The Gap Between US And Chinese Military Power Is Smaller Than You Think

24/7 Insights

• A war between the United States and China keeps the world up at night. 
• The two countries are currently fighting over global financial dominance. 
• China has sights beyond its regional superiority and wants to rival the US. 
• Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA” 

While the world is full of regional conflicts that always seem one wrong move away from war, the real global concern is a shooting war between the United States and China. The United States might be the most dominant nation in the world, with massive financial and military strength, but it has seen its lead slip away as China catches up. 

As a regional power in Asia, China’s dominance is assured, but the world’s most populous nation desires global growth. With both nations continuing to take a stance in other arenas, like Russia and Ukraine or China’s close alliance with North Korea, the United States grows increasingly concerned about China’s activities. 

For this reason, we hope cooler heads continue to prevail, but if a shooting war breaks out between these two nations, Globalfirepower.com explains how it all might work. Of all the wars in which the United States could find itself, China offers the biggest threat with its numerical advantages. 

30. Global Firepower Power Index

• China: 0.2269 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 0.0699 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 2 spots (in favor of the U.S.) 

29. Mine Warfare Ships

• China: 36 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 8 (ranked #15 in the world)
• Difference: 28 (in favor of China) 

28. Special Mission Aircraft

• China: 112 (ranked #4 in the world)
• United States: 695 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 583 (in favor of the U.S.) 

27. Dedicated Attack Aircraft

• China: 371 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 896 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 525 (in favor of the U.S.) 

26. Aerial Tankers

• China: 10 (ranked #7 in the world)
• United States: 606 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 596 (in favor of the U.S.) 

25. Transport Aircraft

• China: 289 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 957 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 668 (in favor of the U.S.) 

24. Towed Artillery

• China: 1,434 (ranked #13 in the world)
• United States: 1,267 (ranked #14 in the world)
• Difference: 167 (in favor of China) 

23. Self-Propelled Artillery

• China: 3,850 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 1,595 (ranked #5 in the world)
• Difference: 2 spots (in favor of China) 

22. Helicopter Carriers

• China: 3 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 9 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 6 (in favor of the U.S.) 

21. Corvettes 

• China: 75 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 23 (ranked #4 in the world)
• Difference: 49 (in favor of China.) 

20. Frigates

• China: 42 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 0 (ranked #145 in the world)
• Difference: 42 (in favor of the U.S.) 

19. Patrol Vessels

• China: 150 (ranked #5 in the world)
• United States: 5 (ranked #56 in the world)
• Difference: 145 (in favor of the U.S.) 

18. Mobile Rocket Projectors 

• China: 3,180 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 694 (ranked #7 in the world)
• Difference: 2,486 (in favor of China) 

17. Armored Vehicles

• China: 174,300 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 360,069 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 185,769 (in favor of the U.S.) 

16. Fighter Aircraft

• China: 1,207 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 1,854 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 647 (in favor of the U.S.) 

15. Attack Helicopters

• China: 281 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 1,000 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 719 (in favor of the U.S.) 

14. Destroyers

• China: 49 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 75 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 26 (in favor of the U.S.) 

13. Submarines

• China: 61 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 64 (ranked #2 in the world)
• Difference: 3 (in favor of the U.S.) 

12. Aircraft Carriers

• China: 2 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: 11 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 9 (in favor of the U.S.) 

11. Fleet Strength

• China: 730 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 472 (ranked #4 in the world)
• Difference: 258 (in favor of the U.S.) 

10. Tank Strength

• China: 5000 (ranked #4 in the world)
• United States: 4,657 (ranked #5 in the world)
• Difference: 343 (in favor of China) 

9. Helicopters

• China: 913 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 5,737 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 4,824 (in favor of the U.S.) 

8. Total Aircraft

• China: 3,304 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 13,209 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 9,905 (in favor of the U.S.) 

7. Defense Budget

• China: $227,000,000,000 (ranked #2 in the world)
• United States: $831,781,000,000 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: $604,781,000,000 (in favor of the U.S.) 

6. Paramilitary Forces

• China: 625,000 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 0 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 625,000 (in favor of China) 

5. Reaching Military Age Annually

• China: 19,784,000 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 4,415,647 (ranked #5 in the world)
• Difference: 15,368,353 (in favor of the U.S.) 

4. Fit-For-Service

• China: 626,022,281 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 123,977,768 (ranked #3 in the world)
• Difference: 502,044,513 (in favor of China) 

3. Available Manpower

• China: 763,097,137 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 149,452,652 (ranked #3 in the world)
• Difference: 613,644,485 (in favor of the U.S.) 

2. Reserve Military Personnel

• China: 510,000 (ranked #3 in the world)
• United States: 799,500 (ranked #1 in the world)
• Difference: 289,500 (in favor of the U.S.) 

1. Active Military Personnel

• China: 2,035,000 (ranked #1 in the world)
• United States: 1,328,000 (ranked #3 in the world)
• Difference: 2 spots (in favor of China)