1st Edition
The Military Balance 2023
The Military Balance has been published annually since 1959. The 2023 edition provides an open-source assessment of the armed forces and equipment inventories of 173 countries, with accompanying defence economics data. Alongside detailed country data, The Military Balance assesses important military issues, region-by-region, and includes graphics to illustrate these as well as noteworthy equipment developments. Maps this year include a focus on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and select China-Russia military cooperation activities. The book draws on the range of data carried in the Military Balance+ online database, particularly the procurement features in each regional section. The accompanying wallchart explores the military use of outer space, an increasingly important element of defence capabilities, focusing on China, Russia and the United States. For those involved in defence and security policymaking, analysis and research, The Military Balance is an indispensable source.
Part One Capabilities, Trends and Economics
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1
- Overview analysis – the Shadow of War
Chapter 2 North America
- Regional trends infographics
- United States: defence policy developments, the armed forces, and economics
- Canada: defence policy
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 3 Europe
- Regional trends infographics
- Key drivers for regional defence policy developments, important policy changes, and economics
- Features on NATO’s new posture; support to Ukraine; the FREMM frigate; and the UK’s regeneration of its maritime-patrol aircraft capability
- Regional defence economics
- Poland: defence transformation
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 4 Russia and Eurasia
- Regional trends infographics
- Regional defence policy developments
- Russia: defence policy, the armed forces, including feature on the recapitalisation of Russia’s bomber inventory, and economics
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Ukraine: responding to Russia’s invasion; Ukrainian main battle tank upgrades
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 5 Asia
- Regional trends infographics
- Key drivers for regional defence policy developments, important policy changes, and economics
- Features on regional dependence on Russian weapons; Sino-Russian collaboration; Taiwan; and defence policy developments in Australia and in Japan
- Regional defence economics
- China: defence policy, the armed forces, and defence economics
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 6 Middle East and North Africa
- Regional trends infographics
- Key drivers for regional defence policy developments, important policy changes, and economics
- Regional defence economics
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 7 Latin America and the Caribbean
- Regional trends infographics
- Key drivers for regional defence policy developments, important policy changes, and economics
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Chapter 8 Sub-Saharan Africa
- Regional trends and infographics
- Key drivers for regional defence policy developments, important policy changes, and economics
- Features on the war in Tigray and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, and defence developments in South Africa
- Arms procurements and deliveries
- Armed forces data section
Part Two Reference
- Explanatory notes
- Principal land definitions; Principal naval definitions; Principal aviation definitions
- List of abbreviations for data sections
- International comparisons of defence expenditure and military personnel
- Index of country/territory abbreviations
- Index of countries and territories
Biography
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is an independent centre for research, information and debate on the problems of conflict, however caused, that have, or potentially have, an important military content. The staff of the Institute is international in composition and IISS work is international in its perspective and reach. The Institute is independent and stresses rigorous fact-based research with a forward-looking policy orientation that can improve wider public understanding of international security problems and influence the development of sounder public policy, and more effective business decisions in the international arena.
