Military of the European Union
Encyclopedia
The military of the European Union today comprises the several national armed forces
of the Union
's 27 member states
, as the policy area of defence has remained primarily the domain of nation states. European integration
has however been deepened in this field in recent years, with the framing of a Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) branch for the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP) as well as the creation of separate international forces revolving around the EU's defence. A number of CSDP military operations have been deployed in recent years.
Several prominent leaders, including French
President Nicolas Sarkozy
, German
Chancellor
Angela Merkel
, Italian
Foreign Minister
Franco Frattini and former Belgian
Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt
, have voiced support for a common defence for the Union. This possibility, requiring unanimous support among the member states, was formally laid down in Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon
on 1 December 2009.
Additionally, the Treaty of Lisbon extended the enhanced co-operation
provision to become available for application in the area of defence. This mechanism enables a minimum number of member states to deepen integration
within the EUs institutional framework, without the necessity of participation for reluctant member states. The Polish government has announced its intention of examining the possibility of applying this provision in the area of defence during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union
in the second half of 2011. This move has as of December 2010 been publicly supported by several national governments.
Following the end of World War II
and the defeat of Nazi Germany
, the Dunkirk Treaty
was signed by France
and the United Kingdom
on 4 March 1947 as a Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance against a possible German
attack in the aftermath of World War II
. The Dunkirk Treaty entered into force on 8 September 1947. The 1948 Treaty of Brussels
established the military Western Union Defence Organization
with an allied European command structure under Field Marshal Montgomery. Western European powers, except for Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Austria, signed the North Atlantic Treaty
alongside the United States and Canada which only created a passive defence association until 1951 when, during the Korean War
, the existing and fully functioning Western Union Defence Organization was augmented to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.
In the early 1950s, France
, Germany
, Italy
and the Benelux
countries made an attempt to integrate the militaries of mainland Western Europe, through the treaty establishing the European Defence Community
(EDC). This scheme did however not enter into force, as it failed to obtain approval for ratification in the French National Assembly, where Gaullists
feared for national sovereignty and Communists
opposed a European military consolidation that could rival the Soviet Union
.
The failure to establish the EDC resulted in the 1954 amendment of the Treaty of Brussels
at the London and Paris Conferences
which in replacement of EDC established the political Western European Union
(WEU) out of the earlier established military Western Union Defence Organization
and included West Germany and Italy in both WEU and NATO as the conference ended the occupation of West Germany and the defence aims had shifted from Germany to the Soviet Union.
Out of the 27 EU member states, 21 are also members of NATO. Another 3 NATO members are EU Applicants and 1 is solely a member of the European Economic Area
. In 1996, the Western European Union
(WEU) was tasked by NATO to implement a European Security and Defence Identity within NATO, which later was passed over to the EU Common Security and Defence Policy as all Western European Union
functions were transferred to the European Union
through the Lisbon Treaty. The memberships of the EU and NATO are distinct, and some EU member states are traditionally neutral on defence issues. Several of the new EU member states were formerly members of the Warsaw Pact
.
The EU currently has a limited mandate over defence issues, with a role to explore the issue of European defence agreed to in the Amsterdam Treaty
, as well as oversight of the Helsinki Headline Goal
Force Catalogue (the 'European Rapid Reaction Force') processes. However, some EU states may and do make multilateral agreements about defence issues outside of the EU structures.
On 20 February 2009 the European Parliament
voted in favour of the creation of Synchronized Armed Forces Europe
(SAFE) as a first step towards a true European military force. SAFE will be directed by an EU directorate, with its own training standards and operational doctrine. There are also plans to create an EU "Council of Defence Ministers" and "a European statute for soldiers within the framework of Safe governing training standards, operational doctrine and freedom of operational action".
triggered member states of the Western European Union
(WEU) to scrap the organisation, which had largely become dormant, but they have kept the mutual defence clause of the Treaty of Brussels
as a basis for a possible EU mutual defence arrangement.
The Treaty of Lisbon also states that:
and the United Kingdom
represent the EU's two most dominant global military powers and are also Europe's only two nuclear powers (besides Russia). Together, France and the United Kingdom account for 45 per cent of Europe's defence budget, 50 per cent of its military capacity and 70 per cent of all spending in military research and development. The 2010 Anglo French defence treaty will "pool resources" of these two nations' armed forces to maintain their status as major "global defence powers". France and the United Kingdom will also work jointly with nuclear weapons, "testing will be carried out in France and the technology will be developed in the UK."
, second only to the US military's
$698.1 billion 2010 defence budget, which represents 4.5% of United States GDP. The EU figures include the spending for joint projects such as the Eurofighter
and joint procurement of equipment
.
's combined active military forces in 2009 totaled 1,668,537 personnel. As of 2009, The 26 European Defence Agency
member states had an average of 67,767 land force personnel deployed around the world. In a major operation the EU could readily deploy 443,103 land force personnel and of those can sustain 106,754 in an enduring operation.
Denmark is not an EDA member, but is a member state of the European Union
, thus bringing the total manpower of the combined EU military to 1,695,122 personnel.
Figures for the EU's reserve personnel
and paramilitary
forces are provided by the International Institute for Strategic Studies
(a British
research institute). Figures are provided for the year 2010.
's combined naval force consists of over 600 commissioned warships, this number does not include auxiliary, survey or support ships.
The EU possesses 5 Fleet carrier
s, (the largest of which is the 40,000 ton Charles de Gaulle) and a large number of amphibious assault ships. This gives the EU significant power projection capabilities. The United Kingdom
is currently building 2 (65,000 ton) Supercarrier
s of the Queen Elizabeth class.
Of the EU's 62 submarines, 21 are Nuclear submarines (11 UK and 10 French) while 41 are conventional attack submarines.
s Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA), the European Union
has holdings of up to 9,959 Main Battle Tank
s. However, many of these are purely kept in storage and do not equip front-line units or formations. Figures are also given for;
The (DASA) provides professional analytical, economic and statistical services and advice to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and defence-related statistics to Parliament, other Government Departments and the public.
(CFSP). It should be noted that Denmark
has an opt-out from the CSDP.
from NATO through the European Union Force (EUFOR). The mission was given the branding of an EU initiative as the EU sponsored the force to further the force's image of legitimacy. There have been other deployments such as in Gaza
and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2007, the then European High Representative for Foreign Policy, Javier Solana
indicated the EU could send troops to Georgia
, perhaps alongside Russian forces.
that revolve around the defence of the European Union in some way or another, or acting as a European standing army.
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
of the Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's 27 member states
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
, as the policy area of defence has remained primarily the domain of nation states. European integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
has however been deepened in this field in recent years, with the framing of a Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) branch for the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy
Common Foreign and Security Policy
The Common Foreign and Security Policy is the organised, agreed foreign policy of the European Union for mainly security and defence diplomacy and actions. CFSP deals only with a specific part of the EU's external relations, which domains include mainly Trade and Commercial Policy and other areas...
(CFSP) as well as the creation of separate international forces revolving around the EU's defence. A number of CSDP military operations have been deployed in recent years.
Several prominent leaders, including French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Chancellor
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Foreign Minister
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
As in most countries, in Italy the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of the most important ministerial positions...
Franco Frattini and former Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
, have voiced support for a common defence for the Union. This possibility, requiring unanimous support among the member states, was formally laid down in Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
on 1 December 2009.
Additionally, the Treaty of Lisbon extended the enhanced co-operation
Enhanced co-operation
In the European Union , enhanced cooperation is a procedure where a minimum of nine EU member states are allowed to establish advanced integration or cooperation in an area within EU structures but without the other members being involved...
provision to become available for application in the area of defence. This mechanism enables a minimum number of member states to deepen integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
within the EUs institutional framework, without the necessity of participation for reluctant member states. The Polish government has announced its intention of examining the possibility of applying this provision in the area of defence during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Presidency of the Council of the European Union
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union that rotates between the member states of the European Union every six months. The presidency is not a single president but rather the task is undertaken by a national...
in the second half of 2011. This move has as of December 2010 been publicly supported by several national governments.
History
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the defeat of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, the Dunkirk Treaty
Dunkirk Treaty
The Treaty of Dunkirk was signed on 4 March 1947, between France and the United Kingdom in Dunkirk as a Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance against a possible German attack in the aftermath of World War II. The Dunkirk Treaty entered into force on 8 September 1947 and it preceded the Treaty...
was signed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 4 March 1947 as a Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance against a possible German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
attack in the aftermath of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Dunkirk Treaty entered into force on 8 September 1947. The 1948 Treaty of Brussels
Treaty of Brussels
The Treaty of Brussels was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as an expansion to the preceding year's defence pledge, the Dunkirk Treaty signed between Britain and France...
established the military Western Union Defence Organization
Western Union Defence Organization
The Western Union Defence Organization was the defence arm of the Western Union, the precursor to the Western European Union . The WUDO was also a precursor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , and its headquarters, personnel, and plans provided the nucleus for NATO's military command...
with an allied European command structure under Field Marshal Montgomery. Western European powers, except for Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Austria, signed the North Atlantic Treaty
North Atlantic Treaty
The North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, D.C. on 4 April 1949. The original twelve nations that signed it and thus became the founding members of NATO were:...
alongside the United States and Canada which only created a passive defence association until 1951 when, during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the existing and fully functioning Western Union Defence Organization was augmented to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.
In the early 1950s, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
countries made an attempt to integrate the militaries of mainland Western Europe, through the treaty establishing the European Defence Community
European Defence Community
The European Defense Community was a plan proposed in 1950 by René Pleven, the French President of the Council , in response to the American call for the rearmament of West Germany...
(EDC). This scheme did however not enter into force, as it failed to obtain approval for ratification in the French National Assembly, where Gaullists
Gaullism
Gaullism is a French political ideology based on the thought and action of Resistance leader then president Charles de Gaulle.-Foreign policy:...
feared for national sovereignty and Communists
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
opposed a European military consolidation that could rival the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
The failure to establish the EDC resulted in the 1954 amendment of the Treaty of Brussels
Treaty of Brussels
The Treaty of Brussels was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as an expansion to the preceding year's defence pledge, the Dunkirk Treaty signed between Britain and France...
at the London and Paris Conferences
London and Paris Conferences
The London and Paris Conferences were two related conferences in London and Paris in late September and October 1954 to determine the status of West Germany...
which in replacement of EDC established the political Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
(WEU) out of the earlier established military Western Union Defence Organization
Western Union Defence Organization
The Western Union Defence Organization was the defence arm of the Western Union, the precursor to the Western European Union . The WUDO was also a precursor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , and its headquarters, personnel, and plans provided the nucleus for NATO's military command...
and included West Germany and Italy in both WEU and NATO as the conference ended the occupation of West Germany and the defence aims had shifted from Germany to the Soviet Union.
Out of the 27 EU member states, 21 are also members of NATO. Another 3 NATO members are EU Applicants and 1 is solely a member of the European Economic Area
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
. In 1996, the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
(WEU) was tasked by NATO to implement a European Security and Defence Identity within NATO, which later was passed over to the EU Common Security and Defence Policy as all Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
functions were transferred to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
through the Lisbon Treaty. The memberships of the EU and NATO are distinct, and some EU member states are traditionally neutral on defence issues. Several of the new EU member states were formerly members of the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
.
The EU currently has a limited mandate over defence issues, with a role to explore the issue of European defence agreed to in the Amsterdam Treaty
Amsterdam Treaty
The Amsterdam Treaty, officially the Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, was signed on 2 October 1997, and entered into force on 1 May 1999; it made substantial changes to the Maastricht Treaty,...
, as well as oversight of the Helsinki Headline Goal
Helsinki Headline Goal
The Helsinki Headline Goal was a military capability target set for 2003 during the December 1999 Helsinki European Council meeting with the aim of developing a future European Rapid Reaction Force...
Force Catalogue (the 'European Rapid Reaction Force') processes. However, some EU states may and do make multilateral agreements about defence issues outside of the EU structures.
On 20 February 2009 the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
voted in favour of the creation of Synchronized Armed Forces Europe
Synchronized Armed Forces Europe
Synchronised Armed Forces Europe is a concept for an ever closer synchronisation of the European forces under the Common Security and Defence Policy....
(SAFE) as a first step towards a true European military force. SAFE will be directed by an EU directorate, with its own training standards and operational doctrine. There are also plans to create an EU "Council of Defence Ministers" and "a European statute for soldiers within the framework of Safe governing training standards, operational doctrine and freedom of operational action".
Implications of the Treaty of Lisbon
The entry into force of the Treaty of LisbonTreaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
triggered member states of the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
(WEU) to scrap the organisation, which had largely become dormant, but they have kept the mutual defence clause of the Treaty of Brussels
Treaty of Brussels
The Treaty of Brussels was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as an expansion to the preceding year's defence pledge, the Dunkirk Treaty signed between Britain and France...
as a basis for a possible EU mutual defence arrangement.
The Treaty of Lisbon also states that:
Militaries of Member States
France and the United Kingdom
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
represent the EU's two most dominant global military powers and are also Europe's only two nuclear powers (besides Russia). Together, France and the United Kingdom account for 45 per cent of Europe's defence budget, 50 per cent of its military capacity and 70 per cent of all spending in military research and development. The 2010 Anglo French defence treaty will "pool resources" of these two nations' armed forces to maintain their status as major "global defence powers". France and the United Kingdom will also work jointly with nuclear weapons, "testing will be carried out in France and the technology will be developed in the UK."
Defence Spending
The combined defence budgets of the 27 EU member states in 2010 amounted to $299.7 billion. This represents 1.63% of European Union GDPEconomy of the European Union
The economy of the European Union generates a GDP of over €12,279.033 billion according to the International Monetary Fund , making it the largest economy in the world...
, second only to the US military's
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
$698.1 billion 2010 defence budget, which represents 4.5% of United States GDP. The EU figures include the spending for joint projects such as the Eurofighter
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
and joint procurement of equipment
European defence procurement
European defence procurement refers to the collective armaments purchasing policies of European nations.Traditionally European countries have either developed their own weapon systems or bought 'off the shelf' systems usually NATO-sponsored from the United States or from the Soviet Union, now from...
.
| The hypothetically combined EU military budget compared to other military powers in 2010 Figures sourced from SIPRI SIPRI Stockholm International Peace Research Institute is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament... and EDA. |
| Country | Defence Budget ($ Dollars) | % of GDP | Date (2010) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
European Union European Union The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958... |
$299,768,000,000 | 1.63% | 2010 |
 |
France Military of France The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who... |
$61,285,000,000 | 2.32% | 2010 |
 |
United Kingdom British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... |
$57,424,000,000 | 2.32% | 2010 |
 |
Germany Bundeswehr The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities... |
$46,848,000,000 | 1.27% | 2010 |
 |
Italy Military of Italy The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202... |
$38,303,000,000 | 1.44% | 2010 |
 |
Spain Spanish Armed Forces The Spanish Armed Forces are the military forces of the Kingdom of Spain. The Spanish Armed Forces are a modern military force charged with defending the Kingdom's integrity and sovereignty... |
$25,507,000,000 | 1.16% | 2010 |
 |
Netherlands Military of the Netherlands The Armed forces of the Netherlands consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.The service branches consist of:* Koninklijke Landmacht , Royal Netherlands Army.... |
$11,604,000,000 | 1.43% | 2010 |
 |
Poland Polish Armed Forces Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland... |
$10,800,000,000 | 1.66% | 2010 |
 |
Greece Military of Greece The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air ForceThe civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.... |
$10,398,000,000 | 3.3% | 2010 |
 |
Sweden Swedish Armed Forces The Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the... |
$5,500,000,000 | 1.23% | 2010 |
 |
Belgium Military of Belgium The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830... |
$4,440,000,000 | 1.24% | 2010 |
 |
Denmark Military of Denmark The armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark, known as the Danish Defence is charged with the defence of the Kingdom of Denmark.The Chief of Defence is the head of the Danish Armed Forces, and is head of the Defence Command which is managed by the Ministry of Defence. Constitutionally, the... |
$4,330,000,000 | 1.32% | 2010 |
 |
Finland Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform... |
$4,051,000,000 | 1.32% | 2010 |
 |
Austria Military of Austria The Österreichisches Bundesheer , is the name for the military of the Republic of Austria.... |
$3,650,000,000 | 0.94% | 2010 |
 |
Portugal Portuguese Armed Forces The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force... |
$3,825,000,000 | 1.53% | 2010 |
 |
Czech Republic Military of the Czech Republic The Army of the Czech Republic comprise the land forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak Armed Forces formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance... |
$2,529,000,000 | 1.44% | 2010 |
 |
Romania | $2,164,000,000 | 1.24% | 2010 |
 |
Ireland Irish Defence Forces The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland... |
$1,354,,000,000 | 0.58% | 2010 |
 |
Hungary Military of Hungary The Hungarian Defence Force is the national military of Hungary. It currently has two branches, the Hungarian Ground Force and the Hungarian Air Force.... |
$1,323,000,000 | 1.22% | 2010 |
 |
Slovakia Military of Slovakia The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel. Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.-Structure of the Armed Forces:... |
$1,010,000,000 | 1.53% | 2010 |
 |
Slovenia Military of Slovenia The Military of Slovenia consists of the Slovenian Armed Forces . The SAF are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army... |
$788,000,000 | 1.48% | 2010 |
 |
Bulgaria Military of Bulgaria The Military of Bulgaria, officially the Bulgarian Army represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Commander-in-Chief is the President of Bulgaria . The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership while military command remains in the hands of the General Staff,... |
$698,000,000 | 2.34% | 2010 |
 |
Cyprus | $550,000,000 | 1.78% | 2010 |
 |
Lithuania Military of Lithuania The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~14,500 active personnel . Conscription was ended in September 2008.Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy... |
$427,000,000 | 1.12% | 2010 |
 |
Estonia Military of Estonia The Estonian Defence Forces is the name of the unified armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian military is a defence force consisting of Maavägi , Merevägi , Õhuvägi and a paramilitary organization Kaitseliit... |
$336,000,000 | 1.85% | 2010 |
 |
Luxembourg Military of Luxembourg The Luxembourg Army is the national military of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has no navy, as the country is landlocked, or air force, although it does have aircraft. The Luxembourg Army was integrated into the Force Publique which included the Gendarmerie and the Police. The Gendarmerie was merged... |
$301,000,000 | 0.53% | 2010 |
 |
Latvia | $268,000,000 | 1.60% | 2010 |
 |
Malta | $51,600,000 | 0.50% | 2010 |
Combined European Military Personnel
The European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's combined active military forces in 2009 totaled 1,668,537 personnel. As of 2009, The 26 European Defence Agency
European Defence Agency
The European Defence Agency is an agency of the European Union based in Brussels. It is a Common Foreign and Security Policy body set up on 12 July 2004, reporting to the Council of the European Union. All EU member states, except Denmark which has an opt-out of the CFSP, take part in the agency...
member states had an average of 67,767 land force personnel deployed around the world. In a major operation the EU could readily deploy 443,103 land force personnel and of those can sustain 106,754 in an enduring operation.
Denmark is not an EDA member, but is a member state of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, thus bringing the total manpower of the combined EU military to 1,695,122 personnel.
Figures for the EU's reserve personnel
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
and paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
forces are provided by the International Institute for Strategic Studies
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
(a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
research institute). Figures are provided for the year 2010.
| A chart showing the the combined strength of the EU's active duty personnel compared to other military powers. EU figures sourced from the EDA. (Note: 100 = 1 million) |
| Country | Active military personnel Active duty Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's... |
Reserve personnel Military reserve force A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion... |
Paramilitary Paramilitary A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces.... |
Total military personnel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
European Union |
1,695,122 | 2,614,491 | 755,034 | 5,064,647 |
| |
Germany | 246,982 | 200,812 | 447,794 | |
| |
France Military of France The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who... |
243,000 | 70,300 | 151,779 | 465,079 |
| |
United Kingdom British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... |
197,780 | 212,400 | 410,180 | |
| |
Italy | 192,168 | 41,867 | 244,273 | 478,308 |
| |
Spain | 136,000 | 319,000 | 80,210 | 535,210 |
| |
Greece Military of Greece The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air ForceThe civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.... |
133,385 | 237,500 | 4,000 | 374,885 |
| |
Poland | 98,840 | 10,000 | 28,100 | 136,940 |
| |
Romania | 74,790 | 45,000 | 79,900 | 199,690 |
| |
Netherlands Military of the Netherlands The Armed forces of the Netherlands consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.The service branches consist of:* Koninklijke Landmacht , Royal Netherlands Army.... |
48,639 | 3,339 | 3,000 | 54,978 |
| |
Portugal | 39,568 | 210,900 | 47,700 | 298,168 |
| |
Belgium Military of Belgium The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830... |
35,720 | 2,040 | 37,760 | |
| |
Finland | 35,328 | 351,500 | 7,550 | 394,378 |
| |
Bulgaria Military of Bulgaria The Military of Bulgaria, officially the Bulgarian Army represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Commander-in-Chief is the President of Bulgaria . The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership while military command remains in the hands of the General Staff,... |
32,445 | 302,500 | 34,000 | 368,945 |
| |
Austria Military of Austria The Österreichisches Bundesheer , is the name for the military of the Republic of Austria.... |
28,065 | 195,000 | 9,400 | 232,465 |
| |
Czech Republic Military of the Czech Republic The Army of the Czech Republic comprise the land forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak Armed Forces formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance... |
24,418 | 10,998 | 35,416 | |
| |
Denmark Military of Denmark The armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark, known as the Danish Defence is charged with the defence of the Kingdom of Denmark.The Chief of Defence is the head of the Danish Armed Forces, and is head of the Defence Command which is managed by the Ministry of Defence. Constitutionally, the... |
26,585 | 53,507 | 80,092 | |
| |
Hungary Military of Hungary The Hungarian Defence Force is the national military of Hungary. It currently has two branches, the Hungarian Ground Force and the Hungarian Air Force.... |
21,060 | 44,000 | 12,000 | 77,060 |
| |
Sweden | 16,958 | 242,000 | 800 | 259,758 |
| |
Slovakia Military of Slovakia The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel. Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.-Structure of the Armed Forces:... |
14,413 | 14,413 | ||
| |
Cyprus | 12,937 | 50,000 | 750 | 63,687 |
| |
Ireland Irish Defence Forces The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland... |
9,950 | 14,500 | 24,450 | |
| |
Lithuania Military of Lithuania The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~14,500 active personnel . Conscription was ended in September 2008.Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy... |
8,108 | 6,700 | 14,600 | 29,408 |
| |
Slovenia Military of Slovenia The Military of Slovenia consists of the Slovenian Armed Forces . The SAF are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army... |
6,964 | 3,800 | 4,500 | 15,264 |
| |
Latvia | 4,937 | 10,866 | 10,096 | 25,899 |
| |
Estonia Military of Estonia The Estonian Defence Forces is the name of the unified armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian military is a defence force consisting of Maavägi , Merevägi , Õhuvägi and a paramilitary organization Kaitseliit... |
3,002 | 25,000 | 10,766 | 38,768 |
| |
Malta | 2,120 | 2,120 | ||
| |
Luxembourg Military of Luxembourg The Luxembourg Army is the national military of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has no navy, as the country is landlocked, or air force, although it does have aircraft. The Luxembourg Army was integrated into the Force Publique which included the Gendarmerie and the Police. The Gendarmerie was merged... |
882 | 612 | 1,494 | |
| A chart showing the the combined strength of the EU's Destroyer and Frigate forces compared to other military powers. |
Combined European Naval Forces
The European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's combined naval force consists of over 600 commissioned warships, this number does not include auxiliary, survey or support ships.
The EU possesses 5 Fleet carrier
Fleet carrier
A fleet carrier is an aircraft carrier that is designed to operate with the main fleet of a nation's navy. The term was developed during the Second World War, to distinguish it from the escort carrier and other lesser types...
s, (the largest of which is the 40,000 ton Charles de Gaulle) and a large number of amphibious assault ships. This gives the EU significant power projection capabilities. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
is currently building 2 (65,000 ton) Supercarrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...
s of the Queen Elizabeth class.
Of the EU's 62 submarines, 21 are Nuclear submarines (11 UK and 10 French) while 41 are conventional attack submarines.
| Country | Submarine Submarine A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability... s |
Destroyer Destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from... s |
Frigate Frigate A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"... s |
Corvette Corvette A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role... s |
Fleet carrier Fleet carrier A fleet carrier is an aircraft carrier that is designed to operate with the main fleet of a nation's navy. The term was developed during the Second World War, to distinguish it from the escort carrier and other lesser types... s |
Amphibious warfare ship Amphibious warfare ship Amphibious warfare ship, often shortened to amphibs or phibs and popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault... s |
Guided missile boat Missile boat A Missile Boat is a small craft armed with anti-ship missiles. Being a small craft, missile boats are popular with nations interested in forming an inexpensive navy... s |
Mine warfare vessels |
Patrol & Gunboat Patrol boat A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments... s |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
European Union | 62 | 34 | 93 | 58 | 5 | 19 | 61 | 159 | 166 |
| |
France Military of France The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who... |
10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 17 | |
| |
United Kingdom British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... |
11 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 24 | |||
| |
Germany | 6 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 20 | |||
| |
Italy | 6 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 14 | |
| |
Spain | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 19 |
| |
Greece Military of Greece The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air ForceThe civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.... |
8 | 14 | 17 | 9 | 16 | ||||
| |
Poland | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 19 | ||||
| |
Romania | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| |
Netherlands Military of the Netherlands The Armed forces of the Netherlands consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.The service branches consist of:* Koninklijke Landmacht , Royal Netherlands Army.... |
4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| |
Portugal | 2 | 5 | 7 | 22 | |||||
| |
Belgium Military of Belgium The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830... |
2 | 6 | 1 | ||||||
| |
Finland | 8 | 19 | 2 | ||||||
| |
Bulgaria Military of Bulgaria The Military of Bulgaria, officially the Bulgarian Army represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Commander-in-Chief is the President of Bulgaria . The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership while military command remains in the hands of the General Staff,... |
1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | ||||
| |
Denmark Military of Denmark The armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark, known as the Danish Defence is charged with the defence of the Kingdom of Denmark.The Chief of Defence is the head of the Danish Armed Forces, and is head of the Defence Command which is managed by the Ministry of Defence. Constitutionally, the... |
6 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| |
Sweden | 5 | 11 | 11 | 13 | |||||
| |
Ireland Irish Defence Forces The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland... |
8 | ||||||||
| |
Lithuania Military of Lithuania The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~14,500 active personnel . Conscription was ended in September 2008.Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy... |
4 | 4 | |||||||
| |
Slovenia Military of Slovenia The Military of Slovenia consists of the Slovenian Armed Forces . The SAF are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army... |
2 | ||||||||
| |
Latvia | 4 | 4 | |||||||
| |
Estonia Military of Estonia The Estonian Defence Forces is the name of the unified armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian military is a defence force consisting of Maavägi , Merevägi , Õhuvägi and a paramilitary organization Kaitseliit... |
1 | 3 | 2 | ||||||
| |
Malta | 8 | ||||||||
Combined European Land and Air Forces
According to figures available from the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
s Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA), the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
has holdings of up to 9,959 Main Battle Tank
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s. However, many of these are purely kept in storage and do not equip front-line units or formations. Figures are also given for;
- Armoured fighting vehicleArmoured fighting vehicleAn armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
s - not including Armoured personnel carriers, Armoured reconnaissance vehicles or Armoured Patrol vehicles. - Artillery UnitsArtilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
- - Attack helicopterAttack helicopterAn attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
s - including armed battlefield helicopters.
The (DASA) provides professional analytical, economic and statistical services and advice to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and defence-related statistics to Parliament, other Government Departments and the public.
| A chart showing the the combined number of the EU's Fighter aircraft compared to other military powers. EU figures sourced from Flightglobal. (Note: 100 = 1 thousand) |
| Country | Main Battle Tank Main battle tank A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development... s |
Armoured fighting vehicle Armoured fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked.... s |
Artillery units Artillery Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons... |
Attack helicopter Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles... s |
Strike aircraft | Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets... |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
European Union |
9,595 | 20,050 | 11,073 | 1,087 | 762 | 1,423 |
| |
France Military of France The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who... |
809 | 2,646 | 704 | 246 | 156 | 142 |
| |
United Kingdom British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... |
357 | 1,735 | 356 | 233 | 136 | 71 |
| |
Germany | 1,201 | 2,214 | 1,070 | 163 | 177 | 95 |
| |
Italy | 1,168 | 3,097 | 1,424 | 119 | 146 | 65 |
| |
Spain | 532 | 992 | 896 | 32 | 144 | |
| |
Greece Military of Greece The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air ForceThe civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.... |
1,614 | 2,179 | 1,723 | 31 | 59 | 227 |
| |
Poland | 900 | 1,480 | 1,046 | 90 | 42 | 80 |
| |
Romania | 1,280 | 1,699 | 1,335 | 23 | 36 | |
| |
Netherlands Military of the Netherlands The Armed forces of the Netherlands consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.The service branches consist of:* Koninklijke Landmacht , Royal Netherlands Army.... |
139 | 715 | 252 | 16 | 99 | |
| |
Portugal | 216 | 424 | 381 | 34 | ||
| |
Belgium Military of Belgium The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830... |
106 | 245 | 133 | 31 | 69 | |
| |
Finland | 161 | 62 | ||||
| |
Bulgaria Military of Bulgaria The Military of Bulgaria, officially the Bulgarian Army represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Commander-in-Chief is the President of Bulgaria . The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership while military command remains in the hands of the General Staff,... |
564 | 738 | 1,176 | 19 | 22 | 14 |
| |
Austria Military of Austria The Österreichisches Bundesheer , is the name for the military of the Republic of Austria.... |
15 | |||||
| |
Czech Republic Military of the Czech Republic The Army of the Czech Republic comprise the land forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak Armed Forces formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance... |
174 | 513 | 258 | 26 | 24 | 14 |
| |
Denmark Military of Denmark The armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark, known as the Danish Defence is charged with the defence of the Kingdom of Denmark.The Chief of Defence is the head of the Danish Armed Forces, and is head of the Defence Command which is managed by the Ministry of Defence. Constitutionally, the... |
147 | 321 | 42 | 12 | 50 | |
| |
Hungary Military of Hungary The Hungarian Defence Force is the national military of Hungary. It currently has two branches, the Hungarian Ground Force and the Hungarian Air Force.... |
156 | 622 | 115 | 30 | 19 | |
| |
Sweden | 175 | |||||
| |
Slovakia Military of Slovakia The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel. Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.-Structure of the Armed Forces:... |
232 | 430 | 162 | 16 | 12 | |
Common Security and Defence Policy
The defence arrangements which have been established under the EU institutions are part of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), a branch of the Common Foreign and Security PolicyCommon Foreign and Security Policy
The Common Foreign and Security Policy is the organised, agreed foreign policy of the European Union for mainly security and defence diplomacy and actions. CFSP deals only with a specific part of the EU's external relations, which domains include mainly Trade and Commercial Policy and other areas...
(CFSP). It should be noted that Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
has an opt-out from the CSDP.
- European Defence AgencyEuropean Defence AgencyThe European Defence Agency is an agency of the European Union based in Brussels. It is a Common Foreign and Security Policy body set up on 12 July 2004, reporting to the Council of the European Union. All EU member states, except Denmark which has an opt-out of the CFSP, take part in the agency...
- European Security and Defence Identity
- European Union Institute for Security StudiesEuropean Union Institute for Security StudiesThe European Union Institute for Security Studies is a Paris-based EU agency of the Common Foreign and Security Policy . Its goals are to find a common security culture for the EU, to help develop and project the CFSP, and to enrich Europe’s strategic debate.The EUISS is an autonomous agency with...
- European Union Military StaffEuropean Union Military StaffThe European Union Military Staff is a department of the European Union , responsible for supervising operations within the realm of the Common Security and Defence Policy...
- supervises military operations carried out by the EU; its chief is General Henri Bentegeat, a former chief of the French Defence Staff - EU Battlegroup - a type of force of which there are 15, each one numbering 1,500 troops. Under direct control of the European Council.
- Helsinki Headline GoalHelsinki Headline GoalThe Helsinki Headline Goal was a military capability target set for 2003 during the December 1999 Helsinki European Council meeting with the aim of developing a future European Rapid Reaction Force...
(listing of rapid reaction forceRapid reaction forceA rapid reaction force is a military or police unit designed to respond in very short time frames to emergencies. When used in reference to police forces such as SWAT teams, the time frame is minutes, while in military applications, such as with the use of paratroops or other commandos, the time...
s composed of 60,000 troops managed by the European Union, but under control of the countries who deliver troops for it)
Deployments
In 2004, EU countries took over leadership of the mission in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
from NATO through the European Union Force (EUFOR). The mission was given the branding of an EU initiative as the EU sponsored the force to further the force's image of legitimacy. There have been other deployments such as in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2007, the then European High Representative for Foreign Policy, Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
indicated the EU could send troops to Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, perhaps alongside Russian forces.
Separate initiatives
Separate initiatives by Member StatesMember State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
that revolve around the defence of the European Union in some way or another, or acting as a European standing army.
- FinabelFinabelFinabel is a European organisation created with a view to promote interoperability and cooperation between the national armies of the member states of the European Union . The organisation was founded in 1953, and its name is the acronym of the initial letters of the member states - France, Italy,...
- EurocorpsEurocorpsEurocorps is a multinational standing army corps available for the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance.Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the force was created in May 1992, activated in October 1993 and declared operational in 1995....
- independent military force composed of 60,000 troops that can be deployed for various missions - EuroforEuroforEuropean Rapid Operational Force is a multinational rapid reaction force composed of forces from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. It has a permanent staff capable of commanding operations, involving commitments of up to a Light Division in size. Eurofor was formed in 1995, and was answerable to...
- rapid reaction forceRapid reaction forceA rapid reaction force is a military or police unit designed to respond in very short time frames to emergencies. When used in reference to police forces such as SWAT teams, the time frame is minutes, while in military applications, such as with the use of paratroops or other commandos, the time...
to be included in EUFOR missions. - European Gendarmerie ForceEuropean Gendarmerie ForceThe European Gendarmerie Force was launched by an agreement in 2006 between five members of the European Union : France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Romania subsequently joined in 2009...
- crisis intervention force composed of 900 personnel, with 2,300 additional personnel that can be deployed as reinforcements - European Air GroupEuropean Air GroupEuropean Air Group was established in 1995 to build on close collaboration between the British and French air forces in the first Gulf War and the subsequent Balkans operations...
- European Air Transport CommandEuropean Air Transport CommandThe European Air Transport Command is a multinational command center located in Eindhoven . It coordinates air transport for French, Dutch, Belgian and German air assets - these countries are also members of the European Air Group....
(EATC) - European Maritime ForceEuropean Maritime ForceThe European Maritime Force is a multinational naval force, able to carry out naval, air and amphibious operations and its composition depends on the mission given....
with no current assignments. - Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation
- I. German/Dutch CorpsI. German/Dutch Corps1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
has been extended as NATO's Response ForceNATO Response ForceThe NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
brigade. It includes battalions and platoons from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Denmark, Turkey and Norway. Overall personnel come from 12 countries. The standing corps of 1200 has been increased to 8500 during the NFOR-4 turn. - proposed European Defence Initiative
- proposed Permanent Structured Cooperation in Defence.
See also
- Franco-British Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty and Downing Street Declaration
- EUNAVFOR
- European Defence CommunityEuropean Defence CommunityThe European Defense Community was a plan proposed in 1950 by René Pleven, the French President of the Council , in response to the American call for the rearmament of West Germany...
- Treaty of BrusselsTreaty of BrusselsThe Treaty of Brussels was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as an expansion to the preceding year's defence pledge, the Dunkirk Treaty signed between Britain and France...
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeOrganization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeThe Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...