The U.S. defence structure 2025 spans five Department of Defense (DoD) services, with the Coast Guard operating under the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime. Figures and placements below use the latest official releases and widely used public references.
Services at a glance
- U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Space Force (DoD).
- U.S. Coast Guard (DHS in peacetime). Its counts are published outside DoD tables.
For monthly headcounts and rank/grade breakdowns, the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) publishes the official totals.
Current active-duty personnel (as of 30 April 2025)
(DoD services only; Coast Guard excluded from DMDC’s DoD tables.)
| Service | Active-duty personnel | As-of date |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Army | 451,024 | 30 Apr 2025 |
| U.S. Navy | 334,564 | 30 Apr 2025 |
| U.S. Marine Corps | 167,951 | 30 Apr 2025 |
| U.S. Air Force | 318,038 | 30 Apr 2025 |
| U.S. Space Force | 9,645 | 30 Apr 2025 |
| Total DoD active duty | 1,281,222 | 30 Apr 2025 |
DMDC’s most recent monthly total is 1,283,053 DoD active-duty personnel as of 31 May 2025. Monthly movement is normal.
Coast Guard: about 40,000 active-duty and ~6,000 reservists (CIA World Factbook, 2023). Not included in the DoD totals above.
FY2025 authorised active-duty end strength (caps)
(Authorised levels for 30 September 2025; not the same as current headcount.)
| Service | FY2025 authorised |
|---|---|
| Army | 442,300 |
| Navy | 332,300 |
| Marine Corps | 172,300 |
| Air Force | 320,000 |
| Space Force | 9,800 |
U.S. Air Force — combat aircraft and ICBMs
Fighters (Total Aircraft Inventory, 30 Sept 2024; published 2025):
F-35A 431 | F-22A 174 | F-15C/D 205 | F-15E 218 | F-15EX 24 | F-16C/D 783 | A-10C 260.
ICBMs: 400 LGM-30G Minuteman III on alert across F.E. Warren (WY), Malmstrom (MT), and Minot (ND). Fact sheet current June 2025.
U.S. Navy — carriers, air wings, and submarines
Aircraft carriers in commission (all nuclear-powered):
11 CVNs — Gerald R. Ford-class (CVN-78) and ten Nimitz-class (CVN-68…77).
Typical Carrier Air Wing (CVW) composition: about 9 squadrons, ~60–70 aircraft. Mix usually includes F/A-18E/F or F-35C, EA-18G, E-2D, CMV-22B, and MH-60R/S.
Submarines (all nuclear-powered):
53 fast-attack (SSN), 14 ballistic-missile (SSBN), 4 guided-missile (SSGN).
Where major assets are homeported
Carriers (current official notices/examples):
- USS George Washington (CVN-73) — forward-deployed Yokosuka, Japan (since 22 Nov 2024).
- USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) — San Diego, CA (homeport return 14 Aug 2025).
- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) — Bremerton, WA (homeport shift 13 Aug 2024).
- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) — Norfolk, VA (Atlantic Fleet hub; 2025 coverage).
Summary: Carrier homeports cluster at Norfolk (VA), San Diego (CA), Bremerton (WA), plus one forward-deployed in Yokosuka (Japan). Ships rotate for maintenance and deployments; homeports are documented in Navy releases.
Ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs):
- Atlantic: Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, GA (Trident II D5).
- Pacific: Naval Base Kitsap–Bangor, WA (Trident support).
Fast-attack submarines (SSNs), Pacific hubs: Pearl Harbor (HI), San Diego/Point Loma (CA), and Guam (with multiple SSNs forward-homeported).
Nuclear propulsion
All U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and submarines are nuclear-powered.
Core missile systems (USAF & USN)
Air Force: AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X, AGM-158 JASSM/JASSM-ER, AGM-158C LRASM, LGM-30G Minuteman III (400 active).
Navy: Tomahawk (TLAM/MST), Trident II D5 (SLBM), Standard Missile family / SM-6.
Hypersonic programmes: CPS and HACM
- Navy Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) with the Common Hypersonic Glide Body: end-to-end sea-based launch approach proven (DoD, 2 May 2025). Navy points to first fielding aboard USS Zumwalt, with subsequent reporting targeting 2027–2028 for at-sea testing.
- Air Force Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM): in development; schedule pressure noted in 2025oversight.
- Background: CRS “Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress” (updated 11 Feb 2025).
Defence satellites and space support (USSF/Navy)
- GPS (PNT): 31 active satellites with 7 on-orbit reserves.
- Missile warning: SBIRS — 6 GEO satellites + 2 HEO hosted payloads.
- Protected SATCOM: AEHF — 6 satellites.
- Wideband SATCOM: WGS — 10 on-orbit; WGS-11+ in development.
- UHF SATCOM (Navy): MUOS — 5 satellites (constellation complete).
Key sources
- Defense Manpower Data Center (active-duty by service; monthly totals).
- CIA World Factbook (U.S. Coast Guard overview).
- AFGSC Minuteman III fact sheet (current as of June 2025).
- U.S. Navy CVN and Submarine Force fact files.
- USNI explainer on carrier air wing composition.
- Space Systems Command and USSF/USAF fact sheets (GPS, SBIRS, AEHF, WGS, MUOS).
- CRS report on hypersonic weapons (2025).