How Big Is The US Military? (13 Statistics You Need To Know)

How Big Is The US Military - How Big Is The US Navy - How Big Is The United States Army

How big is the US military? 

In this article, you’ll learn about:

  • stats on the size of the US military
  • how big the US military is by branch
  • how many people are active vs reserve for each branch
  • how large the fleets are for the US military

Let’s dig in. 

Table of Contents

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Key Stats On How Big The US Military Is

  • Last year, the US military had 2.3M people in it. 
  • The US has 1.3M active duty personnel. 
  • The US military has 800,000 reserve personnel.
  • There are 220,000 women in the US Military. 
  • Last year’s military budget was $700b. 
  • The US has 11 aircraft carriers. 
  • The US Navy Has 300+ vessels. 
  • The US has 5,800 tanks. 
  • The US has 5,500+ aircraft. 
  • The US has over 4,000 helicopters. 
  • The US has 3,800 nuclear warheads. 
  • The US Army has over 480,000 active duty personnel. 
  • The US has 40+ military bases in other countries.

How Big Is The US Military?

The US military has 2.23M troops in it. 

1.38M people are active military personnel. 

845,000 are reserve military personnel. 

Here is a breakdown of how big the US military is by branch. 

Service BranchActive ComponentReserve ComponentTotal
Army485,383189,975675,358
Navy332,528101,583434,111
Marine Corps181,30739,719221,026
Air Force329,46070,047399,507
Coast Guard41,13538,27679,411
Army National Guard-336,388336,388
Army Reserve-188,331188,331
Naval Reserve-58,02958,029
Marine Corps Reserve-29,05629,056
Air National Guard-106,399106,399
Air Force Reserve-69,15869,158
Total1,369,8131,226,9612,596,774

Note that the “-” means that there is no data. 

Read More: US Military Deaths

How Big Is The US Navy?

The US Navy has 434,111 personnel in it. 

332,528 people are active US Navy personnel. 

101,583 are reserve US Navy personnel.

The US Navy is the largest and most powerful naval force in the world.

It has a current active-duty force of approximately 332,000 sailors and officers. 

The US Navy also employs around 101,000 civilian personnel.

The US Navy operates a diverse fleet of ships, submarines, and aircraft.

This fleet includes:

  • 11 aircraft carriers
  • 84 cruisers and destroyers
  • frigates
  • 9 amphibious assault ships
  • 70 submarines
  • other types of support vessels

The fleet includes over 300 commissioned ships.

This makes it the largest navy in the world in terms of the number of ships.

One of the most iconic symbols of the US Navy is its aircraft carrier fleet.

This fleet currently consists of 11 active carriers. 

These massive warships are capable of carrying dozens of aircraft.

They are often used as the centerpiece of US military operations around the world.

In addition to its surface fleet, the US Navy also operates a fleet of submarines. 

This includes nuclear-powered submarines.

These submarines are capable of remaining submerged for months at a time. 

The US Navy’s submarine fleet is one of the largest and most advanced in the world.

It has around 70 active submarines in service.

The US Navy also operates a large number of aircraft, including:

  • fighter jets
  • helicopters
  • other support aircraft

These aircraft are used for a variety of purposes, including:

  • air-to-air combat
  • ground support
  • reconnaissance
  • anti-submarine warfare

How Big Is The United States Army?

The US Army has 675,358 personnel in it. 

485,383 people are active US Army personnel. 

189,975 are reserve US Army personnel.

The United States Army is the largest branch of the US military.

Other branches of the Army and their troops are:

  • the Army National Guard – 336,000 soldiers
  • the Army Reserve – 189,000 soldiers

The US Army operates a variety of equipment, including:

  • tanks
  • artillery
  • helicopters
  • other vehicles

Some of the notable equipment in the Army’s inventory includes:

  • M1 Abrams tanks: The US Army operates over 6,000 M1 Abrams tanks, which are some of the most advanced main battle tanks in the world.
  • Apache attack helicopters: The US Army operates over 700 Apache attack helicopters, which are used for close air support, reconnaissance, and anti-tank operations.
  • Chinook transport helicopters: The US Army operates over 500 Chinook transport helicopters, which are used for troop transport, cargo transport, and medical evacuation missions.
  • Howitzers: The US Army operates a variety of howitzers, including the M777 155mm howitzer, which is one of the most advanced artillery systems in the world.

Read More: What If Russia Invades A NATO Country

How Many US Marines Are There?

The US Marines have 221,026 personnel in it. 

181,307 people are active US Marines personnel. 

39,719 are reserve US Marines personnel.

The Marine Corps is a branch of the US military that specializes in:

  • amphibious operations 
  • expeditionary warfare

The Marine Corps operates a variety of equipment, including:

  • tanks
  • artillery
  • amphibious assault vehicles
  • fighter jets

Some of the notable equipment in the Marine Corps’ inventory includes:

  • Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs): The Marine Corps operates over 800 AAVs, which are used to transport Marines and their equipment from ships to shore during amphibious operations.
  • F-35B Lightning II fighter jets: The Marine Corps operates over 100 F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, which are used for close air support, reconnaissance, and air-to-air combat missions.
  • M1A1 Abrams tanks: The Marine Corps operates over 400 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which are used for armored reconnaissance, infantry support, and other missions.
  • M777 155mm howitzers: The Marine Corps operates over 100 M777 howitzers, which are used for artillery support and long-range fire missions.

How Big Is The US Airforce?

The US Airforce has 399,507 personnel in it. 

329,460 people are active US Airforce personnel. 

70,047 are reserve US Airforce personnel.

The Air Force is responsible for a wide range of missions, including:

  • air and space superiority
  • global strike
  • rapid global mobility
  • intelligence
  • surveillance and reconnaissance
  • command and control

The Air Force operates aircraft ranging from fighter jets to transport planes and bombers. 

Some of the notable equipment in the Air Force’s inventory includes:

  • F-35A Lightning II fighter jets: The Air Force operates over 300 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, which are used for air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions.
  • B-52 Stratofortress bombers: The Air Force operates approximately 70 B-52 Stratofortress bombers, which are used for strategic bombing and long-range reconnaissance missions.
  • C-130 Hercules transport planes: The Air Force operates over 400 C-130 Hercules transport planes, which are used for a variety of missions, including cargo and troop transport, aerial refueling, and humanitarian assistance.
  • MQ-9 Reaper drones: The Air Force operates over 150 MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as precision strikes against ground targets.

How Big Is The US Military Fleet?

Let’s look at some of the fleets of the US military. 

How Many Tanks Does The US Have?

The United States has approximately 5,800 tanks in its active inventory.

How Many Aircraft Carriers Does The United States Have?

The United States has 11 aircraft carriers in its active fleet.

How Many Warships Does The US Have?

The US has ~300 warships in its active fleet, according to the US Navy.

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