Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA); Ministry of Security: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard) (2021)
Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes marine units and coast guard or Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh); Ministry of Interior: Carabineros de Chile (National Police Force) (2021)
note: Carabineros de Chile are responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior
Military service age and obligation
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended in 1995; Argentinians can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2019)
18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment of males 18-45 is retained; service obligation is 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.7% of GDP (2019)
0.7% of GDP (2018)
0.9% of GDP (2017)
0.8% of GDP (2016)
0.9% of GDP (2015)
1.8% of GDP (2019)
1.9% of GDP (2018)
2% of GDP (2017)
2% of GDP (2016)
2% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 83,000 active duty personnel (50,000 Army; 18,000 Navy (includes about 3,000 marines); 15,000 Air Force); est. 20,000 Gendarmerie (2021)
the Armed Forces of Chile have approximately 80,000 active personnel (45,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France and the US are the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that can produce air, land, and sea systems (2020)
the Chilean military inventory is comprised of a wide mix of mostly Western equipment and some domestically-produced systems; since 2010, it has received military hardware from nearly 15 countries, with Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US as the leading suppliers; Chile's defense industry has capabilities in military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2020)
