Antigua and Barbuda

Military Power Ranking 2025

MPR Rank: 187th
MPR SCORE: 133
MPR Index: 0.0112 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.9371 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.834 (standard deviations above the mean)

Overview

Antigua and Barbuda ranks 187th in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. As a small island state in the Eastern Caribbean, the country does not maintain a formal standing military. Instead, security and defense responsibilities are managed by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, supported by a modest coast guard. The nation’s defense policy focuses on internal stability, maritime law enforcement, and disaster response. For broader regional threats or emergencies, Antigua and Barbuda depends on its participation in the Regional Security System (RSS)—a multinational security alliance offering coordinated defense assistance to Eastern Caribbean states.

Strengths

1. Membership in the Regional Security System (RSS)

Antigua and Barbuda is a full member of the RSS, providing it with access to military-trained personnel, joint intelligence frameworks, and crisis response units from allied Caribbean states such as Barbados and Saint Kitts & Nevis.

2. Effective Maritime and Port Security

The Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard maintains routine maritime patrols, counter-smuggling operations, and search-and-rescue capabilities, especially around St. John's Harbour and offshore territorial waters.

3. Organized Civil Security Institutions

The Royal Police Force, including its Special Services Unit (SSU) and Disaster Office, provides a strong foundation for internal security, crowd control, and post-disaster coordination.

4. Geopolitical Stability and Diplomatic Engagement

With a low regional threat profile, Antigua and Barbuda’s security is further reinforced by stable relations with the United States, United Kingdom, and regional bodies, reducing the need for independent defense buildup.

Why Antigua and Barbuda Is Still Ranked 187th

No Formal Army, Navy, or Air Force: The country lacks any traditional branches of the military, limiting its ability to conduct defensive operations, border security, or force projection independently.
Limited Combat Capabilities: The coast guard and SSU are designed for law enforcement, not military engagement. They lack heavy equipment, air defense systems, and battlefield logistics.
Dependence on Regional and Foreign Military Support: Any threat to national sovereignty would require intervention from RSS allies, U.S. military assets, or foreign naval presence, highlighting a reliance-based defense model.
Minimal Budget and Force Size: The country operates on a small defense allocation, with a compact force focused on low-intensity threats, making sustained engagement or deterrence impossible.

Conclusion

Antigua and Barbuda’s rank of 133rd reflects its non-militarized security model, built around policing, coast guard enforcement, and regional defense agreements. While it lacks combat forces or independent deterrence, the country maintains a functional internal security framework, bolstered by RSS membership and strong bilateral partnerships. Its doctrine prioritizes maritime vigilance, disaster preparedness, and diplomatic risk management, making it one of the more resilient among the smaller Caribbean states despite its low military footprint.

Military Strength and Force Projection

Active Military Personnel: None (security provided by police forces)
Reserve Personnel: None
Paramilitary Forces: 400 (Police Force and Coast Guard)
Army Personnel: None
Navy Personnel (Coast Guard): 100
Air Force Personnel: None

Ground Forces

Antigua and Barbuda does not maintain traditional military ground forces. Security is managed through the police force, which handles internal security and disaster response operations.

Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): None
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): None
Artillery (Towed and Self-Propelled): None

Air Wing

Antigua and Barbuda does not have an air force. Air security is supported through regional partnerships, particularly with the United States and other Caribbean nations.

Naval Forces (Coast Guard)

The coast guard is primarily responsible for patrolling the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), conducting search and rescue missions, and preventing illegal activities such as drug smuggling and illegal fishing.

Patrol Boats: 1

Missile Capabilities

Antigua and Barbuda does not possess missile systems or nuclear capabilities. The country’s defense strategy is focused on maritime patrols and internal security.

Strategic Partnerships

Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Regional Security System (RSS), a regional defense agreement among Eastern Caribbean nations that provides mutual support in disaster relief, peacekeeping, and security. The country also collaborates with international partners, such as the United States, for counter-narcotics and maritime security operations.

Military History & Combat Experience

Antigua and Barbuda has no history of conventional military conflict, and its modern security operations are centered around coast guard enforcement, regional police support, and humanitarian response. Despite this, the country has participated in regional security missions and conducted several real-world internal deployments through the Special Services Unit and Coast Guard.

RSS Regional Deployments (Ongoing)
As part of the Regional Security System, Antigua and Barbuda has contributed police officers and SSU personnel to peacekeeping and anti-crime operations in nearby member states. These include support missions during political unrest in Dominica (2019) and Saint Vincent (2021). These operations provide interoperability experience and exposure to semi-militarized conditions.
Hurricane and Disaster Relief Missions
The nation frequently mobilizes security personnel and the Coast Guard in response to natural disasters, including Hurricanes Irma (2017) and Maria (2017). The experience gained in logistical coordination, civilian protection, and emergency maritime operations has become a core competency for Antigua’s national forces.
Counter-Narcotics and Maritime Patrols
Antigua and Barbuda plays a key role in anti-smuggling patrols within the Eastern Caribbean, intercepting narcotics vessels and supporting U.S. and British-led maritime operations. Though these engagements do not amount to warfare, they involve real-world armed interdiction scenarios and routine joint exercises with regional partners.
Internal Security Deployments
The Special Services Unit (SSU) has been activated in recent years to respond to domestic unrest, high-profile criminal threats, and VIP protection missions during international summits. These operations simulate some of the readiness and tactics required in higher-intensity environments.

While lacking any combat history, Antigua and Barbuda’s experience in multilateral policing, maritime security, and disaster relief gives its security forces limited but meaningful real-world operational exposure. The country’s strength lies in its strategic partnerships and integration into regional rapid response systems, rather than in independent military capability.

General Information

Demographics and Geography

Population: ~95,000 (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~40,000
Geographic Area: 442 km²
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Bordering Countries: None (island nation)
Coastline: 153 km
Climate: Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some volcanic hills
Natural Resources: Beaches, arable land, fish
Proven Oil Reserves: None
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: None

Economic Indicators

Defense Budget (2025): ~$20 million USD
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~1.2%
GDP (PPP): ~$2.4 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$24,000
External Debt: ~$1.1 billion USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Stable, focused on coast guard and internal policing functions

Military Infrastructure and Readiness

Military Service Obligation: Voluntary
Primary Defense Focus: Maritime security, disaster response, internal policing
Military Industry Base: None
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Minimal
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF), including Land Battalion, Coast Guard, and Air Wing
Missile Inventory Highlights: None; equipped with small arms and patrol boat weapons
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: Moderate; ~30–60 days
Reservist Force Size: ~1,000

Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure

Space or Satellite Programs: None
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: ABDF Intelligence Cell and national police intelligence unit
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: United States, United Kingdom, CARICOM, RSS
Airports (Total): 3
Major Military Airports: V. C. Bird International Airport (dual-use for emergency operations)

Naval Power and Maritime Logistics

Merchant Marine Fleet: Small
Major Ports: St. John’s
Naval Infrastructure: ABDF Coast Guard operates patrol craft from Crabbs Peninsula
Naval Replenishment Capability: Basic coastal support

Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure

Railway Network: None
Roadways: ~1,200 km

Energy and Fuel Logistics

Oil Production: None
Energy Imports: Full reliance on imported petroleum products
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Minimal

Defense Production and Strategic Forces

Domestic Defense Production: None
Military Installations (Domestic): Camp Blizzard (St. John’s), Crabbs Naval Base
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: Regional training missions from U.S., U.K., and CARICOM
Defense Alliances: Regional Security System (RSS), CARICOM security cooperation
Strategic Airlift Capability: None
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Extremely low