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Subject: Country with best conventional armed forces (army, air force, navy)
dba    11/3/2006 3:46:57 PM
Which country would be ranked #1 in an all-out conventional war involvng all armed forces like WW2? Obviously I would exclude US & Russia in this ranking. And no nukes. And I would say size matters also. So even if UK army was really good its small size would make it inferior to say China. Thanks.
 
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Herald1234    Cuban missile crisis ring a bell?   11/14/2006 8:08:52 PM
Goofed again! GoG, apologies to both you and Galrahn!

One day I'll get it correct!

Herald

 
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tweetybird       11/14/2006 8:33:30 PM

What good is presence without sustainment?

Russia has a good power projection presence on land.

To give you the Cold War reference, how long would Russian garrisons in Cuba survive? Better yet how long would Russian overseas client states survive?

Not long.

Seapower.

As opposed to landpower.

One thing overlooked in most power equations like this one is who has access to what. Infrastructure accounts for a lot of military potential and capability.

Trucks as opposed to ships as opposed to aircraft?

Ships have only one land competitor for sustainment and cargo movement on a cost basis in a logistic sense. That is trains.

How is Russia's railroad network?

Suggested reading;

"http://www.austhink.org/monk/CHINA.doc
"

Russia should be very worried.

Much of what China lacks, she can find in Siberia.

Herald




 
Not sure we're you're going with this.
 
Seapower vs. landpower: I'm talking the benefits to power projection afforded by presence; not the comparative strengths of a particular fighting arm. The U.S and France have an extensive network of overseas logistics bases which give then "presence" AND augment their capability to get upclose and personal the welter weights of the world.
 
The days of land grabs are long past: much of what China lacks, she will BUY from Siberia. Anything else makes for good hollywood pulp fiction.

 
 
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Herald1234       11/14/2006 8:56:22 PM
The days of the land grab are not over. Look at Iran's current game.

As to landpower versus seapower? If the ships and trains don't arrive? What good are the troops and the prepositioned equipment ? Useless.

An army marches on food, fuel , ammunition  and  replacements. An air force flies on fuel and spare parts and repalcement pilots and maintenance crews It needs earth moving machinery and maintenance troops to repair the airbase after it is bombed. And of course it needs bombs.

A navy is self explanatory. Without a fleet trains it is a bunch of ships bobbing around uselessly with empty ordnance cells, magazines, fuel bunkers, and crew slots. If it relies on fixed bases to operate, well that is why the enemy has an air force, to make sure that the base is gone when the fleet returns.

S.U.S.T.A.I.N.M.E.N.T.

You may not be able to beat them in a battle, but if you can outlast them you will win the war.

L.O.G.I.S.T.I.C.S.

Herald 

 
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Godofgamblers       11/14/2006 9:20:13 PM
No worries, H :)
 
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gf0012-aust       11/15/2006 1:17:41 AM


A navy is self explanatory. Without a fleet trains it is a bunch of ships bobbing around uselessly with empty ordnance cells, magazines, fuel bunkers, and crew slots. If it relies on fixed bases to operate, well that is why the enemy has an air force, to make sure that the base is gone when the fleet returns.

S.U.S.T.A.I.N.M.E.N.T.

You may not be able to beat them in a battle, but if you can outlast them you will win the war.

L.O.G.I.S.T.I.C.S.

Herald 


also encapulated as the the multiple " P's " :

<li>Projection
<li>Persistence
<li>Performance
<li>Precision
<li>Political Will and Intent
<li>Packages
<li>Provisioning (aka Logistics)

 
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tigerscratch       11/16/2006 11:31:21 AM
I don't know why the fellow dismissed India and China's militaries as 'low-tech'. The India is already making massive strides to leverage its prowess in software and technology for use in combat. Battlefield laptops and GPS are already turning into standard equipment for most infantry units in the Indian Army, for instance.
 
And in any case, its not common public knowledge what the PLA is upto anyways... so calling it 'Low tech' is only a statement borne out of ignorance.
 
 
 
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tigerscratch       11/16/2006 11:44:23 AM
The Indian army, navy and airforce have been conducting regular joint exercises with their American counterparts in India and in Alaska. Considering that one of the stated goals of these exercises is 'inter-operability', i wouldn't venture to say that the Indians are too 'low-tech'.
 
And considering how much money the Chinese have at their disposal, I wouldn't venture to call them low-tech either.
 
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Herald1234    ARJUN   11/16/2006 12:03:53 PM
Brazil was able to field a credible domestically designed  tank.

Herald



 
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Ehran       11/16/2006 2:02:55 PM

Brazil was able to field a credible domestically designed  tank.

Herald





they also are developing a respectable aviation industry.  they will one day be one of the big boys on the international scene.
 
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JIMF       11/16/2006 2:08:13 PM
"Brazil is the nation of the future, and always will be"  Clemenceau
 
I don't know if that assessment is still valid,  but its a good line. 
 
 
 
 
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