These are the 10 most powerful armies in the world

There are no surprises in the top three.

THERE WERE FEW surprises at the top of a list detailing the world’s most powerful armies this week.

Global Firepower examined the defence forces of 68 countries in order to compile the rankings, taking into account manpower, land systems, air power, naval power, resources, logistics, finances and geography covered.

Nuclear capabilities were excluded from the survey “as the inclusion of such weapons would defeat the purpose of such comparisons”. The placings are based strictly on each nation’s potential conventional war-making capabilities across land, sea and air.

A formula with more than forty different factors was used and the data refined further with bonuses (for things like low oil consumption) and penalties (for example border/coastline coverage).

Check out the top 10, with some accompanying stats…(Spoiler: Ireland did not make the cut.)

10. Brazil

Students of Brasilia’s military school attend a ceremony commemorating the Army Day in Brasilia, Brazil in 2011. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Power Index: 0.6912
Active Frontline Personnel: 371,199
Total Aircraft: 822
Tanks: 469
Naval Power: 106
Budget: $31,576,000,000

9. Italy

Two Italian Army soldiers on patrol with an Italian state police officer at a commuter railway station on the outskirts of Rome in 2008. (AP Photo Pier Paolo Cito)

Power Index: 0.6838
Active Frontline Personnel: 293,202
Total Aircraft: 770
Tanks: 720
Naval Power: 179
Budget: $31,946,000,000

8. South Korea

South Korean special army soldiers demonstrate their martial arts skills during the 64th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryong military headquarters. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Power Index: 0.6547
Active Frontline Personnel: 653,000
Total Aircraft: 871
Tanks: 2,466
Naval Power: 190
Budget: $28,280,000,000

7. Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks to a German Army soldier who wears heavy explosion protection gear during a visit to the Army Training Centre of the German Armed Forces in Letzlingen. (AP Photo/Eckehard Schulz)

Power Index: 0.6491
Active Frontline Personnel: 148,996
Total Aircraft: 925
Tanks: 408
Naval Power: 67
Budget: $43,478,000,000

6. France

France’s President Francois Hollande, shakes hands with soldiers as he visits the army stand at the regional fair in Chalon en Champagne last year. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Power Index: 0.6163
Active Frontline Personnel: 362,485
Total Aircraft: 544
Tanks: 571
Naval Power: 180
Budget: $58,244,000,000

5. United Kingdom

Soldiers from 32 Regiment Royal Artillery. (Ben Birchall/PA Archive)

Power Index: 0.5185
Active Frontline Personnel: 224,500
Total Aircraft: 1,412
Tanks: 227
Naval Power: 77
Budget: $57,875,170,000

4. India

Indian army soldiers of Sikh Light Infantry Regiment march during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India on 26 January 2011. The day marks the anniversary of India’s adoption of a democratic constitution. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Power Index: 0.4346
Active Frontline Personnel: 1,325,000
Total Aircraft: 1,962
Tanks: 3,555
Naval Power: 170
Budget: $44,282,000,000

3. China

A Chinese soldier is reflected on a window glass as he stands guard during a media oppotunity for the coverage of China’s attack helicopter Z-9WZ at a Chinese Liberation Army base last year. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Power Index: 0.3351
Active Frontline Personnel: 2,285,000
Total Aircraft: 5,048
Tanks: 7,950
Naval Power: 972
Budget: $129,272,000,000

2. Russia

Wearing Red Army World War II-era uniforms, Russian troops march in the annual Victory Day parade at Moscow’s Red Square, Friday, 9 May 2008. (AP Photo)

Power Index: 0.2618
Active Frontline Personnel: 1,200,000
Total Aircraft: 4,498
Tanks: 2,867
Naval Power: 224
Budget: $64,000,000,000

1. USA

A US Army soldier holds keys of Saddam Hussein’s Al-Faw palace at the Camp Victory Complex in November 2011. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

Power Index: 0.2475
Active Frontline Personnel: 1,477,896
Total Aircraft: 15,293
Tanks: 8,325
Naval Power: 290
Budget: $689,591,000,000