GINC Defence
Patterns

Patterns

What the holdings of the 24 nations show when set side by side. Every measure is descriptive and worked out from the directory; none is a measure of strength.

What the data shows

The median platform in service with North Korea entered service in 1959; with Germany, in 2003. Counts weight the median, so a nation's fleets of older armoured vehicles pull it back more than a handful of new aircraft pull it forward.

12 of the 24 nations draw half or more of their active platforms from their own industry. China has the highest domestic share (97 per cent), Mexico the lowest (1 per cent). Across the 24, supplier concentration and domestic share move together (correlation 0.59): a nation that builds most of what it holds is, by construction, concentrated on one supplier, itself.

The modernisation ratio, platforms on order against platforms active, is highest for Germany (0.85) and Australia (0.26). On-order figures are the least complete of all: Wikipedia lists record few orders and SIPRI records orders only for imports.

Fleet age

Median year in service of active platforms, weighted by count, by nation (dot) and by domain. Nations ordered by their overall median.

194019802020North KoreaNorth Korea, land: 1959North Korea, air: 1959North Korea, all domains: 1959TürkiyeTürkiye, land: 1960Türkiye, sea: 2002Türkiye, air: 1979Türkiye, all domains: 1960ArgentinaArgentina, land: 1960Argentina, sea: 1978Argentina, air: 1968Argentina, all domains: 1960IranIran, land: 1961Iran, sea: 1976Iran, air: 2017Iran, all domains: 1963BrazilBrazil, land: 1960Brazil, sea: 1977Brazil, air: 1983Brazil, all domains: 1973South AfricaSouth Africa, land: 1977South Africa, air: 1976South Africa, all domains: 1977IsraelIsrael, land: 1978Israel, sea: 1941Israel, air: 1979Israel, all domains: 1978IndiaIndia, land: 1979India, sea: 2000India, air: 1982India, all domains: 1979Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia, land: 1966Saudi Arabia, sea: 1992Saudi Arabia, air: 1980Saudi Arabia, all domains: 1979IndonesiaIndonesia, land: 1980Indonesia, sea: 1986Indonesia, air: 1981Indonesia, all domains: 1981RussiaRussia, land: 1979Russia, sea: 1987Russia, air: 2013Russia, all domains: 1981TaiwanTaiwan, land: 1981Taiwan, sea: 1972Taiwan, air: 1984Taiwan, all domains: 1981CanadaCanada, land: 1983Canada, air: 1983Canada, all domains: 1983MexicoMexico, land: 1984Mexico, sea: 2025Mexico, air: 1979Mexico, all domains: 1984UkraineUkraine, land: 1984Ukraine, sea: 1968Ukraine, air: 1979Ukraine, all domains: 1984United KingdomUnited Kingdom, land: 1988United Kingdom, sea: 1999United Kingdom, air: 1990United Kingdom, all domains: 1988ChinaChina, land: 1990China, sea: 2006China, air: 1998China, all domains: 1993ItalyItaly, land: 1997Italy, sea: 1972Italy, air: 2000Italy, all domains: 1997AustraliaAustralia, land: 1998Australia, sea: 2022Australia, air: 1999Australia, all domains: 1998South KoreaSouth Korea, land: 1999South Korea, sea: 2007South Korea, air: 1979South Korea, all domains: 1999United StatesUnited States, land: 1991United States, sea: 1991United States, air: 2003United States, all domains: 2000FranceFrance, land: 1976France, sea: 1992France, air: 2018France, all domains: 2002JapanJapan, land: 2002Japan, sea: 1991Japan, air: 1976Japan, all domains: 2002GermanyGermany, land: 1997Germany, sea: 1999Germany, air: 2003Germany, all domains: 2003

LandSeaAirAll domains

Supplier concentration and domestic share

Each nation's Herfindahl index of the origin nations of its active platforms (1 means a single origin) against the share of those platforms made at home.

Domestic shareSupplier concentration000.50.511United States: domestic 85 per cent, concentration 0.72USAUnited Kingdom: domestic 64 per cent, concentration 0.42GBRAustralia: domestic 59 per cent, concentration 0.41AUSFrance: domestic 94 per cent, concentration 0.85FRAGermany: domestic 73 per cent, concentration 0.51DEUJapan: domestic 49 per cent, concentration 0.34JPNSouth Korea: domestic 68 per cent, concentration 0.52KORCanada: domestic 52 per cent, concentration 0.29CANItaly: domestic 56 per cent, concentration 0.37ITAIndia: domestic 36 per cent, concentration 0.33INDTürkiye: domestic 25 per cent, concentration 0.48TURSaudi Arabia: domestic 5 per cent, concentration 0.32SAUBrazil: domestic 59 per cent, concentration 0.40BRAIndonesia: domestic 26 per cent, concentration 0.15IDNMexico: domestic 1 per cent, concentration 0.64MEXArgentina: domestic 30 per cent, concentration 0.29ARGSouth Africa: domestic 74 per cent, concentration 0.57ZAFRussia: domestic 97 per cent, concentration 0.62RUSChina: domestic 97 per cent, concentration 0.92CHNIsrael: domestic 48 per cent, concentration 0.45ISRUkraine: domestic 2 per cent, concentration 0.30UKRTaiwan: domestic 21 per cent, concentration 0.54TWNIran: domestic 25 per cent, concentration 0.25IRNNorth Korea: domestic 17 per cent, concentration 0.53PRK

Modernisation ratio

Platforms on order against platforms active, by nation.

Category coverage

Nations as rows, the categories as columns.

Main battle tank
Infantry fighting vehicle
Armoured personnel carrier
Reconnaissance and light armour
Self-propelled artillery
Towed artillery
Rocket artillery and MLRS
Mortars (120 mm+)
Anti-tank missile system
Ground-based air defence (short range)
Ground-based air defence (medium and long range)
Engineering and bridging
Aircraft carrier
Amphibious assault ship
Destroyer
Frigate
Corvette and OPV
Fast attack and patrol craft
Mine warfare
Nuclear-powered submarine
Conventional submarine
Replenishment and auxiliary
Naval aircraft and helicopters
Fighter and multirole
Strike and bomber
Attack helicopter
Tanker
Airborne early warning and control
Maritime patrol
ISR and electronic warfare aircraft
Trainer
Transport aircraft
Transport and utility helicopter
Combat UAV
ISR UAV
Loitering munition
Military communications satellite
ISR satellite
Navigation
Early warning
Launch capability
Intercontinental ballistic missile
Submarine-launched ballistic missile
Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile
Short-range ballistic missile
Land-attack cruise missile
Hypersonic
Strategic bomber
Long-range radar
Integrated air defence network
Command and control systems
Electronic warfare systems
Offensive cyber
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
France
Germany
Japan
South Korea
Canada
Italy
India
Türkiye
Saudi Arabia
Brazil
Indonesia
Mexico
Argentina
South Africa
Russia
China
Israel
Ukraine
Taiwan
Iran
North Korea
  • None
  • On order only
  • Legacy only
  • Modern
  • Modern and on order

Modern: a platform that entered service in 1995 or later, or one of the current generations of fighters, tanks, submarines and long-range air defence.