Myanmar Military Forces 🇲🇲

Strategic Position

Myanmar’s defense posture is defined by an ongoing internal conflict between the ruling State Administration Council (SAC) and a diverse coalition of Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs). The military, known as the Tatmadaw, has shifted its strategic priority from external territorial defense to internal regime survival and the suppression of nationwide insurgencies. Geopolitically, Myanmar serves as a critical corridor for the People's Republic of China, which seeks to secure its China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) to gain direct access to the Indian Ocean.

Myanmar maintains no formal alliance memberships with major international pacts such as NATO. Instead, it relies on bilateral defense cooperation with the Russian Federation and China. Russia serves as a primary supplier of advanced military hardware and technical expertise, with both nations signing 2025 roadmaps for cooperation in nuclear and space technology. Relationships within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remain strained due to the internal conflict, though the military maintains functional border security cooperation with Thailand and India.

Military Forces

The Tatmadaw is organized into three primary branches: the Army, Navy, and Air Force, all under the centralized control of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief. In 2024, the SAC activated the People's Military Service Law to address manpower shortages caused by desertions and battlefield casualties. This conscription program aims to draft approximately 60,000 personnel annually to supplement the active-duty force, which is estimated to number between 150,000 and 200,000.

The Army remains the dominant branch, organized into Regional Military Commands (RMCs). It fields a mix of Soviet and Chinese-designed armored vehicles, including VT-4, T-72S, and Type 59D main battle tanks, as well as BTR-3U and locally assembled armored personnel carriers. Specialized units, such as Light Infantry Divisions (LIDs), serve as mobile strike forces for counter-insurgency operations.

The Air Force has assumed a lead role in the current conflict to offset ground-force limitations. It operates a fleet of multirole fighters including the Su-30SME, MiG-29, and JF-17. Light attack capabilities are centered on the FTC-2000G and Yak-130 aircraft. In 2025, the Air Force significantly increased its use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance and precision strikes.

The Navy maintains a coastal and riverine focus, though it has expanded its deep-sea capabilities. It operates Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines and a fleet of locally built frigates, such as the Kyan Sittha class. Its primary role in 2025 involves logistical support for ground operations in Rakhine State and the Ayeyarwady Delta.

Defense Industry

The Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI), commonly known as KaPaSa, manages a network of approximately 20 to 25 state-owned factories. These facilities produce a wide range of materiel, including the MA-series of small arms, mortars, artillery shells, landmines, and aerial bombs. In 2025, several critical production lines were relocated to the administrative capital, Naypyidaw, to secure them from advancing resistance forces.

While the military is largely self-sufficient in the production of light weapons and ammunition, it remains heavily dependent on foreign imports for advanced components. This includes computer numerical control (CNC) machinery, high-tech fuses, optical sights, and raw materials sourced from Russia, China, India, and Thailand.

Strategic Trends

The primary strategic trend in 2025 is the fragmentation of territorial control. The Tatmadaw has lost significant territory in border regions, including the loss of the Northeast and Western Regional Military Commands to EAOs. In response, the military has adopted a "rump state" strategy, focusing its remaining resources on defending major urban centers, critical infrastructure, and the administrative heartland of central Myanmar.

Defense spending is estimated to exceed 3% of GDP, though accurate figures are difficult to verify due to off-budget revenue from state-owned enterprises. Procurement priorities have shifted toward airpower and drone technology to counter the resistance's use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) UAVs. The SAC's long-term strategy includes holding national elections in late 2025 or 2026 to legitimize its authority, a goal that dictates current offensive operations intended to clear and secure contested townships. However, the military faces severe constraints, including international sanctions targeting aviation fuel and the erosion of its professional officer corps through prolonged attrition.