US military might - the facts
Terrorism crisis - Observer special
Sunday March 10, 2002
The Observer
· The US defence budget is $379 billion after a recent rise of 14 per cent. This is the biggest rise in 20 years.
· The defence budget is larger than the combined total of the next nine biggest defence spenders. It is responsible for about 40 per cent of the world's military spending.
· The US has 247,000 troops and civilians posted overseas, with a presence in more than 130 countries, covering every time zone. The US has 13 military bases in countries around Afghanistan. It has military presence in Uzbekistan, Takijstan, Kyrgystan and Georgia, all former Soviet countries.
· The Department of Defense employs 1.4 million people on active duty. It is the largest employer in the US, with more employees than ExxonMobil, Ford, General Motors and GE combined.
· The Department of Defence owns 40,000 properties, covering 18 million acres of land.
· The US operates a fleet of more than 15,000 aircraft, including 20 stealth bombers in service. The navy operates more than 1,000 ocean going vessels.
· The Defense Department buys enough fuel every day to drive a car around the world 13,000 times.
· The US headquarters at the Pentagon employs 23,000 workers and incorporates over 17 miles of corridors.
· The US spends an average of $28,000 on research and development for each member of its armed forces compared to the European average of $7,000.
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