Italian vs. British Armed Forces - How Do They Compare?

Picture: US Department of Defense

The Italian tall ship, Amerigo Vespucci, has arrived at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Dubbed ‘the most beautiful ship in the world’, it measures a total of 82.4 metres, with three full-rigged masts of the hull painted in black and white stripes.

So the visit has got us thinking…

How does the Italian military compare to the British?

In terms of military spending, the UK comes out on top, spending £36.8 billion, or 1.8% of its GDP, in 2017, while Italy spent around £23.5 billion (€26.1 billion), equivalent to 1.5% of its GDP.*

*According to figures supplied by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Forze Armate Italiane (Italian Armed Forces)

The Forze Armate Italiane comprises the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force.

According to Global Firepower, the total military personnel of Italy is 267,500,while that of the UK Armed Forces is 192,410.

The Italian Ministry of Defence said Italy is engaged in 34 missions and 32 out-of-area operations in 22 countries around the world, while the UK Armed Forces are deployed on over 20 operations in more than 25 countries.

Esercito Italiano (Italian Army)

According to the Italian Army, there were 101,055 personnel in the Italian Army in 2017, and 79,900 in the British counterpart.

While Italy has 200 battle tanks, Britain can call upon 227.

Marina Militare (Italian Navy)

According to the Italian Navy, there were 30,923 personnel in 2013, while there are 32,380 in the Royal Navy.

While Italy has 14 frigates in total, the UK has 13.

In terms of submarines, Italy has 8, while the UK has 10.

Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force)

Italy has a total aircraft strength of 828, while the UK has 832.

The RAF uses the Typhoon and Tornado, of which it has a combined total of 178 aircraft. However, this number will change once the F35s enter active service.

138 of the next generation jets have been ordered for the RAF and Royal Navy.

Italy also has a so-called 'fourth branch' of the armed forces, the Carabinieri. Even though they are technically part of the army, they have a dual role of civilian and military police.

Sources: Global Firepower, Ministry of Defence, 'UK Armed Forces quarterly service personnel statistics', 'UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations publication 2018'