| U.S.A. | U.K. | France | Germany | U.S.S.R. | China | |
| Total Armed Forces | 2,029,600 | 453,100 | 476,300 | |||
| Reserves | (1,721,700) | (419,000) | (1,009,400) | |||
| Population (m) | 250.3 | 56.7 | 76.9 | |||
| - Males, 18-45 (m) | ||||||
| GDP ($ bn) | 5,423.4 | 1,187.2 | 1,499.5 | |||
| Defense budget ($ bn) | 289.8 | 42.8 | 69.1 | |||
| Defense budget (% of GDP) | 3.6 | 4.6 | ||||
| Strategic Forces | - | |||||
| ICBMs | 1,000 | - | - | |||
| IRBM/MRBMs | - | 18 | - | |||
| Ballistic Missile Submarines | 34 | 4 | - | |||
| SLBMs | 640 | 64 | - | |||
| Bombers | 277 | 12 | - | |||
| - Long-range | 277 | - | - | |||
| - Medium-range | - | 12 | - | |||
| - Short-range | - | - | - |
| U.S. | U.K. | France | Germany | U.S.S.R. | China | |
| Active | 731,700 | 280,300 | 335,000 | |||
| Reserves | (1,178,400) | (325,000) | (857,000) | |||
| Divisions (Reserve) | 16 (10) | 12 (4) | 10 | |||
| - Armored | 3 (2) | 5 | 6 | |||
| - Mechanized | 6 (2) | 2 | 2 | |||
| - Infantry / Light | 5 (6) | 2 (4) | 1 | |||
| - Airborne / Air Assault | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| - Special Forces | - | 1 | - | |||
| Brigades/Regiments (Reserve) | 9 (24) | |||||
| - Armored | 5 (7) | 2 | ||||
| - Mechanized | 1 (8) | 1 | 3 | |||
| - Infantry / Light | 3 (9) | 15 | ||||
| - Airborne / Air Assault | - | - | ||||
| - Special Forces | - | - | ||||
| Tanks | 15,585 | 1,349 | 7,000 | |||
| - Third Generation | 7,036 | - | 2,024 | |||
| Light Tanks | 1,265 | 143 | 143 | |||
| IFVs | 5,524 | 817 | 3,254 | |||
| APCs | 26,480 | 4,822 | 10,327 | |||
| Artillery | 6,215 | 1,403 | 4,579 | |||
| - Towed | 2,323 | 399 | 1,486 | |||
| - Self-Propelled | 3,466 | 371 | 1,263 | |||
| MRLs | 426 | 11 | 556 | |||
| SSMs | 65 | 40 | 26 | |||
| Helicopters | 8,659 | 839 | 832 | |||
| - Attack | 1,653 | 181 | 146 |
| U.S. | U.K. | France | Germany | U.S.S.R. | China | |
| Active | 571,400 | 92,900 | 103,700 | |||
| Reserves | (274,000) | (70,000) | (124,400) | |||
| Squadrons (Reserve) | 19 | |||||
| - Bomber | 18 | 2 | - | |||
| - Fighter / Air Defense | 4 (9) | 11 | 2 | |||
| - FGA / Attack | 72 (28) | 9 | 11 | |||
| - Recce / Patrol / EW / AEW | 17(10) | 3 | 3 | |||
| - Tanker / Transport | 34 (34) | 19 | 3 | |||
| - OCU / Training | 32 (8) | 4 | n.a. | |||
| Combat Aircraft | 3,813 | 845 | 638 | |||
| - Fourth Generation | 2,307 | 151 | 250 | |||
| AWACS | 21 | - | - | |||
| Tankers | 651 | 11 | - | |||
| Transports (excl. Light) | 902 | 97 | 84 | |||
| - Heavy | 365 | 4 | - | |||
| - Medium | 537 | 93 | 84 |
| U.S. | U.K. | France | Germany | U.S.S.R. | China | |
| Active | 584,800 | 65,300 | ||||
| Reserves | (240,200) | (24,000) | ||||
| Submarines | 86 | 13 | ||||
| - Cruise Missile Subs | 15 | |||||
| - Nuclear Attack Subs | 71 | 4 | ||||
| - Diesel Attack Subs | - | 9 | ||||
| Main Surface Combatants | 207 | 41 | ||||
| - Aircraft Carriers | 13 | 2 | ||||
| - V/STOL Carriers | - | - | ||||
| - Helicopter Carriers | - | - | ||||
| - Battleships | 2 | - | ||||
| - Battlecruisers | - | - | ||||
| - Cruisers | 46 | 1 | ||||
| - Destroyers | 49 | 4 | ||||
| - Frigates | 97 | 34 | ||||
| Minor Surface Combatants | 202 | 47 | ||||
| Amphibious Ships | 65 | 9 | ||||
| - Assault Ships | 38 | 4 | ||||
| Landing Craft | 86 | 34 | ||||
| Naval Aviation | 120,000 | 400 | ||||
| Squadrons (Reserve) | ||||||
| - Bomber | - | - | ||||
| - Fighter / Air Defense | 38 | 1 | ||||
| - FGA / Attack | 59 | 3 | ||||
| - Recce / Patrol / EW | 80 | 9 | ||||
| - Tanker / Transport | 17 | - | ||||
| - OCU / Training | 25 | 5 | ||||
| Bombers | ||||||
| Combat aircraft | 1,765 | 105 | ||||
| - Fourth Generation | 1,240 | - | ||||
| Helicopters | 515 | 96 | ||||
| - Attack / ASW | 416 | 48 | ||||
| Naval Infantry | 195,700 | > 2,600 | ||||
| (86,500) | ||||||
| Divisions | 3 (1) | 1 | ||||
| Brigades/Regiments | - | 12 | ||||
| Tanks | 760 | n.a. | ||||
| APCs | 1,323 | n.a. | ||||
| Artillery | 1,110 | n.a. | ||||
| - Towed | 872 | n.a. | ||||
| - Self-propelled | 238 | n.a. |
Notes:
(1) Chinese defense expenditure does not include pay and allowances as well as R&D costs.
(2) Strategic forces bombers includes nuclear and non-nuclear units.
(3) Land forces helicopters includes all assigned to army and air force units.
(4) Naval air forces include carrier- and land-based units flying under naval command. U.S. includes USN and USMC.
Source: The International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 1985-1986.