Peru Military Forces ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช

Peru Military Strength Overview

๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธ Air Force 253 active aircrafts
๐Ÿช– Active Troops 81,000 personnels
โ›‘๏ธ Reserve Troops 188,000 personnels
๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™€๏ธ Paramilitary 77,000 personnels

Defense Statistics & Key Metrics

Population 33.8 million (2023)
GDP $267.6 billion (2023)
GDP per capita $7907 (2023)
Military Budget $2.6 billion (2024)
Share of GDP in Milex 0.9% (2024)
Share of Govt Expenditures 4.1% (2024)
Military spends per capita $75 (2024)
Inflation Rate 2.01% (2024)
Military Personnel 158,000 (2020)

Strategic Overview in 2025

Peru's military is oriented towards countering significant internal security threats while maintaining a credible, albeit secondary, conventional deterrent in the Andean region. The primary challenges are not from state actors but from narco-trafficking, illegal mining, and the remnants of the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) insurgency, particularly in the VRAEM (Valley of the Apurรญmac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers) region. While historical tensions with neighbors like Chile exist, the possibility of interstate warfare is considered remote.

Military Forces

The Peruvian Armed Forces are undergoing their most significant recapitalization in decades, backed by a 2025 defense budget of approximately $3 billion. This modernization aims to replace obsolete equipment and standardize platforms to improve logistics.

  • Air Force: The FAP is the top priority, with over $2 billion allocated to acquire 24 new multi-role fighters to replace its aging fleet of French Mirage 2000 and Russian MiG-29 jets. Leading contenders include the US F-16, Swedish Gripen, and French Rafale. Two Boeing 737 transport aircraft are also planned for acquisition to improve mobility.
  • Navy: The Navy is slated to receive $1.3 billion to expand its fleet with six multi-role frigates, three offshore patrol vessels, and four submarines, among other assets, to enhance maritime security.
  • Army: The Army is undergoing a more modest modernization, with $78 million designated for the JUCRAM program to acquire 40 new multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

Defense Industry

Peru lacks a robust indigenous industry for major military platforms and remains dependent on foreign imports for advanced systems. However, government strategy emphasizes developing local capabilities through technology transfer and international partnerships. A key example is the partnership between the state-run shipyard SIMA and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries to co-produce a frigate, an offshore patrol vessel, and two logistical ships. This model seeks to boost self-reliance and foster economic growth.

Strategic Trends

The foremost trend is Peruโ€™s determined shift from a military equipped with disparate and aging Cold War-era hardware to a more modern, cohesive, and sustainable force. This overhaul is focused on enhancing capabilities for internal security operations and sovereignty protection, such as patrolling borders and responding to natural disasters. While the approved budget marks a significant commitment, Peru's history of political instability and complex procurement processes could present challenges and potential delays to these ambitious modernization timelines. Affordability remains a key factor, with spending historically low at around 1% of GDP.

Geography

Map of Peru
Capital Lima
Land Area 1,279,996 kmยฒ
Coastline Length 2,414 km

Peru Military Budget History

Population and Military Personnel Trends

GDP and Inflation Rate Trends

Peru Naval Shipbuilding

Class Type
PR 72 Missile corvette

Peru Firearms Development

Model Category
FAD - Fusil Automรกtico Doble Bullpup assault rifle
Population, GDP, Inflation and Personnel: World Bank.
Military Expenditure: SIPRI Milex.