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Military Strength: Flag of Syria Syria vs Flag of Turkey Turkey

Military Strength
Syria Turkey
Global Military Index 29.9 (#69) 57.8 (#9)
Military personnel 269,000 512,000
– Reserve troops 0 378,700
– Paramilitary forces 0 156,800
Military aircraft 414 1,067
– incl. combat aircraft 225 299
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 153 458
Military ships 0 192
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 13
Main battle tanks 365 2,238
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Turkey (ranked #9 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Syria (#69) on the Global Military Index. Syria fields 269,000 active troops vs 512,000 for Turkey, backed by 378,700 reserves and 156,800 paramilitary. Turkey's $31B defense budget is 13:1 that of Syria ($2B).

In the air, Syria operates 414 aircraft including 225 combat jets, while Turkey fields 1,067 with 299 fighters.

Turkey operates a 192-ship naval fleet; Syria has no navy. On the ground, Syria deploys 365 main battle tanks vs 2,238 for Turkey.

Neither Syria nor Turkey possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇸🇾 Syria World #69
29.7/ 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% 70.8 169000 effective
Ground forces 20% 38.7 365 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 54.5 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 40.6 $2.5B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.94 Budget per soldier
🇹🇷 Turkey World #9
57.8/ 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% 82.9 591590 effective
Ground forces 20% 75.7 2238 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 61.2 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 62.7 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 4.3 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 70.6 $31.3B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.06 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Syria Turkey
Population 24.7 million 85.5 million
GDP $23.6 billion $1.4 trillion
GDP per capita $957 $15,893
Military budget $2.5 billion $31.3 billion
– share of GDP 4.1% 2.3%
– share of govt spending 13.6% 0.0%
– per capita spending $110 $366
Land area 183,630 km² 769,632 km²
Coastline 193 km 7,200 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
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Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Syria or Turkey?
Turkey has approximately 512,000 active military personnel compared to Syria's 269,000, giving Turkey a 1.9:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Syria or Turkey?
Turkey operates 299 combat aircraft compared to Syria's 225. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Syria or Turkey?
Turkey has a larger navy with 192 vessels compared to Syria's 0 ships. Syria operates 0 submarines while Turkey has 13.
Which country spends more on defense, Syria or Turkey?
Turkey has a larger defense budget at $31.3 billion (13:1 more) compared to Syria's $2.5 billion annually.
Do Syria and Turkey have nuclear weapons?
Neither Syria nor Turkey currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Syria and Turkey compare?
Turkey operates 2,238 main battle tanks compared to Syria's 365. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.