WARFARE INSTITUTE Military Strength Index
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China Military Strength 2026

Rank #2 of 145

China is ranked #2 of 145 nations on the Warfare Institute Strength Index, with a provisional score of 43.7 / 100. The comparable baseline weighs air power, land and naval forces, active manpower and financials, adjusted for equipment quality and readiness.

Category scores

Air Superiority28.5
Air DefenseNot scored
Long-Range StrikeNot scored
Land Forces42.9
Naval Forces46.6
Logistics32.2
Manpower68.1
Financials36.4

Key figures

Active personnel
2,035,000
Reserve personnel
510,000
Total aircraft
3,529
Fighters
1,443
Attack helicopters
281
Tanks
5,870
Armored vehicles
152,040
Self-propelled artillery
2,940
Rocket artillery (MLRS)
2,770
Naval vessels
403
Aircraft carriers
3
Submarines
61
Defense budget
$303.0B
Population
1,415,043,270

What the ranking shows

China scores 43.7 out of 100. Its highest category score is Manpower (68.1); its lowest is Air Superiority (28.5). Category scores compare this country with the strongest inventory in each category, rather than measuring the probability of winning a war.

The inventory reports 2,035,000 active personnel, 1,443 fighters, 5,870 tanks and 403 naval vessels. Geography, alliances, logistics and deployment conditions affect how those forces can be used. Inventory totals and readiness estimates are explained in the methodology.

Data dates and sources

Dated model records range from 2026-07 to 2026-07. The 2026 label identifies the ranking edition; individual observations may refer to earlier periods. Figures are public-source estimates.

These citations identify the source families assigned to the model records; they do not imply every aggregate figure has been independently verified. See the source registry and corrections process.

Equipment by model

Model counts are estimates and may be reconciled to aggregate totals. — means undisclosed.

China equipment inventory
ModelCategoryIn serviceData dateSource tag
Chengdu J-20 Mighty DragonAir superiority (stealth)2092026-07SIPRI-AT
Shenyang J-35AMultirole (stealth)142026-07SIPRI-AT
Chengdu J-10Multirole3832026-07SIPRI-AT
Shenyang J-16Multirole / strike3132026-07SIPRI-AT
Shenyang J-11Air superiority2442026-07SIPRI-AT
Xian JH-7/JH-7AFighter-bomber842026-07SIPRI-AT
Sukhoi Su-30MKK/MK2Multirole672026-07SIPRI-AT
Shenyang J-15Carrier multirole492026-07SIPRI-AT
Shenyang J-8Interceptor332026-07SIPRI-AT
Sukhoi Su-27Air superiority302026-07SIPRI-AT
Sukhoi Su-35SMultirole172026-07SIPRI-AT
GJ-2 (Wing Loong II)MALE UCAV—Not datedNot assigned
GJ-1 (Wing Loong I)MALE UCAV—Not datedNot assigned
GJ-11 Sharp SwordStealth UCAV—Not datedNot assigned
WZ-7 Soaring DragonHALE ISR—Not datedNot assigned
WZ-8Supersonic recon drone—Not datedNot assigned
BZK-005MALE ISR—Not datedNot assigned
Z-10Attack helicopter1552026-07SIPRI-AT
Z-19Attack helicopter842026-07SIPRI-AT
Other attack helicopters (china)Attack helicopter422026-07IISS-MB26
Z-8/Z-20Utility helicopter1602026-07SIPRI-AT
Z-9Utility helicopter2762026-07SIPRI-AT
Mi-17/171Utility helicopter1452026-07SIPRI-AT
Other helicopters (china)Utility helicopter1452026-07IISS-MB26
KJ-2000/KJ-500/KJ-200AEW/ISR1052026-07SIPRI-AT
Y-20U / H-6U tanker fleetTanker92026-07SIPRI-AT
Y-20Heavy transport632026-07SIPRI-AT
Y-8/Y-9Transport1212026-07SIPRI-AT
Il-76MDHeavy transport292026-07SIPRI-AT
Other transports (china)Fixed-wing transport742026-07IISS-MB26
HQ-9/HQ-9BLong-range SAM / limited BMD250Not datedNot assigned
S-400Long-range SAM2Not datedNot assigned
S-300PMU/1/2Long-range SAM16Not datedNot assigned
HQ-22Medium/long-range SAM1042026-07OSINT-PROFILES
HQ-16/16BMedium-range SAM (army)2502026-07OSINT-PROFILES
HQ-17/17AShort-range SAM2502026-07OSINT-PROFILES
HQ-19Upper-tier BMD22026-07OSINT-PROFILES
Liaoning & ShandongAircraft carrier22026-07NAVAL-NEWS
Fujian (Type 003)Aircraft carrier12026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 075 / 076Amphibious assault (LHA)22026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 055Cruiser / large destroyer102026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 052DDestroyer352026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 054A / 054BFrigate442026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 056ACorvette502026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 094 Jin classSSBN62026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 093 Shang classSSN132026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 039 Yuan classSSK212026-07SIPRI-AT
Other submarines (china)Submarines212026-07NAVAL-NEWS
Other destroyers (china)Destroyers82026-07NAVAL-NEWS
Other frigates (china)Frigates22026-07NAVAL-NEWS
Type 99/99AModern MBT1,2912026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 96/96A/BMBT3,0522026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 59/69/79Legacy MBT1,0572026-07SIPRI-AT
Other tanks legacy (china)tank4702026-07IISS-MB26
ZBD-04/ZBD-08 IFVIFV33,4492026-07SIPRI-AT
ZBL-08/WZ-551 familyAPC/IFV39,5302026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 63/YW-531 familyAPC30,4082026-07SIPRI-AT
Other vehicles mixed (china)armored vehicle48,6532026-07IISS-MB26
PLZ-05 155mmSPG6472026-07SIPRI-AT
PLZ-07/Type 83 familySPG1,1172026-07SIPRI-AT
Other self-propelled artillery mixed (china)self-propelled artillery1,1762026-07IISS-MB26
PL-66/D-20 152mmTowed artillery4902026-07SIPRI-AT
PLL-01/Type 59-1 130mmTowed artillery4202026-07SIPRI-AT
Other towed artillery legacy (china)towed artillery4902026-07IISS-MB26
PHL-16/PHL-03MLRS8312026-07SIPRI-AT
Type 81/90/89 rocketsMLRS1,2472026-07SIPRI-AT
Other rocket artillery mixed (china)rocket artillery6922026-07IISS-MB26
DF-26 IRBM TELsstrike250Not datedNot assigned
DF-21C/D MRBM TELsstrike180Not datedNot assigned
DF-17 HGV TELsstrike80Not datedNot assigned
CJ-10 / DF-10 LACM launchersstrike120Not datedNot assigned

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