As global peace hangs by a thread, the Global Firepower report for 2026, which analyzes more than 60 factors to determine the PowerIndex (PwrIndx) of each country and is presented by Banking News, shows that the world is rearming at a pace reminiscent of the eve of major global conflicts.
Within this framework, according to the report, the United States now feels the hot breath of Russia and China, Iran is transforming into a regional nightmare, and Turkey under Recep Tayyip Erdogan is entering the top ten most powerful armies in the world, directly threatening the balance in the Aegean.
The three superpowers
More specifically, the United States remains in 1st place (PwrIndx: 0.0741), but its dominance is being challenged more than ever before.
Russia, despite sanctions and the war in Ukraine, maintains 2nd place (PwrIndx: 0.0791), proving that its war machine remains unstoppable.
Close behind follows China (3rd place, PwrIndx: 0.0919), which is expanding its naval and air power at an alarming speed.
At the same time, India (4th place, PwrIndx: 0.1346) is consolidating its status as the new giant of Asia, armed to the teeth and ready to claim its share of global hegemony.
In the Middle East, the picture is nightmarish.
Israel is ranked 15th (PwrIndx: 0.2707), remaining a nuclear and technological strike power.
However, right behind it, in 16th place, looms Iran (PwrIndx: 0.3199).
Tehran has managed to develop a military power that frightens the West, creating an axis of threat stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean.
Greek nightmare: Turkey in the top 10
At the same time, the news for Athens is extremely worrying.
Turkey has broken into the top ten and is now ranked 9th globally (PwrIndx: 0.1975).
The neighboring country surpasses forces such as Italy and Germany, confirming that Erdogan’s neo Ottoman ambitions are backed by a powerful war industry.
By contrast, Greece stands at 30th place (PwrIndx: 0.5484).
Despite modernization efforts, the gap with Ankara is widening dangerously.
When your neighbor is among the ten most powerful armies on the planet and you are struggling to hold on to the top thirty, the message is clear: deterrence is being called into question.
The top ten
Ukraine and the case of North Korea
For the second consecutive year, Ukraine ranked only 20th in the global military power ranking, a result that does not represent a record for the country.
Armies such as those of Egypt, Spain, Australia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Indonesia, Germany, and Brazil rank higher.
In 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were in 15th place, however by January of the following year they had fallen by three positions.
For comparison, in 2021, before the outbreak of the Ukrainian conflict, the country’s army ranked 25th.
Analysts highlight as strengths of the Ukrainian Armed Forces their size and combat effectiveness, the presence of military equipment supplied by Western countries, the active use of drones, developed railway networks, strong coal production, and significant funding in the defense sector.
At the same time, the assessment points to weaknesses such as the limited capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy, the small number of aircraft, and dependence on fuel imports.
North Korea, although it remains one of the most mysterious and at the same time dangerous military forces in the world, is absent from the Global Firepower ranking.
Its army possesses one of the largest numbers of military personnel globally and significant stockpiles of conventional and nuclear weapons, which should secure it a place among the strongest armies.
However, GFP completely ignored North Korea, provoking strong reactions from experts.
Military expert Vasily Dandakin stated characteristically: “The North Korean army has proven its capabilities in military operations and possesses nuclear weapons. It is surprising why the country is not included among the strongest armies in the world.”
Despite difficulties in verifying data, analysts emphasize that North Korea combines massive manpower with advanced missile systems, including ballistic, hypersonic, and nuclear weapons.
Military training remains strict and the country systematically invests in technology that enables rapid operations and surprise capabilities.
At the same time, the country maintains high levels of military readiness and centralized control, making its army one of the most disciplined and devoted instruments of political power globally. Experts note that the combined strength of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, both in numbers and nuclear technology, is not reflected in popular rankings, creating an underestimated image that may mislead those assessing the global military balance.
Overall, North Korea constitutes a military paradox: one of the largest and best equipped armies in the world, yet often underestimated or overlooked in international reporting, while in reality possessing the capabilities to cause serious upheaval in East Asia and beyond.
The ranking
This ranking is conducted by Global Firepower (GFP), which has evaluated the combined military power of countries worldwide since 2005. Its founder is considered to be American blogger Daniel Puchek, owner of the Military Factory website.
However, the names of the experts and analysts participating in the ranking are not disclosed, although the ranking is cited annually in the media.
GFP does not fully disclose its methodology, but claims to calculate the so called PowerIndex based on more than 60 indicators.
These include equipment stockpiles, personnel numbers, defense spending, industrial production capacity, logistics capabilities, and geographic factors.
The presence or absence of nuclear weapons is not taken into account.
The ranking often faces criticism for lack of transparency and scientific rigor.
Alexei Zhuravlev, First Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Russian State Duma, told Gazeta.Ru that GFP “sounds impressive in name only, but in reality it is a list invented by the American blogger Puchek and changes very little from year to year.”
He noted that military experts cannot determine the evaluation criteria and that the United States frequently appears at the top of the ranking.
Zhuravlev added that, in his opinion, the Russian army is superior in equipment and combat experience.
Military correspondent Alexander Kots pointed out that Puchek is not a defense expert.
Despite the criticism, Yevgeny Mikhaylov, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies of the South Caucasus, told Rossiya 24 that the top three positions of the ranking “generally correspond to reality,” although he himself would place the Russian army in first place.
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