National Army: Land Forces (Fortele Terestre ale Republicii Moldova, FTRM); Air Forces (Fortele Aeriene ale Republicii Moldova, FARM); Carabinieri Troops (a component of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that also has official status as a service of the Armed Forces during wartime) (2021)
Armed Forces of Ukraine (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, ZSU): Ground Forces (Sukhoputni Viys'ka), Naval Forces (Viys'kovo-Mors'ki Syly, VMS), Air Forces (Povitryani Syly, PS), Air Assault Forces (Desantno-shturmovi Viyska, DShV), Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (UASOF), Territorial Defense Forces (Reserves); Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard) (2021)
Military service age and obligation
18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2019)
note: Moldova intends to abolish military conscription by 2021
conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2019)
0.4% of GDP (2018)
0.4% of GDP (2017)
0.4% of GDP (2016)
3% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.9% of GDP (2019)
3.7% of GDP (2018)
3.1% of GDP (2017)
3.6% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Moldovan National Army has approximately 6,000 active troops (2020)
information varies; approximately 200,000 active troops (150,000 Army, including Airborne/Air Assault Forces; 12,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 National Guard (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Moldovan military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; since 2000, it has received small amounts of donated material from other nations, including the US (2020)
the Ukrainian military is equipped mostly with older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of weapons from several European countries, as well as Canada, the US, and the United Arab Emirates; Ukraine has a broad defense industry capable of building Soviet-era land systems and maintaining and upgrading Soviet-era combat aircraft, as well as missile and air defense systems (2020)
