The Spanish Army is getting an upgrade — in relation to its tank arsenal, that is. During the recent IAV2025 Conference, military representatives shared that the Army would be replacing its 80 unit Leopard 2A4 tank fleet with Leopard 2A8 tanks, a more modernized and advanced version. The Leopard 2A8 tanks are powered by a 1,500 horsepower engine and can reach speeds up to 40 mph. Additionally, these tanks come with updates like a laser warning system and improved propulsion systems for greater mobility. This decision to upgrade the tank fleet highlights Spain’s desire to become a stronger player on the national stage, as well as protect itself from growing rates of global conflict. Should the third World War be on the horizon, as some international leaders have been suggesting, these tanks would provide combat and defense support. (This military has more tanks than other armies have troops.)
But Spain certainly isn’t alone in this initiative. Other countries, especially those looking to assert themselves as a more dominant power, have also been strengthening their fleets. To identify the “Powers on the Rise” countries with the most tanks, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of tanks in their arsenal. We included supplemental information regarding the total military vehicles, artillery and MLRS units, as well as each country’s overall military strength score. We specifically reviewed countries that are considered “Powers on the Rise” meaning these are the countries that have gained the most military strength in the last year.
Why Cover Tank Armies?
Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances which have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia have easily established themselves as the most influential global powers, a number of emerging military powers with their own spheres of influence are giving shape to geopolitical relations in their own unique way.
Can you guess which up-and-coming world powers have the largest tank armies?:
28. Paraguay
- Total number of tanks: 10
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 28
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 1,936
- Active duty military personnel: 15,650
- Military strength score: 1.7053 – #85 out of 145
27. Portugal
.jpg "Portugal tank by Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum")
- Total number of tanks: 34
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 106
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 11,173
- Active duty military personnel: 24,000
- Military strength score: 0.5609 – #38 out of 145
26. Denmark
- Total number of tanks: 44
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 19
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 4,056
- Active duty military personnel: 20,000
- Military strength score: 0.7743 – #48 out of 145
25. Austria
.jpg "Austria Tanks by 7th Army Training Command")
- Total number of tanks: 58
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 53
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 848
- Active duty military personnel: 16,000
- Military strength score: 1.2351 – #71 out of 145
24. Czechia
- Total number of tanks: 65
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 53
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 6,757
- Active duty military personnel: 28,000
- Military strength score: 0.7706 – #46 out of 145
23. Croatia
- Total number of tanks: 75
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 181
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 105
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 3,076
- Active duty military personnel: 14,325
- Military strength score: 1.1333 – #66 out of 145
22. Qatar
- Total number of tanks: 99
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 58
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 16
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 5,544
- Active duty military personnel: 66,550
- Military strength score: 1.0789 – #63 out of 145
21. Sweden
- Total number of tanks: 120
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 26
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 7,958
- Active duty military personnel: 24,400
- Military strength score: 0.4009 – #29 out of 145
20. Switzerland
_Birmenstorf,_Switzerland_(Ank_Kumar,_Infosys_Limited)_04.jpg "Switzerland tank by Ank Kumar")
- Total number of tanks: 134
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 133
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 4,304
- Active duty military personnel: 101,584
- Military strength score: 0.6097 – #43 out of 145
19. Finland
- Total number of tanks: 200
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 792
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 76
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 11,716
- Active duty military personnel: 24,000
- Military strength score: 0.7967 – #50 out of 145
18. Georgia
- Total number of tanks: 235
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 267
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 82
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 5,256
- Active duty military personnel: 55,000
- Military strength score: 1.6969 – #84 out of 145
17. Serbia
- Total number of tanks: 262
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 162
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 82
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 3,954
- Active duty military personnel: 25,000
- Military strength score: 0.9038 – #56 out of 145
16. Germany
- Total number of tanks: 295
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 134
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 33
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 79,317
- Active duty military personnel: 181,600
- Military strength score: 0.2847 – #19 out of 145
15. Kazakhstan
- Total number of tanks: 300
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 696
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 407
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 6,012
- Active duty military personnel: 110,000
- Military strength score: 0.9495 – #58 out of 145
14. Libya
- Total number of tanks: 300
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 75
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 55
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 2,890
- Active duty military personnel: 32,000
- Military strength score: 1.4449 – #79 out of 145
13. Bangladesh
- Total number of tanks: 320
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 464
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 71
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 13,100
- Active duty military personnel: 163,000
- Military strength score: 0.5419 – #37 out of 145
12. Spain
- Total number of tanks: 327
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 236
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 0
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 15,046
- Active duty military personnel: 133,282
- Military strength score: 0.2882 – #20 out of 145
11. United Arab Emirates
- Total number of tanks: 354
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 282
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 162
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 12,253
- Active duty military personnel: 65,000
- Military strength score: 0.8083 – #51 out of 145
10. Kuwait
- Total number of tanks: 367
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 74
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 27
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 4,409
- Active duty military personnel: 72,000
- Military strength score: 1.4261 – #77 out of 145
9. Japan
- Total number of tanks: 518
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 653
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 54
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 37,662
- Active duty military personnel: 247,150
- Military strength score: 0.1601 – #7 out of 145
8. Poland
- Total number of tanks: 612
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 525
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 211
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 13,956
- Active duty military personnel: 202,100
- Military strength score: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145
7. Myanmar
- Total number of tanks: 705
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 2,083
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 586
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 8,139
- Active duty military personnel: 150,000
- Military strength score: 0.5251 – #35 out of 145
6. Jordan
- Total number of tanks: 1,365
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 283
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 88
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 24,148
- Active duty military personnel: 100,500
- Military strength score: 1.4651 – #80 out of 145
5. Israel
- Total number of tanks: 1,370
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 950
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 150
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 43,407
- Active duty military personnel: 170,000
- Military strength score: 0.2596 – #17 out of 145
4. Iran
- Total number of tanks: 1,996
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 2,630
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 775
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 65,765
- Active duty military personnel: 610,000
- Military strength score: 0.2269 – #14 out of 145
3. Turkey
- Total number of tanks: 2,231
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 2,785
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 286
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 55,104
- Active duty military personnel: 355,200
- Military strength score: 0.1697 – #8 out of 145
2. South Korea
- Total number of tanks: 2,501
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 8,052
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 581
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 66,492
- Active duty military personnel: 600,000
- Military strength score: 0.1416 – #5 out of 145
1. Syria
![Morocco+vehicles | 4th Tank Battalion trains with Moroccan counterparts during African Lion 2011 [Image 1 of 8]](https://a673b.bigscoots-temp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/imageForEntry36-oZL.jpg)
- Total number of tanks: 2,720
- Total count of artillery (self propelled and towed): 2,695
- Total inventory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): 614
- Total military vehicles currently in active service: 14,550
- Active duty military personnel: 170,000
- Military strength score: 1.0026 – #60 out of 145
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