Canada Vs USA Military Comparison
Military Comparison
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| Canada Vs USA |
For millions of years, the northern half of North America has remained together, when other present-day continents were busy breaking away from the "supercontinents" of the past. Trade routes traversed both countries over the centuries, and even today the United States and Canada, in terms of imports and exports, are highly dependent on each other. Economic ties, European influence, democratic governance, to some extent a mixture of religion and culture and, of course, English as the dominant language, make the two nations part of the same family. However, as most Canadians and Americans will tell you, the two countries are different in many ways too. A big difference is how nations have developed in terms of defense. Today we thought that we would compare them militarily, in this episode of the Infographics Show, the United States against Canada.
Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell button so you can be part of our notifications team. The U.S.A declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. Canada became an autonomous country on July 1, 1867, but it was not until the Canada Act of 1982 that the British ceased to have influence in the Canadian constitution. These two bordering nations each have a huge land mass, with Canada being the second largest nation on Earth behind Russia. However, Canada's territory of 3,855,100 square miles is not much larger than the fourth ranked in the United States. The land mass of the United States is 3,705,407 square miles.
And of course China is the third largest nation in the world. Given the size of these giant nations, you might not be surprised to hear that the border between Canada and the US is the longest border in the world at 5,525 miles long. While there have been disputes in the past over land demarcation in some border areas, as the borders have advanced, the divide between the United States and Canada has seen little conflict. The only time the two countries clashed was in 1812, when Canada, as a colony of Great Britain, was embroiled in the latter's dispute over American expansionism. Since then, countries have been the best allies.
In fact, the need for safe trade routes and a friendly relationship allowed both countries to prosper. After China, Canada is the largest trading partner of the United States, while for Canada the United States is its largest trading partner. However, the United States has a much larger GDP than Canada, as we all know. Its GDP of over 18 trillion is the largest in the world, while Canada's GDP is said to be in 10th place on the list at $ 1.53 trillion. The US is considered to have the strongest military in the world, and with a defense budget of $ 611 billion, about 3.3 percent of GDP, the United States spends more than the rest of the world by one mile. Canada, a country not often praised for its military prowess, spends about $ 15.5 billion on defense, which is about one percent of GDP.
However, this will change soon. In June this year, it was reported that Canada will increase military spending to $ 32.7 billion over the next ten years. Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan was quoted as saying: "If we are serious about Canada's role in the world, then we must get serious about funding our armed forces." Now let's see where all the money goes. The United States has a population of 325 million people, 1.3 million of whom are active military personnel and another 811,000 serve as reserve personnel. By comparison, the Canadian military is tiny, with 95,000 active front-line personnel and another 51,000 working as reserves. Canada's population is just over 35 million. Size does matter, and while the Canadian military is small in number, its special forces are said to be some of the most skilled soldiers in the world. In terms of ground equipment, the United States' arsenal of weapons is almost unmatched. The country has around 5,884 tanks, 41,000 armored fighting vehicles, 1,934 self-propelled guns, 1,299 towed artillery, and 1,331 multiple launch rocket systems. Canada has 80 tanks, 3,004 AFVs, 0 SPG, 161 towed artillery and 0 MLRS. This somewhat meager arsenal, however, consists mainly of modern equipment.
Canada's top battle tanks include a fleet of German-made Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2A6, some of the most advanced tanks ever created. Canada has also just been hailed as a major military equipment innovator for developing what has been called a "Terminator-like weapon." According to military analysts, the Canadian Defense Research and Development organization has created the weapon of the future in its "super-weapon" or "smart gun" of Integrated Precision Effects Systems for Soldiers. However, smart rifles may not be enough to contain America's thousands of highly rated M1 Abrams battle tanks, a proven machine that has logged a great deal of man-hours. The United States is also investing heavily in developing its own super tank, the M1A2 SEP v3.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is also somewhat outmatched in the skies when compared to the U.S.A Air Force. Canada has a total of 414 military aircraft, 60 of which are fighter / interceptors and 64 of which are fixed-wing attack aircraft. The country has no attack helicopters. The best of the crop is its fleet of 103 American-made multi-role combat aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet. The Canadian government has also thought about purchasing the American F-35 stealth fighter, though that will come at some cost. Perhaps with the 70 percent increase in defense spending, Canada may have the plane in its sights. The United States outperforms any other air force and has many options in terms of inventory. The United States has about 13,444 aircraft, many of which are touted as the best in the world. This includes legions of F-22A Raptors, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15E Strike Eagles, and the notoriously expensive F-35A Lightning II. The United States also has a large fleet of McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornets, some of which have been converted to F / A-18E Super Hornets. Canada's naval force is quite small compared to the giant of the US Navy, although the Royal Canadian Navy has fought many battles over the years and is currently in the process of expanding its fleet. The RCN consists of 0 aircraft carriers, 12 frigates, 12 coastal defense vessels, 4 patrol submarines, and 8 unarmed patrol / training vessels.
The United States has 11 aircraft carriers, 22 cruisers, 67 destroyers, 8 frigates, 75 submarines, 0 corvettes, 9 amphibious assault ships, 11 mine warfare ships, and 55 patrol boats. It is also developing its multi-million dollar behemoth, the class supercarrier Gerald R. Ford. Regarding nuclear capabilities, Canada does not have its own nuclear weapons, although it does contribute to the United States' military programs. Canada is also protected under the NATO nuclear umbrella. The United States, on the other hand, along with Russia, possesses nearly half of the world's 15,000 nuclear weapons. 1,800 of these weapons are currently deployed. Super weapons and weapons of mass destruction aside, these two countries share an enduring partnership when it comes to their defense strategies. The United States and Canada are the only two countries outside of European nations that belong to NATO. Together, the two friendly neighbors have formed an alliance that combines a huge military force.
This is recognized in official pacts, such as the binational organization: the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the Combined Defense Plan, and even the exchange of military resources in times of natural disasters under the Canada-United States Civil Assistance Plan. In addition to the skirmish of 1812, the two countries have enjoyed arguably the most peaceful border relationship on the planet. Canada and the United States are the closest allies, they are culturally intertwined, and economically dependent on their vigorous trade relationships. We hope you enjoyed this story of two sister nations. Do you think the bond between the United States and Canada is unbreakable, or is it just a matter of time before it vanishes? Let us know in the comments!