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A Comparison of USA and China Military Power in 2024

The United States is a superpower located in North America, which stretches over 9,857,306 square kilometers. It is one of the five veto states in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Further, the United States is the founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) established in 1949. The United States is the world’s top arms exporter. The defense industry of the United States is capable of developing crafting, maintaining, and producing weapon systems.

Compared to the United States, the People’s Republic of China has a military arm known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The ruling Chinese Communist Party oversees the PLA. Russia is the main importer of arms and military equipment to China. China is a technological giant and has developed its third-largest military following the US and Russia. Therefore, the following blog will cover the comparison of the USA and China’s military power in 2024.

Also Read: Countries with Largest Air Forces in the World

A Comparison of USA and China Military Power

Here is the comparison of the military power of the USA and China based on the following elements of military power; 

1. Military Expenditure

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Analysis, since 1992, China has improved its military spending by around 900 percent. Compared with Russia, the Chinese military spending was much higher in 2022, around $300 billion. However, compared to the United States, Chinese military expenditure is still lower than that of US military expenditure.

In 2022, the military expenditure of the United States was $877 billion; on the other hand, China’s military spending in the same year was $292 billion. This shows that the United States is spending 3 times more of China’s military expenditure. US military expenditure as a share of GDP is 3.5% and China’s military spending has a 1.6 % share of GDP. 

2. Manpower

Regarding manpower, China ranks first in the world and has the largest army with about 2,035,000 active personnel and 2,000,000 reserved personnel. On the other hand, the US ranks third in the world in terms of manpower with about 1,358,500 active personnel and  799,500 reserved personnel. China also has paramilitary forces of about 6,25,000 and ranks at the fourth position while the United States has no paramilitary forces. 

Also Read: Strongest Armies in the World

3. Land Power

In terms of land power, China is dominating the United States. China possesses 7,094 total artillery while the United States has 3,161 total artillery. Further, here is the table for the comparison of China and US land power; 

Land ForcesChina United States
Tanks5,7505,652
Armoured Fighting Vehicle14,13038,639
Self Propelled Artillery2,7201,521
Rocket Artillery3,140705
Mobile Rocket Projectors3,180694

Also Read: NATO vs. Russian Military

4. Air Power

The United States ranks first in terms of air power in the world. The United States possesses 13,175 total aircraft, and China has 4,630 total aircraft.  Further, the US has 377 fighter aircraft, 2,484 multi-role aircraft, and 531 attack aircraft. On the other hand, China has 1,049 fighter aircraft, 1,130 multi-role aircraft, and 120 attack aircraft. Further details of the Airpower of both countries are given in the table below. 

Air PowerUnited StatesChina
Aerial Tankers60610
Dedicated Attacks896371
Transports957289
Helicopters4,9281,355
Special Missions695112
UCAV (Combat Drones)444151
Trainers2,648402

5. Naval Power

Regarding naval power, the US has the largest navy in the world, but at the same time, China is competing with the United States on the same level in terms of naval power. The total fleet strength of China is greater than that of the United States, which is about 742, while the United States fleet strength is 460. In terms of aircraft carriers, the United States ranks first with 20 and China ranks second with 4 aircraft carriers in the world. China has 74 submarines compared to the US which has 69. Further details of the naval power of the US and China are mentioned in the table given below; 

Naval PowerUnited States China
Helo Carriers93
Destroyers9738
Frigates054
Corvettes2373
Patrol Vessels5150
Mine Warfare836

Also Read: Largest Navies in the World

6. Nuclear Weapons

The United States is the first nation in history to acquire and deploy nuclear weapons for military use. It started with the Manhattan Project, which was an exploration project with a particular goal of developing and producing the first nuclear weapon. The first people to employ such powerful weapons were Americans. The Manhattan Project was launched in 1941. The United States overtook all other nations and took the lead in the possession of nuclear bombs following the end of World War II, and this supremacy lasted until the 1980s.

The United States had exceeded its warheads to 30,000 by 1960. It is crucial to note that the United States generated almost 70,000 nuclear warheads during the period of the Cold War. The US has conducted tests on atomic bombs about 1054 times since the first test in 1945. However, due to the nuclear restriction, the number of warheads has decreased to 6500. Out of which only 1600 are deployed by the United States. 

The United States is the world’s largest nuclear power producer, with around 30% of total nuclear electrical power production. In 2022, the country’s nuclear reactors generated 772 TWh, accounting for 18% of total electricity generation. Vogtle 3 was connected to the grid in April 2023, and unit 4 in March 2024. 

China is one of the nuclear states under the NPT which possesses approximately 280 nuclear warheads in total at this moment. However, the number of deployed warheads is unknown. China conducted its first nuclear test in 1964  which was successful and China became a nuclear state. The main objective of China in developing nuclear weapons is to create a deterrence against the two major nuclear powers; the United States and the Soviet Union.

After 32 months of the first nuclear test in 1964, China was able to test its first hydrogen bomb. As a result, they are entitled to the shortest time between creating fission and fusion technologies. China performed 45 nuclear weapons tests. However, data about the stockpile of accumulating warheads is imprecise. The same remains true for the overall number of deployed warheads. All of this is attributed to the country’s secrecy and inadequate data provision.

Also Read: A Comparison of USA and Russia Military Power

7. Cyber and Space Power

In terms of cyber power grounds, the US and China both are the leading states. Since the era of digitalization started, countries have begun to adopt new strategies of warfare to counterbalance the threat of others in the cyber world. Other than the US, China, Russia, and other major powers, many countries such as Yemen and Syria have their own cyber armies to combat cyber warfare. 

Since the mid-1990s, the United States has developed its cyber capability. It possesses world-class cyber intelligence capability with international reach and is strengthened by integrated partnerships with other skilled cyber-capable states. The US has clear objectives of developing cyber capability for the pursuit of national cyber power.  US Cyber Command comprises 133 cyber mission teams which are headed by the US National Security Agency. In 2019, the US established its US Space Force consisting of 8,400 personnel. 

On the other hand, Cyber Great Power is the key concept in President Xi Jinping’s China’s telecommunications and network strategy. The objectives of developing cyber power are national security defense and social stability. Two years after the Gulf War in 1993, the Chinese military upgraded its military strategic plan to make “winning local wars in conditions of modern technology, particularly high technology”. This became the main agenda of the Chinese military strategy. 

The Chinese military initially addressed cyber warfare comprehensively in the 2013 version of “The Science of Military Strategy,” a research conducted by the Academy of Military Science. It highlighted that cyberspace is growing as a new and essential area of military conflict in the modern world. A similar tone was used in a 2015 Ministry of National Defense article titled “China’s Military Strategy.”

In Cyberpower, China has an offensive approach. China being the technological giant can pose a threat to US infrastructure including the electrical grid, water treatment plans, oil and gas pipelines, election campaigns, and transportation sector. Regarding the cyber army, China possesses 50,000 to 100,00 hacker army personnel and is one of the biggest cyber armies in the world. 

8. Military Service

United States:

  • 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service
  • 17 years of age with parental consent
  • no conscription
  • Maximum enlistment age 27 (Air Force), 42 (Army), 28 (Marines), 34 (Navy)
  • Service obligation 8 years, including 4 years active (Air Force, Marines);  2-5 years active duty (Army), and 2 years active (Navy) 
  • The Department of Defense is lifting limitations on women serving in units lower than brigades or near combat units.

China:

  • 18-24 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with a 2-year service obligation; 
  • No minimum age for voluntary service and all officers are volunteers; 
  • 18-19 years of age for female high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs; 
  • a recent military decision that allows women to play combat roles.

Also Read: The Rise of China in the Solar Industry

Conclusion

In conclusion, the US and China are two world’s major powers with powerful, intense, and capable armies. The US has the highest military budget in the world which is 3 times more than China. The US is the largest military power in the world with high missile technology, naval expansion, cyber warfare,  economic power as well as regional influence. At the same time, China is growing rapidly in technology, military, and economic sectors. However, both nations continue to promote stability and prevent potential conflicts in the world.

FAQs

Is the US Army Stronger than China?

In the last decades, China’s military has been rapidly growing, but the United States has continued to be the strongest army in the world.

Who Has the Strongest Army in the World?

The strongest military in the world belongs to the United States, one of the world’s largest economies. The power comes from its comprehensive approach that uses land, air, sea, and space assets.

Who Is More Advanced, China or the United States?

Regarding innovation and advancement, China has surpassed the United States and is approaching relatively close. The United States needs to act more strongly and deliberately to reclaim its status as the world leader.

Where does China rank in military power?

China ranks 3 in military power, following the United States and Russia.

Oleksandra Mamchii

Working as a academic lead at Best Diplomats.

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