Military Strength: 
United Arab Emirates vs 
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates (ranked #19 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Bahrain (#58) on the ARMS Index. United Arab Emirates fields 63,000 active troops — 3.3:1 Bahrain's 19,000, backed by 130,000 reserves. United Arab Emirates's $22B defense budget is 16:1 that of Bahrain ($1.4B).
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
United Arab EmiratesWorld #19
51.2
ARMS Index / 100
United Arab Emirates leads on 5 of 6 pillars
BahrainWorld #58
35.4
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.15 vs ×1.10 · Methodology
Key figures
| United Arab Emirates | Bahrain | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $22B | $1.4B | 🇦🇪 16× |
| – share of GDP | 4.0% | 3.0% | 🇦🇪 1.3× |
| Active personnel | 63,000 | 19,000 | 🇦🇪 3.3× |
| Combat aircraft | 135 | 44 | 🇦🇪 3.1× |
| Warships | 79 | 65 | 🇦🇪 1.2× |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 354 | 150 | 🇦🇪 2.4× |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 130,000 | 0 | 🇦🇪 |
| Paramilitary forces | 0 | 11,260 | 🇧🇭 |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 592 | 136 | 🇦🇪 4.4× |
| – helicopters | 264 | 80 | 🇦🇪 3.3× |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $2,011 | $890 | 🇦🇪 2.3× |
| Population | 11M | 1.6M | 🇦🇪 6.9× |
| GDP | $552B | $47B | 🇦🇪 12× |
| GDP per capita | $50,274 | $29,654 | 🇦🇪 1.7× |
| Land area | 83,600 km² | 786 km² | 🇦🇪 106× |
| Coastline | 1,318 km | 161 km | 🇦🇪 8.2× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history United Arab Emirates ×1.0 · Bahrain ×0.9 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has approximately 63,000 active military personnel compared to Bahrain's 19,000, giving United Arab Emirates a 3.3:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates operates 135 combat aircraft compared to Bahrain's 44. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has a larger navy with 79 vessels compared to Bahrain's 65 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, United Arab Emirates or Bahrain?
United Arab Emirates has a larger defense budget at $22.1 billion (16:1 more) compared to Bahrain's $1.4 billion annually.
Do United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have nuclear weapons?
Neither United Arab Emirates nor Bahrain currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of United Arab Emirates and Bahrain compare?
United Arab Emirates operates 354 main battle tanks compared to Bahrain's 150. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.