In this article, we look at the 15 most powerful militaries in Africa, their defense spending and where their military equipment comes from. You can skip our detailed analysis on the subject and head over directly to the 5 Most Powerful Militaries in Africa.
Global military spending was estimated to be $2.2 trillion in 2022, according to figures released in April this year by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), of which $39.4 billion was spent by African countries – dropping 5.5% compared to the previous year. Nearly half of this military expenditure was incurred in North Africa, primarily in the Western Sahara region due to the conflict between Morocco and Algeria that has been ongoing since 1975.
Ethiopia, in East Africa, has also witnessed an 88% increase in its defense related expenditure since 2020 after the launch of an armed offensive against Tigray rebels. On the other hand, Egypt continues to remain a heavy spender and a military might in the region, in line with President Sisi’s vision for Egypt to have a global posture as a powerful state. The Arab Spring in the early 2010s and terrorism in the Sinai peninsula have also ensured that the Egyptian state raises a strong military force.
Russia is the largest arms exporter to Africa, particularly in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. According to a report, Russia’s military exports to Africa increased 23% between 2016-2020 compared to 2011-2015. Putin’s government has for a long period focused on the continent to foster strong ties with African governments, facilitate economic opportunity, and build presence on NATO’s southern flank.
That being said, recent sanctions placed on Russia by the West have impeded several countries from trading with Moscow, and that has created a boon for Chinese armament manufacturers. A publication by the Atlantic Council citing SIPRI reported that between 2017 and 2020, China exported three times as many arms to Sub-Saharan Africa than the United States. Between 2010 and 2021, China’s arms exports to the region totaled $2.04 billion, which were only second to Russia’s export volume of $2.24 billion. In contrast, the United States only exported arms worth $473 million during that time period.
Things are different, however, when it comes to North Africa, with American armament manufacturers playing an active role in the arms race between Morocco and Algeria, as well as Egypt’s quest to be a major regional power. Earlier this year in April, the US government approved the potential sale of HIMARS artillery rocket systems and related equipment to Morocco for a deal worth $524 million. The primary contractors of HIMARS deal will include Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX), and L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) among others.
In addition to this, the Pentagon also gave the green signal for the sale of Joint Stand Off Weapons to Morocco at a cost of $250 million, for which the primary contractor will be RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX).
Morocco has also been scrambling to secure Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet to enhance its aerial capabilities vis-à-vis Algeria which recently upgraded its air force with the acquisition of Russian combat jets like the Su-30 and MiG-29 and signed an agreement in 2020 to buy 14 Russian SU57 stealth fighters. Rabat is hopeful that its strong relations with Israel, which has seen Tel Aviv recognising Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, will help secure a deal with the US for the F-35 fighter jets. The Moroccan air force already has an active fleet of 15 F-16 fighter jets. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)
Egypt has also been looking to strengthen its defense systems with American air radars. The US government in January 2022, approved the sale of three SPS-48 land-based radars to be produced by L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) at a cost of $355 million. The radars offer excellent jamming immunity and are capable of detecting even extremely small targets. A year earlier in February 2021, it was reported that the US sold Egypt Rolling Airframe Missiles made by RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) for a deal valued at $197 million.
Methodology
We have ranked the 15 most powerful militaries in Africa using a variety of key metrics covering ground forces, air force, and naval capabilities. Moreover, we have also weighed in factors that are often overlooked, such as GDP, defense spending, and technological advancement levels of countries, all three of which are critical for military success. Only a strong economy is able to raise and sustain a potent military force. On the other hand technological advancement coupled with defense spending often give a key edge to certain militaries over others.
Therefore, we have assigned 40% weightage to GDP, defense spending, and technological advancement levels in our analysis. while the remaining 60% is made up of militaries’ strengths in manpower, tanks, armored fighting vehicles, aircrafts including fighter jets, and naval fleet.
We listed countries based on how well they rank on each individual metric and then applied these weights in our calculations to get an average ranking score for each country. The 15 most powerful militaries in Africa are ranked in descending order of these average ranking scores.
Let’s now head over to the list of the most powerful militaries in Africa.
15. Ghana
GDP: $73 billion
Defense Spending: $289 million
Technological Advancement: 95/132
Manpower: 14,000
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 1,656
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 20
Naval Fleet: 20
Average Ranking: 16
While the Ghanaian military has no tanks or self-propelled artillery, it still manages to make it among the 15 most powerful militaries in Africa. This is largely due to its aerial and naval fleets, which aid in enhancing the mobility and operational capabilities of Ghana’s military.
14. Tanzania
GDP: $77 billion
Defense Spending: $749 million
Technological Advancement: 103/132
Manpower: 26,000
Tanks: 42
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 1,424
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 40
Naval Fleet: 19
Average Ranking: 13.7
Tanzania spent a little over 1% of its GDP on defense expenditure in 2022. Much of the country’s military strength is derived from its aerial fleet, which also includes 3 F-6 and 11 F-7 combat aircrafts. Tanzania also has several home-grown small ammunition factories, which supply weapons to the Tanzanian military.
13. Uganda
GDP: $49 billion
Defense Spending: $934 million
Technological Advancement: 119/132
Manpower: 47,000
Tanks: 180
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 4,384
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 50
Naval Fleet: 8
Average Ranking: 12.6
Uganda has one of the most powerful militaries in Africa with a sizable manpower and strong fleet of tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Its air force is equipped with 50 aircrafts, which includes Russian fighter jets Mig-21 and Su-30 – five each.
12. Democratic Republic of the Congo
GDP: $63 billion
Defense Spending: $299 million
Technological Advancement: N/A
Manpower: 140,000
Tanks: 214
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 3,728
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 46
Naval Fleet: 16
Average Ranking: 11
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the fourth largest standing army in Africa, with a manpower of 140,000 troops. Despite having a large army, the country spends less than 1% of its GDP on defense. Congo is among the 20 Countries with Highest Rate of Economic Growth in 5 Years, and can certainly look to leverage its economic potential to upgrade its military.
11. Ethiopia
GDP: $120 billion
Defense Spending: $538 million
Technological Advancement: 117/132
Manpower: 150,000
Tanks: 468
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 6,240
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 89
Naval Fleet: 0
Average Ranking: 10.1
Russia and China are the two primary arms suppliers to Ethiopia. The country’s air force is equipped with 23 Russian combat aircrafts, Mig-23 and Su-27. This year, Ethiopia purchased SH15 wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPH) from China, of which 32 were delivered in January.
10. Sudan
GDP: $49 billion
Defense Spending: $287 million
Technological Advancement: N/A
Manpower: 100,000
Tanks: 170
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 6,976
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 191
Naval Fleet: 18
Average Ranking: 10
Sudan has one of the most powerful militaries in Africa, most notably famed for its fleet of fighter jets which includes 20 F-7 and 8 F-6 jets. When it comes to ammunition, Russia and China are the major arms suppliers to Sudan. The country also has at least three weapons factories, built outside Khartoum, with assistance from the Chinese.
9. Libya
GDP: $44 billion
Defense Spending: $3.57 billion
Technological Advancement: N/A
Manpower: 100,000
Tanks: 325
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 4,076
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 127
Naval Fleet: 7
Average Ranking: 10
Libya has the fourth largest military budget in Africa. The country, however, has descended into violence since the collapse of the Gaddafi regime in 2011, after which a number of home-grown militias seized power in different parts of the country, creating a challenge for the national military to ensure law and order.
8. Tunisia
GDP: $47 billion
Defense Spending: $1.18 billion
Technological Advancement: 73/132
Manpower: 90,000
Tanks: 145
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 23,200
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 152
Naval Fleet: 40
Average Ranking: 9.3
Tunisia has one of the strongest militaries in Africa with sizable manpower and a large fleet of armored fighting vehicles. Its air force is well equipped with several combat aircrafts and helicopters. The national navy has a fleet of 40 ships, with over 4,800 personnel, and bases at Bizerte, Kelibia, La Goulette, and Sfax.
7. Kenya
GDP: $116 billion
Defense Spending: $1.18 billion
Technological Advancement: 88/132
Manpower: 35,000
Tanks: 111
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 5,800
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 156
Naval Fleet: 23
Average Ranking: 8.7
The Kenyan military has access to modern military equipment, including tanks, artillery, and fighter jets, and is a key peacekeeping force in the continent, most notably in Somalia and South Sudan. Kenya is fourth among the most technologically advanced countries in Africa and has a self sufficient defense industry when it comes to the production of submachine guns and ammo.
6. Angola
GDP: $121 billion
Defense Spending: $1.06 billion
Technological Advancement: 127/132
Manpower: 107,000
Tanks: 156
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 5,500
Aircrafts including Fighter Jets: 302
Naval Fleet: 40
Average Ranking: 8.5
Angola is widely considered to be one of the most powerful military powers in Africa. In addition to its active manpower of 107,000 troops, it also has another 500,000 reserve soldiers. Moreover, its military is well-equipped with fighter jets like the Su-30, Su-25, and MiG-21. Angolan soldiers are battle-hardened due to their involvement in regional conflicts with Congo, as well as the Angolan Civil War which ran from 1975 through till 2002.
