| AUKUS | China | |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Military Index | 100.0 | 84.8 |
| Member states | 3 | 1 |
| Active military personnel | 1,529,050 | 2,035,000 |
| – Reserve troops | 910,620 | 510,000 |
| Military aircraft | 13,779 | 3,731 |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 3,195 | 2,043 |
| Military ships | 342 | 1,042 |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 13 | 3 |
| – incl. submarines | 81 | 64 |
| Main battle tanks | 4,942 | 6,800 |
| Nuclear warheads | 5,267 | 600 |
| Combined defense budget | $1.0 trillion | $281.2 billion |
Overview
AUKUS groups 3 countries against 1 for China. AUKUS fields 1,529,050 active troops combined vs 2,035,000 for China. AUKUS's combined $1044B defense budget is 3.7x that of China ($281B).
In the air, AUKUS musters 13,779 military aircraft (3,195 combat) against 3,731 (2,043 combat) for China. At sea, the fleets total 342 ships for AUKUS and 1,042 for China, including 81 and 64 submarines respectively. On the ground, AUKUS deploys 4,942 main battle tanks vs 6,800 for China.
Both blocs hold nuclear weapons: AUKUS's members maintain 5,267 warheads and China's hold 600.
Combined Military Index
Country ranking →| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 95.3 | 1,984,360 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 100.0 | 4,942 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 100.0 | 342 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 100.0 | 13,779 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 99.3 | 5,267 warheads |
| Defense budget | 10% | 100.0 | $1044B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×1.20 | Budget per soldier |
| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 98.7 | 2,740,000 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 87.2 | 6,800 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 100.0 | 1,042 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 91.1 | 3,731 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 62.2 | 600 warheads |
| Defense budget | 10% | 91.8 | $281B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×1.09 | Budget per soldier |
Combined scores treat each coalition as a single force: raw pillar values (troops, weighted equipment points, warheads, budgets) are summed across members and re-scored on the Global Military Index scale. Alliance cohesion, geography and logistics are not modeled.
Forces by Domain
Member Forces
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States ☢ | 99.8 | 1,326,050 | 12,784 | 234 | 88% |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom ☢ | 62.1 | 144,400 | 640 | 65 | 8% |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 51.5 | 58,600 | 355 | 43 | 3% |
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China ☢ | 84.8 | 2,035,000 | 3,731 | 1,042 | 100% |
Economy & Geography
| AUKUS | China | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 436.5 million | 1.4 billion |
| Combined GDP | $34.2 trillion | $18.7 trillion |
| GDP per capita | $78,331 | $13,303 |
| Defense share of GDP | 3.1% | 1.5% |
| Land area | 17,023,088 km² | 9,326,410 km² |
| Coastline | 58,113 km | 14,500 km |
| Coalition | Country | Status | Warheads | Deployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUKUS | 🇺🇸 United States | Active | 5,042 | 1,770 |
| AUKUS | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Active | 225 | 120 |
| China | 🇨🇳 China | Active | 600 | 24 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is stronger, AUKUS or China?
On the combined Global Military Index, AUKUS scores 100.0 against 84.8 for China. The score aggregates each bloc's manpower, ground, naval, air, nuclear and budget pillars as if it fought as a single force — it ignores geography, cohesion and logistics, which decide real wars.
How many troops do AUKUS and China have?
AUKUS fields 1,529,050 active military personnel across 3 member states, plus 910,620 reserves. China fields 2,035,000 active personnel and 510,000 reserves.
How much do AUKUS and China spend on defense?
Combined defense spending reaches $1044B a year for AUKUS and $281B for China, summing each member's latest reported military budget.
Who has more military aircraft, AUKUS or China?
AUKUS operates 13,779 military aircraft (3,195 combat aircraft), while China operates 3,731 (2,043 combat). Each member is counted at its most recent inventory year in the GlobalMilitary.net database.
Do AUKUS or China have nuclear weapons?
Yes — both. AUKUS's nuclear-armed members hold 5,267 warheads combined, against 600 for China. Only warheads owned by member states are counted; hosted weapons remain with their owner.