There are two ways of assessing Israel’s military power. One is to consider only conventional capability and the other is to also include non-conventional weapons as well. Israel is one of 7-8 nations possessing nuclear weapons. Of these nations, Pakistan and North Korea have clearly inferior militaries, so Israel’s rank is no lower than #6 in the world.
British and French military spending to be severely cut in the near future and Israel rapidly expanding, this will be subject to change. Most rankings that do not take nuclear weapons into account place Israel in the Top 10, usually 9 or 10. Israel’s high ranking is a testament to its incredible technological superiority (aided in part by its close relationship with the United States), high level of training, particularly its special forces, superior intelligence apparatus, and an air force fleet that is second to none.
Its highly mechanized army is small, however, and a prolonged military conflict against any capable nation is not one that Israel is able to fight. It lacks power projection capabilities (something only 3-4 nations possess), although that is slowly changing with its drone fleet and upgraded submarine force. Thus Israel, unlike any other nation in the top ten, has less room for error and must bring conflicts to a decisive conclusion sooner than later.
Following the performance of the IDF in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982, the force developed a reputation as the invincible army and its commando units a lethal reputation for their daring missions. Since then, the prestige and place the military had in society has been somewhat eroded and other nations and terrorist groups in the middle east have acquired advanced military and paramilitary capabilities. Still, no middle eastern nation (Turkey included) has any chance at attacking Israel and defeating it in a war as Israel, both conventionally and nonconventional poses a grave existential threat to any such army and nation.
Manpower: Going beyond military equipment totals and perceived fighting strength is the actual manpower that drives a given military. Wars of attrition favor those with more.
Total Population: 7,707,042
Available Manpower: 3,511,190
Fit for Service: 2,963,642
Reaching Military Age Annually: 121,722
Active Frontline personnel: 176,500
Active Reserve Personnel: 445,000
Land Systems Tank value includes main battle tanks light tanks and tank destroyers either wheeled or tracked. AFV value includes Armored personnel carriers (APCs) and Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
Tanks: 3,870
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 9,436
Self-Propelled Guns (SPGs): 706
Towed-Artillery: 350
Multiple Launch Rocket Systems: 88
Air Power includes both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft from all branches of service. All aircraft types accounted.
Total Aircraft: 680
Fighters Interceptors: 243
Fixed wing attack aircraft 98
Trainer aircraft: 245
Helicopters: 143
Attack Helicopters: 48
Naval Power Aircraft Carrier value does not include dedicated helicopter carrier vessels. Total naval strength includes all known auxiliaries as well.
Total Naval Strength: 110
Aircraft carriers: 0
Frigates: 3
Destroyers: 3
Corvettes: 5
Submarines: 14
Coastal defense craft: 66
Mine warfare: 0
Resources (Petroleum) Despite advances made in battlefield technology, oil remains the lifeblood of any fighting force.
Oil Production: 3,800 bbl/day
Oil Consumption: 200,000 bbl/day
Proven oil Reserves: 11,500,000 bbl/day
Logistical War is as much a battle of logistics – moving man and machine from points all over – as it is direct combat. Labor force reflects possible wartime industry strength.
Labor Force: 3,606,000
Merchant Marine Strength: 8
Major ports and terminals: 4
Roadway Coverage: 18,290
Railway coverage: 975
Serviceable airports: 47
Financial Regardless of military strength in numbers war is still driven by financing as much aas any one leader or weapon.
Defense Budget: $15,000,000,000
External debt: $93,980,000,000
Reserves of Foreign exchange and Gold: $75,910,000,000
Purchasing Power Parity: 260,900,000,000
Geography Geographical values primarily figure into a defensive minded war.
Square land area: 20,770 km
Coastline: 273 km
Shared Border: 1,017 km
Waterways: 0 km