Cuba Military Power Ranking 2025
MPR Rank: 89th
MPR SCORE: 311
MPR Index: 0.1003 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.8527 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.366 (standard deviations above the mean)
Overview
Cuba ranks 89th globally in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) are among the largest and most structured militaries in the Caribbean, designed for deterrence, homeland defense, and civil-military resilience. The force prioritizes anti-aircraft defense, coastal protection, and asymmetric resistance against superior foreign militaries, particularly in the event of a U.S.-led intervention.
Cuba’s military doctrine is grounded in territorial defense and mass mobilization, utilizing a system of mandatory conscription, people’s militias, and military reserves. Though the armed forces rely heavily on Soviet-era equipment, the country has effectively adapted older systems to function within a cost-efficient, decentralized defense model. Cuba’s proximity to the United States, along with its historical role in Cold War geopolitics, continues to shape a defensive posture rooted in ideological preparedness rather than modern high-tech warfare.
Strengths
1. National Mobilization and Manpower Structure
Cuba maintains a high ratio of active and reserve personnel through compulsory conscription and a nationwide militia network. The state can rapidly mobilize large numbers of troops for territorial defense, making any potential invasion costly.
2. Dense Anti-Air and Coastal Defense Systems
The FAR emphasizes integrated air defense, with radar sites, MANPADS, and SAM batteries distributed across the island. It also fields coastal missile units and anti-landing defenses, giving Cuba credible anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities near its shores.
3. Civil-Military Integration
Cuba's military is embedded within national institutions and civil governance, ensuring rapid command responsiveness, civilian coordination, and an ability to maintain order during natural disasters or foreign threats. This structure reinforces the FAR’s stability enforcement role.
Why Cuba Is Still Ranked 89th
1. Outdated Equipment and Minimal Modernization
Most of Cuba’s hardware, including MiG-21 fighters, T-62 tanks, and naval patrol boats, dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, with only modest upgrades. The FAR lacks modern armored units, precision munitions, and networked battlefield capabilities.
2. No Strategic Reach or Force Projection
Cuba has no ability to project power beyond its borders. The FAR lacks airlift, blue-water naval assets, and long-range weapons, limiting its role entirely to island defense and symbolic regional influence.
3. Isolation and Logistical Constraints
Due to U.S. sanctions and limited defense industry capacity, Cuba faces severe restrictions on spare parts, fuel, and advanced systems acquisition. It has relied on domestic adaptation and sympathetic suppliers, but this has hindered any real modernization.
Conclusion
Cuba fields a resilient, defense-oriented military, capable of island-wide mobilization, asymmetric resistance, and air denial operations. Though its forces are technologically outdated, the doctrine of territorial defense, robust reserve structure, and institutional cohesion grant the FAR strategic credibility in deterring external aggression. Its low ranking reflects the lack of modern combat capabilities, but its role as a fortress state built on internal stability and deterrent resilience remains firmly intact.
Military Strength and Force Projection
Active Military Personnel: 50,000
Reserve Personnel: 39,000
Paramilitary Forces: 90,000 (Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and territorial militia)
Army Personnel: 35,000
Navy Personnel: 5,000
Air Force Personnel: 10,000
Ground Forces
Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): 300+ (primarily T-54/T-55, some T-62)
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 500+
Artillery Pieces (Towed & Self-Propelled): 600+
Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 60+
Air Force
Combat Aircraft: 15+
Attack Helicopters: 8+
Transport Aircraft: 10+
Training Aircraft: 15+
Aircraft Breakdown:
MiG-29A: 2 (limited operational status)
MiG-21 variants: 12+
Mi-24 Hind Helicopters: 8
An-26 Transport Aircraft: Limited service
L-39 Albatros: Multiple
Naval Forces
Warships: 7+
Submarines: 0
Frigates/Corvettes: 2
Patrol Boats and Coastal Defense Craft: 10+
Naval Vessel Breakdown:
Soviet-era Pauk-class corvettes: 2
Osa-class missile boats: Operational status uncertain
Coastal patrol craft: Active for anti-smuggling and defense
Missile Capabilities
Cuba does not maintain strategic missile systems. The military operates short-range air defense systems and anti-ship missiles such as the P-15 Termit (Styx) and coastal defense artillery. Emphasis is placed on surface-to-air missile coverage and radar-guided airspace denial rather than offensive missile deployment.
Strategic Partnerships
Cuba maintains longstanding military ties with Russia, China, and Venezuela. While post-Cold War partnerships have diminished in scale, Cuba still receives training, maintenance, and limited hardware from Russia and China. Cooperation also exists with Nicaragua and Bolivia, particularly in officer training and civil-military affairs.
Military History & Combat Experience
Cuba’s military history reflects a legacy of revolutionary warfare, Cold War proxy interventions, and national defense readiness against perceived external threats, especially from the United States. Its experience includes both overseas operations and domestic military consolidation.
Cuban Revolution (1956–1959):
A guerrilla campaign led by Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement, culminating in the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. The revolution formed the ideological and operational foundation of the modern FAR, emphasizing asymmetry, popular support, and internal cohesion.Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961):
A failed amphibious assault by CIA-backed Cuban exiles, met with coordinated defense by the newly formed FAR. The victory solidified internal control and demonstrated the FAR’s effectiveness in rapid coastal response, though it did not test the military in a sustained campaign.Cuban Military Missions in Africa (1975–1991):
Cuba deployed tens of thousands of troops to Angola, Ethiopia, and Mozambique during the Cold War, supporting socialist governments and fighting against South African and Western-backed forces. The most significant was Cuba’s role in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, where Cuban forces helped halt South African advances, earning strategic credibility in African liberation conflicts.Domestic Defense and Crisis Response (1990s–present):
Following the withdrawal from Africa, the FAR focused inward, training for guerrilla-style defense, natural disaster relief, and internal order enforcement. No major external engagements have occurred since the Cold War, but the FAR continues military exercises, readiness drills, and coastal patrols aimed at deterring foreign intervention.
Cuba’s military experience is defined by its ideological foundations, foreign intervention during the Cold War, and defensive preparations for a potential U.S. invasion. The result is a military force that is strategically disciplined, resource-adapted, and culturally entrenched, though lacking in modern combat capabilities or regional influence.
General Information
Cuba
Demographics and Geography
Population: ~11 million (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~4 million
Geographic Area: 109,884 km²
Land Boundaries: 0 km (island nation)
Bordering Countries: None
Coastline: 3,735 km
Climate: Tropical; trade winds; rainy season May–October
Terrain: Mostly flat with mountains in southeast
Natural Resources: Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, petroleum, arable land
Proven Oil Reserves: ~124 million barrels
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: ~2.5 trillion cubic feet
Economic Indicators
Defense Budget (2025): ~$1.5 billion USD (estimated)
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~4.0%
GDP (PPP): ~$150 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$13,500
External Debt: ~$19 billion USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Stable; focused on domestic defense and sovereignty
Military Infrastructure and Readiness
Military Service Obligation: Mandatory for men (1–3 years)
Primary Defense Focus: Homeland defense, asymmetric deterrence, internal stability
Military Industry Base: Moderate; produces small arms, ammo, drones, vehicles
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Moderate; focused on domestic surveillance
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Western, Central, and Eastern Army Commands
Missile Inventory Highlights: MANPADS, short-range SAMs, domestic rocket artillery
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: High; within 30 days
Reservist Force Size: ~50,000
Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure
Space or Satellite Programs: None; uses foreign-supplied imagery
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: Directorate of Intelligence, Military Counterintelligence
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: Russia, Venezuela, Iran, China
Airports (Total): ~133
Major Military Airports: San Antonio de los Baños, Holguín, Camagüey
Naval Power and Maritime Logistics
Merchant Marine Fleet: ~30 vessels
Major Ports: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Mariel
Naval Infrastructure: Coastal patrol, Soviet-era frigates, diesel subs (decommissioned)
Naval Replenishment Capability: Minimal
Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure
Railway Network: ~8,285 km
Roadways: ~60,000 km
Energy and Fuel Logistics
Oil Production: ~48,000 barrels/day
Energy Imports: High reliance on Venezuela and Russia
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Maintains government-controlled stockpiles
Defense Production and Strategic Forces
Domestic Defense Production: Small arms, basic drones, vehicles
Military Installations (Domestic): Bases in Havana, Santiago, Holguín
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: None (besides allied missions)
Defense Alliances: ALBA, bilateral ties with Russia, Iran
Strategic Airlift Capability: Il-76 and AN-26 aircraft
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Moderate for island nation
Research and Industry Support
Defense R&D Investment: Modest; focused on asymmetric warfare
Key Wartime Industries Beyond Defense: Gaviota (logistics), state agriculture, port logistics
Political and Administrative Structure
Capital: Havana
Founding Date: January 1, 1959 (Cuban Revolution victory)
System of Government: Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party state
