Well I think Mike is right to kick Germany out of his top ten list.
Germany today is a demilitarized society. (like most states in Europe)
The German equipment is very old and in a bad condition. Half of the aircrafts and helicopters which are in all the lists cannot fly in reality.
There are always some problems.
With the Transall, CH 53, Sea King and the Bell UH 1 D. This stuff is about 30 years old.
And the army material like lorries and tanks are also mostly from the 80ies.
Todays german military is only a shadow of the Cold war strengh and if you look back in history of WW2 or WW1.
It would take 5 to 10 years and a total change in politics to make the German military again to what is once. I sometimes have the impression that Germany has still the WW2 bonus and the rememberance of the past strengh by foreigners. But this over 50 years ago and in these times another generation lived with other values than todays democratic, weak and pacifistic-to-the-bone Germans.
"Es wird niemals so viel gelogen wie vor der Wahl, während des Krieges und nach der Jagd." Otto von Bismarck
Long live Nato and the EU and the Western world.
hehe
