Marshall Islands
Military Power Ranking 2025
MPR Rank: 194th
MPR SCORE: 121
MPR Index: 0.0051 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.9428 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.866 (standard deviations above the mean)
Overview
The Marshall Islands ranks 194th in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. Located in the central Pacific Ocean, the country maintains no standing military force. Instead, national defense is provided by the United States under the terms of the Compact of Free Association (COFA), which grants the U.S. full authority and responsibility for the defense of the islands. Domestically, the Marshall Islands focuses on internal law enforcement, maritime surveillance, and disaster response, particularly across its expansive exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Despite its small size, the country holds significant geostrategic importance to U.S. Indo-Pacific operations due to its location and long-term hosting of military testing and radar infrastructure.
Strengths
1. Full U.S. Military Protection under COFA
Through the Compact of Free Association, the Marshall Islands enjoys comprehensive U.S. defense guarantees, including military intervention, airspace defense, and naval protection against any external threat.
2. Strategic Location for U.S. Pacific Operations
The Marshall Islands hosts the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, a key U.S. facility for missile tracking, space surveillance, and defense testing, cementing its role in the broader Indo-Pacific military architecture.
3. Organized Law Enforcement and Maritime Surveillance
The Marshall Islands Police, supported by the Sea Patrol Unit, conducts coastal monitoring, port security, and fisheries enforcement across one of the largest EEZs in the Pacific.
4. Disaster Response and International Civil Defense Networks
The country is actively supported by U.S. FEMA, Pacific Islands Forum, and Japanese and Australian aid agencies in natural disaster response, reflecting a well-integrated resilience model.
Why the Marshall Islands Is Still Ranked 194th
No Indigenous Military Capability: The Marshall Islands lacks combat forces, military equipment, and doctrinal infrastructure for independent defense, making it reliant on external actors.
Zero Deterrence Power: The nation has no long-range defense systems, aerial capabilities, or maritime combat platforms, eliminating any possibility of self-generated deterrence.
Total Dependence on the United States: All national defense functions—strategic planning, force deployment, and intelligence—are handled by the U.S. Department of Defense, limiting national autonomy in security affairs.
Limited Operational Scope of Internal Forces: Domestic forces are designed for law enforcement and civil protection, with no training or scale for conventional defense scenarios.
Conclusion
The Marshall Islands' ranking of 139th reflects its non-militarized security posture, underpinned by the U.S. defense umbrella through the Compact of Free Association. While the country plays a strategically significant role in global military systems—particularly through missile tracking and space defense infrastructure—its own contribution to national defense is minimal and entirely civilian in nature. The Marshall Islands represents a unique example of a geopolitically critical but militarily dependent microstate, sustained by foreign military partnerships, domestic resilience planning, and law enforcement-centered sovereignty management.
Military Strength and Force Projection
Active Military Personnel: None (defense provided by the United States)
Reserve Personnel: None
Paramilitary Forces: 100 (Police and Maritime Surveillance Unit)
Army Personnel: None
Navy Personnel (Coast Guard/Maritime Unit): 50
Air Force Personnel: None
Ground Forces
As the Marshall Islands have no formal military, internal security is maintained by local police forces and the Maritime Surveillance Unit.
Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): None
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): None
Artillery (Towed and Self-Propelled): None
Air Wing
The Marshall Islands do not maintain an air force. Air defense is provided by the United States through the terms of their mutual defense agreement.
Naval Forces (Maritime Surveillance Unit)
The Maritime Surveillance Unit is responsible for patrolling the country's vast territorial waters, focusing on combating illegal fishing and maintaining maritime law enforcement.
Patrol Boats: 2
Missile Capabilities
The Marshall Islands do not possess missile capabilities. The nation's defense strategy is based on cooperation with the United States, which provides for the country's external defense and security needs.
Strategic Partnerships
The Marshall Islands benefit from a strong defense relationship with the United States under the Compact of Free Association. This agreement guarantees U.S. defense protection and provides substantial economic and development assistance to the island nation.
Military History & Combat Experience
The Marshall Islands does not maintain a military and has no experience with conventional warfare since gaining independence. However, it plays a pivotal supporting role in the global defense posture of the United States, and its internal forces have gained operational experience in coastal enforcement, disaster relief, and security coordination under external guidance.
U.S. Defense Compact and Strategic Hosting Role (Since 1986)
The Compact of Free Association signed in 1986 formalized the Marshall Islands' agreement to host key U.S. defense facilities in exchange for sovereignty guarantees and economic assistance. The Kwajalein Atoll, one of the largest coral atolls in the world, houses the Reagan Test Site, a hub for ballistic missile defense, hypersonic tracking, and space surveillance, although all operations are controlled by U.S. personnel.Internal Security – Law Enforcement and Maritime Patrol (Ongoing)
The Marshall Islands Police Department, alongside the Sea Patrol, operates in coastal waters and harbors to conduct fisheries enforcement, anti-smuggling efforts, and civil protection tasks, particularly around Majuro and outer atolls. Though these missions are non-military, they simulate real-world security operations in a maritime setting.Disaster Response and Emergency Deployment
The Marshall Islands faces frequent typhoons, tidal surges, and climate-related emergencies. Security forces have been repeatedly mobilized for evacuations, infrastructure protection, and relief coordination, especially following Typhoon Bopha (2012) and King Tide events in 2020. These missions develop rapid mobilization and crisis-management skillsets.U.S. Joint Exercises and Technical Cooperation
While the Marshall Islands does not participate in combat drills, its law enforcement units regularly support logistical aspects of U.S. military drills, such as facility security, emergency drills, and coastline monitoring during testing windows. This creates limited but practical exposure to high-readiness conditions under external command structures.
The Marshall Islands has no combat forces or military engagements, but it is deeply embedded in U.S. global defense strategy, with domestic operations focused on law enforcement, disaster readiness, and territorial coordination with foreign allies. Its strategic value is derived from its location and treaty-based military hosting, not from internal force strength or combat capacity.
General Information
Demographics and Geography
Population: ~60,000 (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~25,000
Geographic Area: 181 km² (spread across 29 atolls and 5 islands)
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Bordering Countries: None (island nation)
Coastline: 370.4 km
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid with wet and dry seasons; occasional typhoons
Terrain: Low coral atolls and islands
Natural Resources: Marine resources, deep-sea minerals, coconut products
Proven Oil Reserves: None
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: None
Economic Indicators
Defense Budget (2025): ~$0 (defense provided by the United States under Compact of Free Association)
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~0%
GDP (PPP): ~$280 million USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$4,600
External Debt: ~$110 million USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): None; reliant on U.S. for defense
Military Infrastructure and Readiness
Military Service Obligation: No standing military; law enforcement and maritime patrols handled by national police
Primary Defense Focus: Maritime policing, disaster response, internal security
Military Industry Base: None
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: None
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: No military forces; public safety under Ministry of Justice
Missile Inventory Highlights: None
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: Not applicable
Reservist Force Size: N/A
Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure
Space or Satellite Programs: None (U.S. military operates space tracking at Kwajalein Atoll)
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: Domestic intelligence capacity is limited; relies on U.S. coordination
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: United States
Airports (Total): ~11
Major Military Airports: Bucholz Army Airfield (Kwajalein Atoll; U.S. operated)
Naval Power and Maritime Logistics
Merchant Marine Fleet: Small
Major Ports: Majuro
Naval Infrastructure: Operates patrol boats for EEZ monitoring with Australian support
Naval Replenishment Capability: Basic; supported by foreign partners
Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure
Railway Network: None
Roadways: ~65 km
Energy and Fuel Logistics
Oil Production: None
Energy Imports: Entirely reliant on imported petroleum products
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Minimal
Defense Production and Strategic Forces
Domestic Defense Production: None
Military Installations (Domestic): None under Marshallese control
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: U.S. military personnel stationed at Kwajalein Atoll under Compact
Defense Alliances: Compact of Free Association with the United States
Strategic Airlift Capability: U.S.-based; not indigenous
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: None
Research and Industry Support
Defense R&D Investment: None
Key Wartime Industries Beyond Defense: Fisheries, shipping logistics, Kwajalein U.S. operations
Political and Administrative Structure
Capital: Majuro
Founding Date: October 21, 1986 (Compact of Free Association with U.S.)
System of Government: Mixed parliamentary-presidential republic in free association with the United States
