Slovenian Armed Forces (Slovenska Vojska, SV): structured as a combined force with air, land, maritime, special operations, combat support, and combat service support elements (2021)
Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI); Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2021)
note(s): the Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie; for its civil police functions, the Carabinieri falls under the control of the Ministry of the Interior; the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2019)
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation; conscription abolished 2004 (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.06% of GDP (2019)
1.01% of GDP (2018)
0.98% of GDP (2017)
1% of GDP (2016)
1.39% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.18% of GDP (2019)
1.23% of GDP (2018)
1.2% of GDP (2017)
1.18% of GDP (2016)
Military - note
Slovenia officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Slovenian Armed Forces have approximately 7,000 active duty troops (2020)
the Italian Armed Forces have approximately 170,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 107,000 Carabinieri (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the inventory of the Slovenian Armed Forces is a mix of Soviet-era and limited quantities of more modern Western equipment; since 2010, it has received limited supplies of military equipment from Finland, France, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US (2020)
the Italian Armed Forces' inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced, jointly-produced, and imported European and US weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of weapons to Italy since 2010, followed by Germany; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in naval vessels and aircraft; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2020)
