Taiwan’s military strength ranks 15th in the world and ninth in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of conventional war-making capability across land, sea and air, according to a survey conducted by military Web site Global Firepower.
The nation’s ranking has fluctuated between 14th and 18th since 2009, peaking at 14th in 2011 and 2012 and last year standing at 17th, according to the Web site.
A total of 126 nations make up the list this year, with the US at the top followed by Russia and China.
Taiwan outranks Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore in the Asia-Pacific region, while falling behind China, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Indonesia and Australia, the survey shows.
“With an eye on independence still, the island nation of Taiwan must retain a large, modern fighting force and powerful allies for its own security,” the Web site says.
In terms of available manpower, Taiwan’s 290,000 active front-line personnel are ranked 20th globally. China tops the category with 2.33 million active military personnel, followed by the US with 1.4 million, Russia with 760,000 and North Korea with 690,000, according to the survey.
Taiwan ranks 14th in the land system category with 2,005 battle tanks. Russia heads the category with 15,000 tanks, followed by China with 9,100 tanks and the US with 8,800 tanks.
Taiwan’s 288 fighters and interceptors make it into the top 10 in air power, falling behind Japan by just one aircraft. The US tops the category with its 2,207 fighter aircraft, ahead of China with 1,066 fighters.
“The fifth generation fighter is currently embodied by the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, with competitors arising in both Russia and China, [while] fourth generation fighters remain a capable — and cost-effective — battlefield component,” the Web site says.
Taiwan is ranked 23rd in terms of naval power with 103 combat vessels. North Korea outnumbers all other competitors in the category with its 1,064 battleships. China has 673 vessels, while the US has 473, according to the survey. The listing includes battleforce ships made up of aircraft carriers, frigates, destroyers, corvettes and all auxiliary vessels.
In terms of submarines — a key development project in the nation’s defense industry — Taiwan is ranked 29th with its four submarines. The US tops the subcategory with 72 submarines, outnumbering North Korea by just two.
While nuclear capability is not taken into account, the ranking is based on a formula utilizing more than 50 different quantifiable factors, including values related to weaponry, number of service members, resources, logistical capabilities, finances and geography.
While most information is gathered via the CIA and data in the public domain, some statistics have been estimated where official numbers are not publicly available, the Web site says.
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