ADDIS ABABA / ASMARA — Ethiopia and Eritrea have markedly different reported military inventories and defence budgets, according to figures attributed to Global Firepower’s 2026 military assessment.
The data put Ethiopia’s estimated defence budget at US$3.7 billion, compared with US$461 million for Eritrea. The figures also show differences in reported aircraft, tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery, while Eritrea is listed as having a larger reserve force.
Ethiopia Reports Larger Aircraft and Ground Equipment Inventory
Ethiopia is listed as having approximately 641,000 military personnel, including 503,000 active-duty troops and 138,000 reservists.
Its reported force structure includes 626,000 army personnel, 5,000 air force personnel and 11,500 naval personnel.
The country’s aircraft inventory is estimated at 104, comprising 25 combat aircraft, nine transport aircraft, 34 training aircraft, 33 helicopters and seven attack helicopters.
Ethiopia’s reported ground equipment includes 338 main battle tanks, 8,586 armoured vehicles, 142 self-propelled artillery systems, 469 towed artillery pieces and 79 multiple-launch rocket systems.
Its estimated defence budget for 2026 stands at US$3.7 billion.
Eritrea’s Figures Show a Larger Reserve Force
Eritrea is listed as having approximately 1.03 million military personnel, including 350,000 active-duty troops and 680,000 reservists.
The figures identify 275,000 army personnel, 250 air force personnel and 1,100 naval personnel.
Eritrea’s reported aircraft inventory totals 20, including one combat aircraft, five transport aircraft, one training aircraft, 13 helicopters and two attack helicopters.
Its ground forces are listed as having 148 main battle tanks, 1,040 armoured vehicles, 45 self-propelled artillery systems, 89 towed artillery pieces and 44 multiple-launch rocket systems.
Eritrea’s estimated defence budget for 2026 is US$461 million. Its naval capabilities are described in the supplied data as consisting of 18 small coastal patrol vessels, with no major conventional warships listed.
Personnel Figures Require Caution
Although Eritrea’s reported total military personnel figure exceeds Ethiopia’s, the difference is largely attributable to its estimated reserve force. Reserve numbers do not necessarily indicate how many personnel are trained, equipped and ready for immediate deployment.
Likewise, the number of aircraft and military vehicles listed in an inventory does not establish how many are operational or available for combat. Maintenance, training, logistics, ammunition supplies and command capabilities can all affect military readiness.
The figures should therefore be viewed as estimates rather than a definitive measure of either country’s ability to conduct sustained military operations.
Source: Global Firepower 2026, as cited in the supplied data. The figures have not been independently verified for this report.
