Head to head · SD Strength Index
Egypt vs Israel Military Power 2026 Compared
on 4 of 7 areas
| 25 | Air powercounts for 24% | 32 | ||
| 9 | Missiles & strikecounts for 15% | 18 | ||
| 27 | Air & missile defencecounts for 14% | 29 | ||
| 24 | Sea powercounts for 13% | 22 | ||
| 60 | Land forcescounts for 10% | 42 | ||
| 59 | Manpowercounts for 6% | 46 | ||
| 8 | Budget & industrycounts for 18% | 28 |
Key figures
| Egypt | Israel | |
|---|---|---|
| Defence budget ($bn) | 2.4–2.6 | 44.8–45.8 |
| Active personnel | 438k | 169.5k |
| Reserves | 479k | 465k |
| Combat aircraft | 400–480 | 280–340 |
| Fifth-generation fighters | 0 | 48–50 |
| Attack helicopters | 85–100 | 48 |
| Main battle tanks | 2,500–3,500 | 400–1,300 |
| Aircraft carriers | 0 | 0 |
| Submarines | 8 | 6 |
| Naval fleet | 140–250 | 65 |
| Ballistic missiles | 9–24 | — |
| Missile range (km) | 300–450 | 4,000–6,500 |
| Long-range air-defence batteries | 8–16 | 5–9 |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 80–200 |
Branch by branch
| Air power Advantage: Israel | Egypt. About 200 to 218 F-16s without AMRAAM, an estimated 30 to 46 Rafales from 54 ordered and some 46 to 50 MiG-29M/M2s. No tankers. | Israel. 48 F-35I stealth fighters, 25 F-15Is and an estimated 150 to 200 F-16s, backed by two new KC-46A tankers. |
| Missiles Advantage: Israel | Egypt. An estimated 9 to 24 ballistic missile launchers with ranges of roughly 300 to 450 km. | Israel. Jericho missiles with an estimated reach of about 4,800 km. |
| Air and missile defence Advantage: Israel | Egypt. S-300VM, older Patriot PAC-2, German IRIS-T and reportedly Chinese HQ-9B. A US NASAMS sale worth about $4.67bn was approved in 2025. | Israel. Arrow, David's Sling and Iron Dome, tested against hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles in 2025 and 2026. A narrower lead than in the air, because Egypt's network is large. |
| Naval Advantage: Egypt | Egypt. Two Mistral assault ships, three FREMM and three or four MEKO frigates, four Gowind corvettes and four modern Type 209 submarines. | Israel. Six Dolphin submarines plus four Sa'ar 6 and three Sa'ar 5 corvettes. Fewer hulls, but six modern submarines to Egypt's four. |
| Land forces Advantage: Egypt | Egypt. An estimated 2,500 to 3,500 tanks, around 1,130 of them M1A1 Abrams assembled and upgraded at Factory 200, plus new K9A1EGY howitzers. | Israel. An estimated 400 to 600 Merkava tanks, far fewer but tested in Gaza and Lebanon since 2023. |
| Manpower Advantage: Egypt | Egypt. About 438,000 active troops, 479,000 reservists and 397,000 paramilitary personnel. | Israel. About 169,500 active troops and 465,000 reservists. |
If it came to war
| Scenario | Short war | Long war |
|---|---|---|
| A short war in Sinai | Israel Israeli F-35s outclass Egypt's F-16s, which carry no AMRAAM, and armour moving across open desert is exposed to air attack. | Israel Egypt's tanks and reservists count for more as a war goes on, but without tankers or long range missiles it cannot reach Israel's air bases. |
| A naval confrontation | Egypt Egypt's two Mistrals and its frigates put more ships at sea. | Israel Israeli aircraft and submarines can wear down surface ships operating within Israeli air range. |
Is Egypt stronger than Israel militarily?
No. Egypt is bigger on almost every count of people and hardware. It has about 438,000 active troops to Israel's 169,500 and roughly five times as many tanks. Israel is stronger in the domains that decide modern wars. It has 48 F-35I stealth fighters, a missile shield tested against hundreds of Iranian missiles and an estimated 90 nuclear warheads. Egypt has none of those.
The budgets are not close. Israel's 2026 defence budget is about $45bn. Egypt's official budget is under $3bn, plus about $1.3bn a year in US military aid, with much more spending hidden in businesses the military owns.
How modern is Egypt's air force?
Mixed. The backbone is more than 200 F-16s, flying without AMRAAM radar guided missiles. Egypt had taken about 32 of 54 Rafales by May 2026 and asked France for 24 more in September. A Russian Su-35 deal collapsed under US sanctions pressure, and talk of Chinese J-10C and J-35 fighters has produced no contract.
Egypt flies American, French, Russian and Chinese types side by side. That means four separate supply chains for spares.
Where is Egypt stronger than Israel?
On land and at sea. About 1,130 M1A1 Abrams form the core of an estimated 2,500 to 3,500 tanks, and 555 of them are approved for rebuild to the M1A1SA standard. Its navy runs two Mistral assault ships and has added FREMM, MEKO and Gowind warships since 2015, some of them built at Alexandria.
Has Egypt fought a war recently?
Not against another state since 1973. Its recent combat is counterinsurgency in North Sinai, which wound down in 2022 and 2023, and air strikes in eastern Libya between 2015 and 2020. Its practice now comes from exercises, held in 2026 with China, Turkey and Pakistan among others. Israel has been fighting since October 2023, including two wars with Iran.
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Questions readers ask
Who would win a war between Egypt and Israel?
Israel. Its air force, missile defences and combat experience outweigh Egypt's larger army and navy. Egypt's F-16s lack AMRAAM missiles and it has no tanker aircraft.
Is Egypt's army bigger than Israel's?
Yes. Egypt has about 438,000 active troops and 479,000 reservists. Israel has about 169,500 active troops and 465,000 reservists.
How many fighter jets does Israel have?
An estimated 300, including 48 F-35I stealth fighters. Egypt has an estimated 380 to 500 fighters, most of them F-16s without modern radar guided missiles.
Does Egypt have F-35s?
No. Egypt has no stealth fighters. Its newest jets are French Rafales, with about 32 of 54 delivered by May 2026.
Which Arab army is the strongest?
Saudi Arabia ranks ahead of Egypt in the Silent Dossier index on air defence and spending, the only Arab military placed higher. Egypt has the larger army and navy.