Military power of Austria & France
Country: | Austria (AT) | France (FR) |
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Capital: | Vienna | Paris |
Population: | 8,935,112 | 67,413,000 |
Area: | 83,879 km2 | 640,679 km2 |
More: | Austria military forces description | France military forces description |
Economy Comparison: | Check CompareEconomy.com |
Military expenditures
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Military budget: | 3.2 billion $ | 52.7 billion $ |
Percent of GDP: | 0.74% | 2.1% |
Manpower
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Active personnel: | 25,000 | 270,000 |
Reserve personnel: | 150,000 | 35,000 |
Available for military: | 1,941,110 | 14,563,662 |
Land Forces
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Tanks: | 56 | 406 | |
Armoured fighting vehicles: | 215 | 6,463 | |
Total artillery: | 83 | 134 | |
Self-propelled artillery: | 83 | 109 | |
Rocket artillery: | 0 | 13 |
Air Forces
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Total aircraft: | 133 | 1,253 | |
Fighter aircraft: | 15 | 56 | |
Multirole aircraf: | 0 | 146 | |
Attack aircraft: | 0 | 86 | |
Helicopters: | 67 | 540 | |
UCAV (combat drone): | 0 | 12 |
Navy
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Total naval: | 0 | 111 | |
Aircraftcarriers: | 0 | 4 | |
Destroyers: | 0 | 11 | |
Frigates: | 0 | 11 | |
Corvettes: | 0 | 0 | |
Submarines: | 0 | 10 |
☢ Nuclear weapons
Austria
Does not have nuclear weapons.
France
France managed to research and develop its own nuclear weapon in 1960. The test, known as, Gerboise Bleue, was the result of mostly French research. One of the main figures that played crucial role in the entire process of developing the bomb was General Pierre Marie Gallois. He was concerned that the Suez Crisis, which started in 1956, would show the world how insignificant France became, since out of all Great Powers in the world, they were the only one without possessing its own nuclear arsenal. The tests were conducted on the terrains of Sahara Desert.
At this moment France owns 300 nuclear warheads, out of which almost all are deployed. What is more, compared to Great Britain, they made more tests, approximately 210. Noteworthy is the fact that the development of the first nuclear bomb in France as well as its tests were a bit controversial. It was due to the fact that France allowed Israeli observers to attend the tests, providing them with almost unrestricted access to all the data. It was quite important, since Israel, together with United Kingdom and France, were trying to invade Egypt.
Military service
Austria
Registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (6 months), or optionally, alternative civil/community service (9 months); males 18 to 50 years old in the militia or inactive reserve are subject to compulsory service; in a January 2012 referendum, a majority of Austrians voted in favor of retaining the system of compulsory military service (with the option of alternative/non-military service) instead of switching to a professional army system.
France
18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat post.