Dominica Military Power Ranking 2025

MPR Rank: 191st
MPR SCORE: 126
MPR Index: 0.0077 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.9404 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.853 (standard deviations above the mean)

Overview

Dominica ranks 191st in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. As an island nation in the Eastern Caribbean, Dominica does not maintain a standing military. National defense responsibilities are managed by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, which includes a Coast Guard Division tasked with maritime surveillance, border protection, and search-and-rescue operations. The country’s national security doctrine emphasizes internal law enforcement, disaster relief readiness, and regional defense integration through its membership in the Regional Security System (RSS). Dominica’s reliance on multilateral security partnerships reflects a pragmatic approach to sovereignty protection through cooperation, resilience, and external alignment.

Strengths

1. Full Participation in the Regional Security System (RSS)

Dominica is a founding member of the RSS, which offers access to regional military-trained units, joint operational planning, and rapid deployment capabilities in times of national emergency or external threat.

2. Strong Internal Law Enforcement Capabilities

The Commonwealth Police Force, backed by a Special Services Unit (SSU) and Coast Guard, is equipped to manage civil unrest, anti-gang operations, and critical incident response, particularly in Roseau and port areas.

3. Maritime Patrol and Counter-Smuggling Operations

Dominica’s Coast Guard Division is responsible for monitoring territorial waters, intercepting illicit trafficking, and conducting search-and-rescue missions, particularly in coordination with the RSS Maritime Unit and U.S. Southern Command.

4. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Integration

Given Dominica’s exposure to frequent hurricanes and seismic activity, national forces are highly practiced in emergency logistics, evacuation, and post-disaster law enforcement, forming a core part of the country's operational readiness.

Why Dominica Is Still Ranked 191st

No Formal Armed Forces: Dominica has no army, navy, or air force, and its police-based model is designed for civil security, not warfighting or national defense against military threats.
Limited Strategic Capabilities: The country possesses no combat aircraft, artillery, or long-range weaponry, making strategic deterrence or independent defense functionally impossible.
Reliance on Regional and Foreign Intervention: Any high-intensity security scenario would require immediate support from RSS members, the U.S., or Commonwealth allies, reflecting a dependency-based defense posture.
Minimal Defense Budget and Force Size: The security apparatus operates on a constrained budget with limited personnel, trained for policing and civil control, not battlefield logistics or conventional military operations.

Conclusion

Dominica’s ranking at 132nd reflects its non-military defense architecture, built around a combination of local law enforcement capacity, regional military integration, and diplomatic security cooperation. The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, its Coast Guard, and participation in the RSS form the backbone of its internal and external security structure. While it cannot independently deter or resist conventional threats, Dominica remains resilient, regionally embedded, and operationally capable within its civil-policing mandate.

Military Strength and Force Projection

Active Military Personnel: None (security provided by police forces)
Reserve Personnel: None
Paramilitary Forces: 500 (Police Force and Coast Guard)
Army Personnel: None
Navy Personnel (Coast Guard): 100
Air Force Personnel: None

Ground Forces

Dominica does not maintain traditional military ground forces. Its internal security is handled by the police force, which also provides disaster response.

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

Air Wing

Dominica does not have an air force, and air security is supported through regional partnerships and international cooperation.

Naval Forces (Coast Guard)

Dominica's small coast guard is tasked with protecting the country’s territorial waters, conducting maritime security operations, and preventing illegal activities such as smuggling and illegal fishing.

Patrol Boats: 1

Missile Capabilities

Dominica does not possess missile systems or nuclear capabilities. The country’s defense strategy is focused on conventional maritime patrols and regional cooperation.

Strategic Partnerships

Dominica is a member of the Regional Security System (RSS), a collective security arrangement among several Eastern Caribbean countries. The RSS assists Dominica with regional defense, disaster relief, and internal security. The country also maintains security cooperation with the United States and other international partners for anti-narcotics operations and maritime security.

Military History & Combat Experience

Dominica has never engaged in formal warfare and does not maintain a military. Its real-world security experience stems from internal enforcement operations, disaster response missions, and RSS-coordinated deployments across the Eastern Caribbean. These activities have shaped a defense culture focused on multi-role police operations, maritime interdiction, and rapid emergency response.

RSS Regional Crisis Deployments (2000s–Present)
Dominica has both contributed to and received support through RSS peacekeeping and stabilization missions, particularly during the 2019 political tensions in Roseau. Personnel from Dominica's Special Services Unit (SSU) have deployed to neighboring islands to assist with election security, riot control, and public order restoration, gaining experience in semi-militarized operations under regional command.
Post-Hurricane Maria Security Operations (2017)
In the wake of Hurricane Maria, one of the most devastating natural disasters in Dominican history, the Police Force and Coast Guard were mobilized to enforce curfews, prevent looting, and assist in humanitarian coordination. This was one of the country’s largest internal mobilizations, involving logistics management, displaced population support, and external coordination with international relief forces.
Anti-Narcotics Maritime Enforcement
The Coast Guard Division, working with the U.S. Coast Guard and RSS naval assets, has conducted real-world maritime drug interdictions, including vessel intercepts and boarding operations along suspected narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Caribbean.
Internal Security and Counter-Crime Raids
The SSU conducts high-risk law enforcement operations against illegal firearms, gang activity, and drug trafficking, particularly in urban and semi-rural regions. These operations involve tactical entry, hostile environment control, and joint operations with international advisors, simulating elements of small-unit combat engagement in a domestic setting.

Though lacking formal combat forces, Dominica’s internal units have gained real-world experience in joint security operations, crisis management, and tactical enforcement scenarios. The country’s security profile is that of a non-military state with operational capability rooted in civil defense, coastal surveillance, and regional integration rather than in warfighting.

General Information

Demographics and Geography

Population: ~73,000 (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~30,000
Geographic Area: 751 km²
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Bordering Countries: None (island nation)
Coastline: 148 km
Climate: Tropical; heavy rainfall; hurricane-prone
Terrain: Rugged mountains, rainforest-covered interior, narrow coastal plain
Natural Resources: Timber, hydropower, arable land, geothermal energy
Proven Oil Reserves: None
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: None

Economic Indicators

Defense Budget (2025): ~$20 million USD
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~1.4%
GDP (PPP): ~$1.4 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$17,800
External Debt: ~$600 million USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Stable, focused on disaster preparedness and coast guard improvements

Military Infrastructure and Readiness

Military Service Obligation: Voluntary
Primary Defense Focus: Internal security, disaster response, maritime enforcement
Military Industry Base: None
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Minimal
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard
Missile Inventory Highlights: None; limited to light infantry arms and small naval weapons
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: Moderate; ~30–60 days
Reservist Force Size: ~700

Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure

Space or Satellite Programs: None
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: Intelligence Branch under Ministry of National Security
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: CARICOM, United States, United Kingdom, RSS
Airports (Total): 2
Major Military Airports: Douglas-Charles Airport (dual-use)

Naval Power and Maritime Logistics

Merchant Marine Fleet: Small
Major Ports: Roseau, Portsmouth
Naval Infrastructure: Coast Guard base with limited patrol capability
Naval Replenishment Capability: Basic coastal operations

Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure

Railway Network: None
Roadways: ~1,500 km

Energy and Fuel Logistics

Oil Production: None
Energy Imports: Fully dependent on imported petroleum products
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Minimal

Defense Production and Strategic Forces

Domestic Defense Production: None
Military Installations (Domestic): Roseau, Morne Bruce
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: Regional trainers through RSS and U.S. Navy visits
Defense Alliances: Regional Security System (RSS), CARICOM regional cooperation
Strategic Airlift Capability: None
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Extremely low