Quora Answer: Why is Singapore Ranked 7th in Southeast Asia, for the Global Firepower Index?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If Singapore, a developed nation, has the most advanced military in Southeast Asia, why is it ranked 7^th place in Southeast Asian Global Firepower Index, while developing countries like Myanmar and Vietnam are 4^th and 2^nd place respectively?”

The Global Firepower Index has no credibility, and no analyst takes it seriously.  It does not take into account doctrine, combat readiness, terrain, political obligations, logistics, quality of manpower, technology level, and all the minute considerations that determine the effectiveness of a military.

What it does is estimate the number of specific categories of artillery, tanks, ships, aircraft, and other things, as well as the supposedly available manpower, without considering the quality and availability.  By that count, a nation with a navy of a thousand patrol boats would rank higher than one capable of fielding an aircraft carrier group.  Or, an air force with a thousand obsolete fixed wing aircraft would rank higher than one with a hundred 5^th generation fighters.  The system is meaningless.