A nation's army is its military, or more specifically, all of its land forces. Within a national army, armies are formations composed of several corps.

Militaries

An army is a country's military. The word army (armée in French) can refer to any armed force (for example, the People's Liberation Army of China consists of ground force, navy and air force branches).

See also list of countries without an army, Category:Militaries.

National land forces

More specifically, a national army is a nation's arm of the military service which conducts land-based warfare (for example, the United States Army, or the French Armée de Terre).

Most (but not all) armed forces make considerable distinction between the land-based army, the sea-based navy, and the air-based air force, often maintaining three independent organizations. Many air forces were formerly part of an army; historically, the United States Air Force originated as part of the United States Army.

Modern armies use infantry, armoured fighting vehicles (e.g. tanks), artillery, and aircraft (especially helicopters), supported by engineers, communications, and supply organizations.

See also: Category:Armies.

Formations

An army is also be a large military organization (formation) comprising two or more corps. A particular army is named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general—for example, The U.S. First Army and The Army of Northern Virginia. In the British Army it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division).

Armies (as well as army groups, and theaters) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility.

In the Soviet Red Army, "armies" were actually corps-sized formations, subordinate to an army-sized "front" in wartime. In peacetime a Soviet army was usually subordinate to a military district. See Army (Soviet Army).

For the hierarchy of land force organizations, see military organization.

Lists:

• List of armies
• List of armies by name
• List of armies by number

See also

• War
• Military history
• Military science
• Marines
• Senior service