Ukraine Outguns Europe With 279 Multiple Rocket Launchers

By Chris Lange Published Sep 5, 11:00AM EDT

Key Points

Ukraine has nearly 300 multiple launch rocket systems in its arsenal, much more than most other European powers
This number stands above other major regional powers, including Poland and Greece, and far exceeds the inventories of all Western European states
This stockpile of rocket artillery highlights Ukraine’s current disposition locked in a conflict with Russia

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Ukraine Outguns Europe With 279 Multiple Rocket Launchers — © Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

When it comes to artillery dominance in Europe, Ukraine holds a clear advantage with nearly 300 multiple launch rocket systems in its arsenal. This number stands above other major regional powers, including Poland and Greece, and far exceeds the inventories of all Western European states. The bevy of rocket artillery highlights Ukraine’s current disposition, locked in a conflict with Russia. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is not just looking at Ukraine but the rest of Europe and how these countries’ MLRS arsenals match up.

To identify the European countries with the most MLRS units in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 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 MLRS in their arsenal. We included supplemental information regarding the total military vehicles, artillery and tanks, as well as each country’s overall military strength score and defense budget. Countries without MLRS units were excluded.

Here is a look at the countries with the largest MLRS armies in Europe:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the military dynamics in Europe is important considering the continent’s deeply rooted geopolitical challenges going forward. Historically, Europe has been marked by wars, shifting alliances, and territorial disputes, and yet it still remains a key player on the global stage. At the same time, alliances like the EU or NATO are some of the most powerful in terms of their influence on the world. Whether it is a question of NATO’s expansion or Russia’s campaign in Eastern Europe, these military forces tilt the region’s balance of power.

22. Netherlands

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 2
Total tanks: 18
Total artillery: 46
Total military vehicles: 2,755
Military defense budget: $27,000,000,000 – #18 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.6412 – #36 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, the Netherlands has 120 military aircraft (including 32 fighter aircraft and 63 helicopters). The Netherlands has 41,380 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 17.77 million.

21. Denmark

Denmark flag with big folds waving close up under the studio light indoors. The official symbols and colors in fabric banner

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 8
Total tanks: 44
Total artillery: 19
Total military vehicles: 3,856
Military defense budget: $7,225,466,250 – #40 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.8109 – #45 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Denmark has 117 military aircraft (including 4 attack aircraft, 31 fighter aircraft, and 34 helicopters). Denmark has 20,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 5.973 million.

20. France

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 9
Total tanks: 215
Total artillery: 96
Total military vehicles: 110,932
Military defense budget: $55,000,000,000 – #9 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.1878 – #8 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, France has 976 military aircraft (including 226 fighter aircraft and 448 helicopters). France has 200,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 68.37 million.

19. Moldova

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 11
Total tanks: 0
Total artillery: 76
Total military vehicles: 500
Military defense budget: $1,710,000,000 – #73 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:3.2555 – #134 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Moldova has 3 military aircraft. Moldova has 8,500 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 3.600 million.

18. Montenegro

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 12
Total tanks: 0
Total artillery: 12
Total military vehicles: 471
Military defense budget: $148,100,000 – #136 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:2.9216 – #127 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Montenegro has 11 military aircraft, all of which are helicopters. Montenegro has 2,350 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 599,849.

17. Czechia

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 16
Total tanks: 43
Total artillery: 50
Total military vehicles: 6,340
Military defense budget: $6,750,000,000 – #43 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.9994 – #53 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Czechia has 99 military aircraft (including 16 attack aircraft, 12 fighter aircraft, and 42 helicopters). Czechia has 28,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 10.84 million.

16. North Macedonia

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 17
Total tanks: 20
Total artillery: 150
Total military vehicles: 1,108
Military defense budget: $388,421,700 – #114 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:2.4042 – #112 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, North Macedonia has 20 military aircraft (including 10 helicopters). North Macedonia has 9,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 2.136 million.

15. Italy

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 21
Total tanks: 200
Total artillery: 172
Total military vehicles: 73,480
Military defense budget: $30,890,000,000 – #16 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.2164 – #10 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Italy has 729 military aircraft (including 67 attack aircraft, 89 fighter aircraft, and 392 helicopters). Italy has 165,500 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 60.96 million.

14. Bulgaria

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 24
Total tanks: 90
Total artillery: 72
Total military vehicles: 4,914
Military defense budget: $1,373,232,000 – #80 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.2563 – #61 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Bulgaria has 65 military aircraft (including 5 attack aircraft, 10 fighter aircraft, and 27 helicopters). Bulgaria has 37,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 6.783 million.

13. Slovakia

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 25
Total tanks: 45
Total artillery: 44
Total military vehicles: 3,074
Military defense budget: $2,656,000,000 – #64 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.3978 – #71 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Slovakia has 41 military aircraft (including 2 fighter aircraft and 22 helicopters). Slovakia has 19,500 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 5.564 million.

12. United Kingdom

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 29
Total tanks: 227
Total artillery: 197
Total military vehicles: 38,200
Military defense budget: $71,500,540,000 – #6 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.1785 – #6 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, the United Kingdom has 631 military aircraft (including 31 attack aircraft, 113 fighter aircraft, and 266 helicopters). The United Kingdom has 184,860 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 68.46 million.

11. Germany

Germany mlrs (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Sonaz

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 33
Total tanks: 296
Total artillery: 134
Total military vehicles: 83,260
Military defense budget: $50,000,000,000 – #11 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.2601 – #14 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Germany has 584 military aircraft (including 63 attack aircraft, 129 fighter aircraft, and 309 helicopters). Germany has 181,600 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 84.12 million.

10. Croatia

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 42
Total tanks: 45
Total artillery: 67
Total military vehicles: 2,848
Military defense budget: $1,176,000,000 – #83 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.5074 – #75 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Croatia has 67 military aircraft (including 10 fighter aircraft and 37 helicopters). Croatia has 14,325 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 4.150 million.

9. Finland

Finland artillery | Missile system on the background of the Finnish flag

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 76
Total tanks: 200
Total artillery: 774
Total military vehicles: 11,704
Military defense budget: $6,779,661,000 – #42 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.8437 – #48 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Finland has 163 military aircraft (including 54 fighter aircraft and 27 helicopters). Finland has 24,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 5.626 million.

8. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 79
Total tanks: 45
Total artillery: 457
Total military vehicles: 720
Military defense budget: $216,400,000 – #131 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:3.0799 – #131 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Bosnia and Herzegovina has 22 military aircraft, all of which are helicopters. Bosnia and Herzegovina has 12,770 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 3.799 million.

7. Serbia

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 98
Total tanks: 262
Total artillery: 240
Total military vehicles: 3,683
Military defense budget: $2,287,461,000 – #68 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.2576 – #63 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Serbia has 110 military aircraft (including 17 attack aircraft, 11 fighter aircraft, and 46 helicopters). Serbia has 25,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 6.652 million.

6. Albania

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 135
Total tanks: 46
Total artillery: 50
Total military vehicles: 1,796
Military defense budget: $558,862,420 – #101 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.6815 – #78 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Albania has 19 military aircraft, all of which are helicopters. Albania has 6,600 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 3.107 million.

5. Greece

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 152
Total tanks: 1,344
Total artillery: 1287
Total military vehicles: 61,888
Military defense budget: $6,500,000,000 – #44 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.5337 – #30 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Greece has 558 military aircraft (including 178 fighter aircraft and 293 helicopters). Greece has 142,700 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 10.46 million.

4. Poland

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 196
Total tanks: 614
Total artillery: 677
Total military vehicles: 23,138
Military defense budget: $48,700,000,000 – #12 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.3776 – #22 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Poland has 479 military aircraft (including 44 attack aircraft, 59 fighter aircraft, and 216 helicopters). Poland has 202,100 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 38.75 million.

3. Belarus

Polonez MLRS (05) (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Homoatrox

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 206
Total tanks: 507
Total artillery: 572
Total military vehicles: 6,916
Military defense budget: $1,077,900,000 – #87 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:1.3954 – #70 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Belarus has 185 military aircraft (including 50 attack aircraft, 36 fighter aircraft, and 68 helicopters). Belarus has 63,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 9.501 million.

2. Romania

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 243
Total tanks: 328
Total artillery: 720
Total military vehicles: 10,774
Military defense budget: $9,700,000,000 – #33 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.8984 – #51 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Romania has 140 military aircraft (including 21 fighter aircraft and 65 helicopters). Romania has 81,300 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 18.15 million.

1. Ukraine

Total Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 279
Total tanks: 1,114
Total artillery: 1273
Total military vehicles: 18,920
Military defense budget: $53,700,000,000 – #10 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank:0.3755 – #21 out of 145

Apart from the ground forces, Ukraine has 324 military aircraft (including 36 attack aircraft, 70 fighter aircraft, and 136 helicopters). Ukraine has 900,000 active-duty personnel out of a total population of 35.66 million.

About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.