military spender on earth by 2020.

Budget: $50 billion
Active frontline personnel: 1,325,000
Tanks: 6,464
Total aircraft: 1,905
Submarines: 15

[source: businessinsider]