Numbers show just how superior US military is to that of Iran's
USA and Iran are staring eyeball to eyeball in the fallout of US strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. Rhetoric from both sides has been that of making the other one pay. While US President Donald Trump has faced domestic backlash on the matter, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has his entire nation standing right behind him on the contentious issue.
The global firepower index ranks the United States as the most powerful country in the world, while Iran is ranked 14th.
With war in the Gulf looking more probable now than it has in decades, IndiaTVnews.com brings to you a comparison of Iran and the US on the basis of their military capabilities.
5000% defence budget: In 2018, Iran spent $US13.2 billion on its military while the United States spent a whopping $US648.8 billion. This is approximately a 5000% surplus of the defence budget that the US enjoys over Iran.
2:1 advantage in service personnel: The US army enjoys a 2:1 advantage when it comes to serving personnel in the military. As per government records, US has approximately 1.3 million active military personnel while another 800,000 are in reserve. On the other hand, Iran has only 600,000 active military personnel with another 500,000 to 1 million in reserve. Iran also has the support of several local militias in the Middle East. However, their combined numbers will still not be any match to the United States Army which is the third-largest in the world after China and India.
US VS Iran: Armoured and Artillery Corps Comparison
US VS Iran: Armoured and Artillery Corps comparison
US' clear superiority in military strength is visible when it comes to the numbers instilled in the armoured corps. The US has 6,393 tanks as compared to Iran's; 2,531,950 self-propelled artillery as compared to Iran's 570 and 41,760 armoured fighting vehicles as compared to Iran's 1,625. Iran has more artillery guns than that of the US - 4,096 as compared to 3,269 but that is a negligible number when we consider the other figures.
US vs Iran: Air Force Comparison
USA vs Iran: Airforce Comparison
If the numbers in the land forces showed a one-sided contest, the difference in the airpower is even starker between the US and Iran. The US has 12,304 aircraft as compared to Iran's mere 850. The US has a massive advantage in both quantity and quality of aircraft, be it fighter aircraft, multirole aircraft, attack aircraft or helicopters.
US vs Iran: Navy Comparison
US vs Iran: Navy Comparison
While there may not be much of a difference in the number of Naval ships and submarines between the US and Iran, there is a massive difference in the quality of equipment used. The US Navy has 20 aircraft carriers, Iran has none. US Navy has 85 destroyers, Iran has none.
The difference between the United States and Iran militarily does not end there. The US is a nuclear power and a permanent member of the security council. It is a global superpower and has a presence in every corner of the world. Iran is at best a regional power with limited capabilities elsewhere. One of Iran's major strength is the local militia in the region who were blossoming under General Qasem Soleimani.
