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Aid to Afghanistan > Gross disbursements as a percent of ODA	3.3%		[1st of 17]
Aid to Afghanistan > Total development aid, estimates	$83,436,068,000.00		[1st of 24]
Aid to Afghanistan > Total development aid, estimates (per $ GDP)	$71.51 per $10,000 of GDP		[12th of 24]
Aid to Afghanistan > Total development aid, estimates (per capita)	$282.13 per capita		[12th of 24]
Air force officer ranks > Generals/Marshals/Air Officers > OF-10	General of the Air Force
Air force officer ranks > Generals/Marshals/Air Officers > OF-6	Brigadier General
Air force officer ranks > Generals/Marshals/Air Officers > OF-7	Major General
Air force officer ranks > Generals/Marshals/Air Officers > OF-8	Lieutenant General
Air force officer ranks > Generals/Marshals/Air Officers > OF-9	General
Air force officer ranks > Other officers > OF-2 Captain
Air force officer ranks > Other officers > OF-3	Major
Air force officer ranks > Other officers > OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel
Air force officer ranks > Other officers > OF-5	Colonel
Air force personnel	370,300		[1st of 49]
Air force personnel (per capita)	0.125 per 100 population		[12th of 49]
Allies of World War I > Casualties as % of total personnel	7 %		[14th of 14]
Allies of World War I > Killed in action	116,708		[7th of 15]
Allies of World War I > Personnel	4,355,000		[5th of 15]
Allies of World War I > Total casualties	322,398		[7th of 15]
Allies of World War I > Wounded in action	205,690		[5th of 15]
Armed forces growth	-37		[108th of 132]
Armed forces personnel	1,366,000		[3rd of 166]
Armed forces personnel (per capita)	4.61902 per 1,000 people		[57th of 166]
Arms exports > constant 1990 US$	7,101,000,000 constant 1990 US$		[1st of 45]
Arms exports > constant 1990 US$ (per capita)	23.957 constant 1990 US$ per 1		[5th of 83]
Arms imports > constant 1990 US$	387,000,000 constant 1990 US$		[19th of 100]
Arms imports > constant 1990 US$ (per capita)	1.306 constant 1990 US$ per c		[56th of 170]
Army personnel	479,400		[6th of 49]
Army personnel (per capita)	1.62105 per 1,000 people		[32nd of 49]
Branches US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty > Signatures and Ratifications > Signature	24 SEP 1996
Conscription No conscription.
Conventional arms exports	$5,453,000,000.00		[2nd of 40]
Conventional arms exports (per $ GDP)	0.464 per $1,000		[16th of 40]
Conventional arms exports (per capita)	18.439 per 1 population		[7th of 40]
Conventional arms imports	$533,000,000.00		[8th of 85]
Conventional arms imports (per $ GDP)	0.045 per $1,000		[81st of 85]
Conventional arms imports (per capita)	1.802 per 1 population		[50th of 85]
Employment in arms production	2,320,000		[2nd of 56]
Employment in arms production (per capita)	7,844.89 per 1 million people		[2nd of 56]
expenditure > % of central government expenditure	19.26 %		[7th of 88]
expenditure > % of GDP	4.08 %		[11th of 145]
expenditure > current LCU	507089000000
Expenditures	4.06 % of GDP		[11th of 87]
Expenditures > Percent of GDP	4.06%		[23rd of 154]
Exports to developing nations	$90,929.00 million		[1st of 7]
Exports to developing nations (per $ GDP)	$0.01 million per $1 million		[4th of 7]
Exports to developing nations (per capita)	$307.47 million per 1 million p		[3rd of 7]
Forces in Europe > ACVs	1,397		[13th of 25]
Forces in Europe > ACVs (per capita)	4.72384 per 1 million people		[25th of 25]
Forces in Europe > Aircraft	235		[10th of 24]
Forces in Europe > Aircraft (per capita)	0.794633 per 1 million people		[24th of 24]
Forces in Europe > Artillery	312		[20th of 25]
Forces in Europe > Artillery (per capita)	1.055 per 1 million people		[25th of 25]
Forces in Europe > Battle Tanks	684		[14th of 24]
Forces in Europe > Battle Tanks (per capita)	2.31289 per 1 million people		[24th of 24]
Forces in Europe > Helicopters	115		[7th of 22]
Forces in Europe > Helicopters (per capita)	0.388863 per 1 million people		[22nd of 22]
Gulf War Coalition Forces	697,000		[1st of 30]
Gulf War Coalition Forces (per capita)	2.357 per capita		[4th of 30]
International Military Tribunal for the Far East > Judges > Judge	John P. Higgins
International Military Tribunal for the Far East > Judges > Remarks Chief Justice, Massachusetts State Superior Court
Iraq Coalition casualties	2,484		[1st of 18]
Iraq Coalition casualties (per capita)	83.994 per 10 million people		[1st of 18]
Iraq coalition forces > Troop strength	133,000		[1st of 10]
Iraq coalition forces > Troop strength (per capita)	44.973 per 100,000 people		[1st of 10]
Iraq pledges of reconstruction aid	$20,900,000,000.00		[1st of 40]
Iraq pledges of reconstruction aid (per $ GDP)	$179.13 per $100,000 of GDP		[5th of 40]
Iraq pledges of reconstruction aid (per capita)	$7,067.16 per 100 people		[4th of 40]
Iraqi insurgency > Foreign fighter nationality distribution > Sorted alphabeticallyality	1		[19th of 25]
Manpower > Availability > Females	71,638,785		[3rd of 162]
Manpower > Availability > Males	72,715,332		[3rd of 210]
Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49	73,597,700		[3rd of 175]
Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49	73,597,731		[3rd of 175]
Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49 (per capita)	0.251 per capita		[105th of 175]
Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49 (per capita)	248.865 per 1,000 people		[94th of 174]
Manpower > Fit for military service > Females	59,187,183		[3rd of 162]
Manpower > Fit for military service > Males	59,413,358		[3rd of 210]
Manpower > Military age	18 years of age
Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Females	2,079,688		[4th of 226]
Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Females (per capita)	6.845 per 1,000 people		[170th of 225]
Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males	2,186,440		[3rd of 226]
Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males (per capita)	7.196 per 1,000 people		[167th of 225]
Manpower available for military service > Females age 18-49	67,070,144		[2nd of 120]
Manpower available for military service > Females age 18-49 (per capita)	0.223 per capita		[48th of 120]
Manpower available for military service > Males age 18-49	67,742,879		[2nd of 164]
Manpower available for military service > Males age 18-49 (per capita)	0.225 per capita		[82nd of 164]
Manpower fit for military service > Females age 18-49	54,696,706		[2nd of 119]
Manpower fit for military service > Females age 18-49 (per capita)	0.182 per capita		[52nd of 119]
Manpower fit for military service > Males age 18-49	54,609,050		[2nd of 161]
Manpower fit for military service > Males age 18-49 (per capita)	0.181 per capita		[57th of 161]
Manpower reaching military service age annually > Females age 18-49	2,036,201		[3rd of 91]
Manpower reaching military service age annually > Males age 18-49	2,143,873		[4th of 157]
Military Capabilities > Active Troops	1,415,289		[2nd of 10]
Military Capabilities > Defense Budget	$518,100,000,000.00		[1st of 10]
Military Capabilities > Military Capabilities > Frigates	30		[2nd of 10]
Military Capabilities > Tanks	7,620		[2nd of 10]
military expenditures > Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Figures > Date of information	2005
military expenditures > Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Figures > Military expenditures, USD	478,200,000,000		[1st of 15]
NATO > Current members > Date	April 4 1949
NATO > Current members > Expansion	Founders
Naval officer ranks > Flag Officers > OF-10 Fleet Admiral
Naval officer ranks > Flag Officers > OF-6 Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
Naval officer ranks > Flag Officers > OF-7 Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
Naval officer ranks > Flag Officers > OF-8	Vice Admiral
Naval officer ranks > Flag Officers > OF-9	Admiral
Naval officer ranks > Other officers > OF-2	Lieutenant
Naval officer ranks > Other officers > OF-3	Lieutenant Commander
Naval officer ranks > Other officers > OF-4	Commander
Naval officer ranks > Other officers > OF-5	Captain
Navy personnel	380,600		[1st of 49]
Navy personnel (per capita)	1.28697 per 1,000 people		[11th of 49]
Operation Enduring Freedom > Afghanistan coalition fatalities	295		[1st of 13]
Operation Enduring Freedom > Afghanistan coalition fatalities (per capita)	9.975 per 10 million people		[1st of 13]
personnel	1,546,000		[3rd of 170]
personnel (per capita)	5.216 per 1,000 people		[70th of 171]
personnel > % of total labor force	0.99 %		[84th of 168]
Service age and obligation 18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines)
Tanks	16,000 tanks		[2nd of 22]
Tanks (per capita)	54.1027 tanks per 1 million peop		[11th of 22]
US deployment	65%
Weapon holdings	38,538,000		[1st of 137]
Weapon holdings (per capita)	130,313 per 1 million people		[46th of 137]
WMD > Biological The U.S. offensive biological warfare (BW) program was launched in 1943 and terminated in 1969, by executive order. During this period, the U.S. weaponized a variety of pathogens and toxins for use against humans and plants. The anti-human agents it developed for weapons purposes were Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Francisella tularensis (tularemia), Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, and staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The anti-plant agents were the fungi that cause wheat rust and rice blast. In addition, U.S. military scientists conducted research on pathogens that cause smallpox, glanders, and plague, as well as several toxins, such as botulinum toxin, saxitoxin, and ricin. The entire U.S. BW stockpile was destroyed in 1969 and 1970; since that time, it has not had an offensive BW program. The U.S. ratified the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BWC) in March 1975 and had an important role in the process of developing confidence-building measures (CBMs) during several BWC review conferences. However, in 2001, the Bush administration rejected an effort by other signatories to conclude a protocol that would provide verification measures. Since then, the remaining parties to the BWC have conducted semiannual meetings to discuss, among other things, national measures for the implementation of biosecurity regulations and penal legislation, leading up to the Sixth Review Conference in 2006.[2] In addition, the United States has conducted an active biodefense program for many years in accordance with BWC provisions that permit the use of agents of types and in quantities appropriate for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purposes. These activities are reported each year to Congress and in an annual information exchange on biodefense activities under the BWC. A 4 September 2001 New York Times article identified previously undisclosed U.S. government biodefense projects involving a model of a germ bomb, a factory to make biological agents, and the development of more potent anthrax. The United States denied allegations that this research was anything other than defensive in nature and asserted that it did not violate any BWC provisions or CBMs. On 28 April 2004, President Bush outlined the administration's perspective on biological weapons by issuing National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD-33) called "Biodefense for the 21st Century", an initiative to strengthen the country's biodefense capabilities through programs in threat awareness, prevention and protection, surveillance and detection, and response and recovery. The Bush administration also faces criticism that financial resources have been redirected from non-biodefense research in order to fund additional biodefense research.
WMD > Chemical The U.S. chemical warfare (CW) program began with the establishment of the Chemical Warfare Service in June 1918. During World War I, the United States manufactured, stockpiled, and used chemical weapons. Chemical weapons development and production continued during and after World War II, but the production of unitary chemical munitions was terminated in 1969. During the Reagan administration, the production of binary chemical weapons was restarted, but was discontinued in 1990. Since then, the United States no longer has an active CW program. The United States ratified the Geneva Protocol in 1975, with the reservation that the treaty not apply to defoliants and riot control agents such as were used in Vietnam and Laos during the Vietnam War. Currently, the United States has what is believed to be the world's second largest stockpile of chemical weapons, including bombs, rockets, and artillery shells that are loaded with lewisite, mustard, sarin, soman, VX, or binary nerve agents. Under terms of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which the United States ratified in April 1997, the United States has committed to destroying all chemical stockpiles by April 2004. However in September 2003, the Pentagon announced that it would be unable to meet this deadline and would ask for an extension at the Fall 2003 CWC meeting. As of 28 December 2004, the Chemical Materials Agency of the U.S. Army announced that only 33.34% of the nation's stored chemical agent, including 70% of the remaining mustard agent stockpile, and 42% of the nation's chemical weapons munitions had been destroyed. Former chemical production facilities and recovered chemical warfare materials are also being destroyed under the U.S. Army Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Program (NSCMP). The NSCMP also destroyed 80% of the nation's original chemical weapons production facilities in 2003, 16 months ahead of schedule, and will meet the final deadline of 100% destruction by April 2007.
WMD > Missile The United States has the capability to produce highly sophisticated liquid- and solid-fueled missiles of all ranges. It currently deploys 500 Minuteman and 10 MX/Peacekeeper nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at three bases in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. The number of warheads on Minuteman missiles was scheduled to be reduced from three to one by 2007 under the defunct START II agreement, but this plan may be revised to assign between 700 to 800 warheads to the 500 Minutemen missiles. Deactivation of the MX/Peacekeeper force began in October 2002 and will conclude in 2005, at the cost of $600 million. In 2004, the Defense Department retired 17 additional MX/Peacekeeper missiles as part of this plan, and the final 10 MX missiles will be withdrawn from alert status by October 1, 2005. These remaining missiles will not be destroyed as prescribed under START II, but will be retained as stipulated in the 2001 NPR for potential use as space launch vehicles, target vehicles, or for redeployment. The Minuteman missile force is also undergoing a $6.0 billion modernization program to improve the weapon's accuracy, reliability, and to extend its service life beyond 2020. A new, longer-range ICBM, to be ready in 2018, is being considered by the Pentagon. As of early 2005, the U.S. Navy had 14 operational Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), having reduced its level by one in 2004 to meet NPR specifications. The four oldest subs in the original class of 18 have been converted to carry non-nuclear cruise missiles. The 14 operational SSBNs carry a total of 336 Trident-1 and Trident-II submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), each carrying between six and eight warheads, for an estimated total of 2,016. All SSBNs will be modified to carry the Trident II missiles, and the navy has extended the service life of the Trident-II from 30 to 49 years. The Pentagon is planning to introduce a new SSBN in 2029 when the oldest of the current subs will be retired. Previous predictions indicated that the U.S. Navy would station the 14 SSBNs evenly among the Atlantic and Pacific fleets; however, recent planning shifts have called for an SSBN fleet of 9 to be stationed in the Pacific with only 5 submarines in the Atlantic. Also, in 2004, the Navy initiated the Enhanced Effectiveness (E2) Reentry Body Program that would allow missiles to be targeted within 10-meter accuracy, expanding the list of potential targets to be attacked by W76 warheads. Finally, the Navy plans to resume SLBM flight tests in 2005 and plans to develop a submarine-launched intermediate-range ballistic missile (SLIRBM) that would carry nuclear and conventional payloads. The U.S. bomber force consists of 94 B-52 bombers stationed at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana and Minot AFB in North Dakota, and 21 B-2 bombers stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The B-52 can deliver air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM), advanced cruise missiles (ACM), or gravity bombs. The B-2 carries only gravity bombs. It is estimated that 450 ALCMs are deployed as well as around 400 operational ACMs, which have a longer range, greater accuracy, and more difficult to intercept than an ALCM. The B-2s are scheduled to undergo upgrades allowing them to make mission and target changes in route. The U.S. Air Force intends to expedite the process of finding a replacement for its current bomber force, considering long- and mid-range options, unmanned aircraft, and new bombers. The United States is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), whose goal is to control the transfer of nuclear-capable missiles and unmanned delivery systems capable of carrying all types of WMD.
WMD > Nuclear As one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the United States maintains a sizeable arsenal of nuclear weapons, including approximately 10,350 intact warheads, 5300 of which are considered active or operational. Approximately 4,530 strategic warheads are operational, 1,150 of which are deployed on land-based missile systems (Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs), 1,050 on bombers (B-52 and B-2), and 2,016 on submarines (Ohio-class subs). 780 are tactical nuclear weapons (TNWs), and consist of an estimated 200 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles (TLAM/N), and 580 B61 bombs. The remaining warheads are stockpiled. The only remaining U.S. weapons in forward deployment, aside from those on SSBNs, are approximately 480 of the 580 operational B61 bombs, located at eight bases in six European NATO countries. According to the May 2002 Treaty of Moscow (the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, or SORT) between the United States and the Russian Federation, both countries are required to reduce their strategic nuclear arsenals to 1,700-2,200 operationally deployed warheads by 2012. In June 2004, the US Department of Energy announced that "almost half" of these warheads would be retired for dismantlement by 2012. This statement suggests that the total stockpile of 10,350 warheards would be reduced to about 6,000 by this date. Over 5,000 warheads have been removed from deployment by the United States and placed in a "responsive reserve force" (active but not deployed or in overhaul). These "spares," or warheads on inactive status, have not been dismantled, in keeping with past practice under previous U.S. arms control agreements. The Bush administration has rejected U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, but calls for a continued moratorium on nuclear testing. The NPR calls for a reduction in the amount of time needed (now 18 months as mandated by Congress, but this could be reduced to as little as 12 months) to test a nuclear weapon, suggesting that the United States might decide to resume nuclear testing, although Bush administration officials deny that this is currently planned and explain the shortening of test-site readiness time as a logical extension of the U.S. decision to maintain a testing option. The NPR also calls for discussion on possible development of new, low-yield, bunker-busting TNW. A law barring research and development that could lead to the production by the United States of a new low-yield "bunker buster" nuclear weapon (warheads with a yield of 5 kilotons or less) was passed by Congress in 1994. In its FY2004 budget request, however, the Department of Defense requested a repeal of the 1994 law, suggesting that the U.S. government intends to proceed with development of new nuclear weapons. The repeal was approved by the Senate on 20 May 2003. The Bush administration has requested an additional $8.5 million in its 2006 budget in order to continue research of nuclear "bunker busters" under the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) Project. Congress rejected RNEP funding and resources for the Advanced Concepts Initiative, one that would develop mini-nukes or exotic designs, completely for FY2005. Weapons laboratories under the Department of Energy began research on the RNEP Project in 2003, and the study is expected to be complete in 2006. The United States used nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, making it the only country that has ever used nuclear weapons during a conflict. It ratified the NPT in March 1970.
WMD > Overview The United States possesses a substantial nuclear weapons arsenal and associated delivery systems. The 2001 Nuclear Posture Review suggests that the United States may seek to develop, and possibly test, new types of nuclear weapons in the future. The United States destroyed its biological weapons by 1970 and is in the process of destroying its stockpile of chemical weapons. Some critics allege that elements of U.S. government biodefense research are in violation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC).

Interesting facts on American Military

• The United States spends more money on its military than the next 12 nations combined.
• In the 1990's, nearly half of all arms exported to developing countries came from the United States of America.

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