The U.S. Navy is “weak”, the Air Force is “very weak”, and the Army is only “marginally” strong. In fact, the only U.S. armed service that could be considered “strong” is the Marine Corps. Those ratings came from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that studies U.S. military might and threats to the homeland.

The Foundation’s 2023 Index of U.S. Military Strength doesn’t mince words. It said if the mission of the U.S. military is to protect not only the U.S. mainland, but also the nation’s interests abroad, then the military is “ill-equipped” to handle those challenges.

The Army is the smallest it’s been since 1940. The Air Force is the smallest and oldest it’s been since it was created, and the Navy is retiring more ships than it’s building.

The Heritage Foundation found the global operating environment is still favorable to the U.S. and its ability to project military power, but advances by China could soon put the communist country ahead of the U.S. in terms of military strength.

China heavily invested in and developed an arsenal of missiles designed to hit U.S. warships. It has an upgraded fleet of fighter jets. The Chinese army is 50% bigger than America’s and is fielding equipment that rivals our own. China has surpassed the U.S. in hypersonic missile technology, and the Chinese navy is adding the equivalent of the entire British navy every year in new warships.

According to the Heritage Foundation, “informed deliberations on the status of America’s military power are desperately needed.”