Full Description
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.
Contents
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
