What are the top 10 armies in the world?

It's always fun to sit down and play war to see which country could beat which, and it's even better when you have hard facts to back up your decisions.

Below is a ranking of the ten most powerful armies in the world , according to different sources. We've dropped naval comparisons, as they track naval power by number of ships, making a patrol boat equal to a supercarrier.

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Ranking of world military powers

1. United States

It's not really a surprise. The United States spends $577 billion a year, almost four times more than China's $145 billion defense budget.

The United States lags behind India and China in manpower, but it makes up for it with vastly superior air power and a larger fleet of aircraft carriers than any other country.

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2. Russia

America's Cold War rival is as formidable as ever. Its high rank is strongly fueled by the superiority of its armour. Russia also has a large navy and is the largest oil producer in the world.

Russia is fourth in military numbers, but its numbers are swelled by short-term conscripts. Although not calculated by the GFP, Russian special operations forces and propaganda weapons have proven themselves in Ukraine where Russia is a major destabilizing force.

3. China

China has the second-largest military budget, third-largest aircraft fleet, second-largest tank force and largest military personnel in the world.

Chinese special forces also took three of the top four spots at the 2014 Warrior Games in Jordan. Although China technically has a draft, it is rarely used.

4. India

India's ranking is largely due to its large workforce and large number of service members. It also has a large fleet of planes and tanks as well as a respectable navy.

However, it suffers from high oil consumption compared to very low production. Interestingly, the Indian Border Force is the only modern military force that maintains a camel mounted regiment.

5. The United Kingdom

Despite a reduced tank force, a low number of aircraft and a small military manpower, the United Kingdom remains in the top 5 with the fifth largest navy in the world and the fifth largest military budget.

The British army is also helped by geography, as it is difficult for an invading force to attack an island.

6. France

France does not display the most impressive number of ships, planes and tanks, but the equipment it has is modern and very efficient. Mirage and Rafale aircraft, Tiger helicopters, LeClerc battle tanks and the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States are the main engines of the French army.

France also manufactures much of its own military supplies, which means it has the ability to create more equipment in a protracted war.

7. South Korea

Although South Korea has the sixth largest army by population, the sixth largest aircraft fleet in the world and the eighth largest navy, it has a relatively modest budget and an armored corps.

Its biggest threat is North Korea which, despite having the largest navy in number of ships, is weak due to outdated equipment and under-trained personnel.

8. Germany

Germany scored high in the "overall firepower" category and high in the "national interest" category thanks to a strong economy, military spending, and good training. However, news out of Germany suggests its position may be weaker than it looks on paper.

It consumes far more oil than it produces, and imports come from Russia, its most likely adversary. Germany's ability to cope with an oil shortage is also diminishing as it moves away from coal and nuclear power. Additionally, she faces a major problem with her standard rifle.

9. Japan

Japan would rank higher if its people had a greater thirst for war. It is the sixth largest military spender, it has the fifth air fleet and the fourth navy. Yet engagement on neutral ground, if any, drags it down and its constitution limits the military's ability to project force around the world.

10. Türkiye

The expansion of the military industry bodes well for the Turkish military. It has a large military population and tank force. She is in the process of modernizing her navy. Turkish war preparations become more urgent as ISIS lies at its doorstep.