Spain Climbs Ranking To 17th Military Power Worldwide 

Spain is climbing nan world subject ladder, good up of its confederate neighbour, Morocco, according to nan latest Global Firepower (GFP) 2025 report.

The study places nan Spanish Armed Forces successful 17th spot retired of 145 countries, while Morocco occupies 59th place. 

This quality translates into a resounding advantage for Spain successful position of military, technological, budgetary, and world projection capabilities. Spain has besides moved up 3 places compared to nan erstwhile year, erstwhile it was successful 20th place. Morocco, which is presently undergoing rearmament, has moved up 1 spot, having been successful 60th spot successful 2024.

The apical 10 subject powers are…

The apical 10 countries by subject powerfulness are nan United States, Russia, China, India, South Korea, nan United Kingdom, France, Japan, Turkey, and Italy.

The full defence fund Spain has allocated is $23.4 billion, making it nan 22nd largest successful nan world. Furthermore, Spain is simply a personnel of NATO and nan European Union’s defence structure, which gives it entree to precocious technology, shared intelligence, and multinational exercises.

Morocco spends astir $13.4 cardinal connected its defence yearly, a notable summation compared to erstwhile years. This summation places it 27th successful world subject spending, reflecting a modernisation argumentation that has included nan acquisition of F-16 combatant jets, drones, and US-made Abrams tanks.

Despite Spain’s superiority successful technological and budgetary capabilities, Morocco consistently stands retired successful this ranking successful position of personnel. The Royal Armed Forces person astir 200,000 active-duty soldiers, positive 150,000 reservists and 50,000 paramilitaries. 

Spain has 133,000 active-duty soldiers, 15,000 reservists, and 78,000 Civil Guard and different forces pinch subject functions.

More soldiers are not a decisive factor

This quality translates into greater mobilisation capacity successful nan arena of a conflict. However, analysts work together that nan number of soldiers is not ever decisive if logistical capabilities, training, equipment, and projection do not travel it.

According to nan information utilized successful this ranking, Spain has 461 subject aircraft, including 137 combat aircraft, including nan Eurofighter Typhoon and nan F-18. It besides has a transport, refuelling, and surveillance fleet that enables long-range operations.

Morocco operates immoderate 260 aircraft, including 83 fighters, mostly F-16s and Mirage 2000s. Although its aerial unit has been strengthened successful caller years, it remains inferior to Spain’s successful some numbers and technology.

Spain has 152 naval units, including nan craft bearer Juan Carlos I, F-100 frigates, amphibious ships, and is processing nan caller S-80 submarine program, 1 of nan Navy’s astir precocious technological programs. 

No ongoing threat

Morocco, pinch 111 units, lacks submarines and craft carriers, and its fleet is based chiefly connected patrol boats and coastal surveillance corvettes.

Morocco, however, has much crushed capacity than Spain. Its service has 903 tanks, including modern models specified arsenic nan M1 Abrams, compared to nan Spanish Army’s 317. In nan end, of course, Spain is acold superior to Morocco, but nan comparison is not made because of immoderate ongoing threat.