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Military Strength: Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia vs Flag of Yemen Yemen

Military Strength
Saudi Arabia Yemen
Global Military Index 55.9 (#14) 23.9 (#88)
Military personnel 282,000 20,000
– Reserve troops 0 0
– Paramilitary forces 24,500 0
Military aircraft 914 156
– incl. combat aircraft 384 75
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 262 40
Military ships 29 29
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 840 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Saudi Arabia (ranked #14 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Yemen (#88) on the Global Military Index. Saudi Arabia fields 282,000 active troops — 14:1 Yemen's 20,000, backed by 24,500 paramilitary. Saudi Arabia's $88B defense budget is 51:1 that of Yemen ($2B).

In the air, Saudi Arabia operates 914 aircraft including 384 combat jets, while Yemen fields 156 with 75 fighters.

At sea, Saudi Arabia's 29-ship navy matches Yemen's 29 vessels. On the ground, Saudi Arabia deploys 840 main battle tanks vs 0 for Yemen.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor Yemen possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia World #14
55.9/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 75.0 264350 effective
Ground forces 20% 66.9 840 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 36.4 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 67.6 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 77.6 $88.0B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.15 Budget per soldier
🇾🇪 Yemen World #88
23.5/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 57.7 40000 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 17.8 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 42.9 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 37.6 $1.7B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.01 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Saudi Arabia Yemen
Population 35.3 million 40.6 million
GDP $1.2 trillion $21.6 billion
GDP per capita $35,122 $532
Military budget $88.0 billion $1.7 billion
– share of GDP 7.1% 4.0%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 14.3%
– per capita spending $2494 $58
Land area 2,149,690 km² 527,968 km²
Coastline 2,640 km 1,906 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Saudi Arabia or Yemen?
Saudi Arabia has approximately 282,000 active military personnel compared to Yemen's 20,000, giving Saudi Arabia a 14:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Saudi Arabia or Yemen?
Saudi Arabia operates 384 combat aircraft compared to Yemen's 75. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Saudi Arabia or Yemen?
Yemen has a larger navy with 29 vessels compared to Saudi Arabia's 29 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Saudi Arabia or Yemen?
Saudi Arabia has a larger defense budget at $88.0 billion (51:1 more) compared to Yemen's $1.7 billion annually.
Do Saudi Arabia and Yemen have nuclear weapons?
Neither Saudi Arabia nor Yemen currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Saudi Arabia and Yemen compare?
Saudi Arabia operates 840 main battle tanks compared to Yemen's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.