Southeast Asia's Top 9 Military Powerful Nations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - National defense is an important aspect that needs to be maintained by a government. One of the general national defense policies is military defense.

Each country has different military strengths. Its existence is none other than to protect territorial integrity from all threats from within and outside the country.

A country with a strong military defense system can maintain stability and security and improve its position in the international world.

So, which country has the best military power in Southeast Asia?

List of the Strongest Military in Southeast Asia

The military rating agency Global Firepower (GFP) compiled a list of 9 out of 11 countries in the Southeast Asia or ASEAN region that are equipped with the strongest military defense. The ranking is based on more than 60 factors that determine the final power index score (PowerIndex).

Several factors in determining the ranking of the strongest militaries are assessed from the number of units in the main system of the nine countries with the strongest militaries in Southeast Asia in 2023:

1. Indonesia

Indonesia managed to rank first as the country with the best military strength in ASEAN 2023. Indonesia's military strength is equipped with a greater number of personnel and defense equipment than neighboring countries, achieving a PowerIndex score of 0.2221.

2. Vietnam

Vietnam is in second place with a PowerIndex score of 0.2855. The total number of Vietnamese military soldiers is estimated at around 3.01 million people. Apart from that, the country which is nicknamed the Land of the Blue Dragon has 75 combat aircraft, 1,829 tanks, and up to 55,740 armored fighting vehicles.

3. Thailand

Global Firepower gave Thailand's national defense strength index score of 0.3738. It is estimated that the White Elephant Country is armed with 73 fighter jets, 18 attack aircraft, 587 tanks and up to 39,808 armored vehicles.

4. Singapore

As the only developed country and the smallest country in Southeast Asia, Singapore relies on its defense system with the best military strength. Even though it only has around 385,000 armed forces personnel, the Lion Country was able to achieve a strength index score of 0.4613.

5. Philippines

The Philippines' military strength is estimated to be supported by a budget of US$4.28 billion in 2023. They have around 280,000 personnel, 18 tanks and 600 armored vehicles. The military strength index score in 2023 is 0.4811.

6. Myanmar

Of the total population of 56.59 million, Myanmar has around 405,000 active military soldiers. Based on Global Firepower data, the country which has been involved in a power struggle in a coup since February 2021 has achieved a PowerIndex score of 0.5768.

7. Malaysia

Shifting to Malaysia, Indonesia's neighboring country to the north received a military strength score of 1.6189. Malaysia's air power is supported by 144 war fleets, while on land there are 1,708 armored vehicles and 48 tanks, as well as 82 defense equipment for the navy.

8. Cambodia

Cambodia received a PowerIndex score of 2.1321 from Global Firepower. One of the ASEAN countries has around 41 fighter aircraft, 1,444 armored vehicles and 4 submarines.

9. Laos

Laos is ranked 9th or last as the country with the strongest military in Southeast Asia in 2023. Laos achieved a PowerIndex score from Global Firepower of 2.3168. Even though it does not border the sea, the country that neighbors Myanmar has a navy called the Lao People's Navy (LPN).

GLOBAL FIRE POWER | KEMHAN.GO.ID | MELYNDA DWI PUSPITA

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