08 Aug 2016 23:12:25
Just wanted to ask kimphillby who has the best military and why if it's OK? I posted a reply to the thread further down, but I don't think he's seen it. Genuinely interested in this kind of stuff. Thanks.
09 Aug 2016 14:56:34
I'm not Kim but I know a little about this subject. Ignoring the simple answer (it's America) the question of 'who has the best military' needs refinement. Some countries have a very specialised military that's brilliant at what it wants it to do (Israel for example) but could never conduct a large scale operation against another established power.
To me the mark of a good military is the ability to independently plan, conduct, support and maintain a large scale foreign deployment. Arguably the only nations in the world that can do that are the US, Britain, France and Russia. China may be the 5th but whether they have the expertise and support network isn't clear.
Fighting is actually the easy bit, it's all the boring stuff around that that makes war hard.
I'm not Kim but I know a little about this subject. Ignoring the simple answer (it's America) the question of 'who has the best military' needs refinement. Some countries have a very specialised military that's brilliant at what it wants it to do (Israel for example) but could never conduct a large scale operation against another established power.
To me the mark of a good military is the ability to independently plan, conduct, support and maintain a large scale foreign deployment. Arguably the only nations in the world that can do that are the US, Britain, France and Russia. China may be the 5th but whether they have the expertise and support network isn't clear.
Fighting is actually the easy bit, it's all the boring stuff around that that makes war hard.
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09 Aug 2016 15:18:20
I hadn't seen it. There are various organisations that that rank various nations military capabilities. Janes's for example. They all agree current number one is America. This website may be of use.
goo.gl/trv67
I hadn't seen it. There are various organisations that that rank various nations military capabilities. Janes's for example. They all agree current number one is America. This website may be of use.
goo.gl/trv67
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09 Aug 2016 16:23:14
Yes muscatred its logistics that wins wars. Logistics and intelligence.
Yes muscatred its logistics that wins wars. Logistics and intelligence.
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09 Aug 2016 19:33:44
Interesting, thanks for the reply's guys.
Interesting, thanks for the reply's guys.
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09 Aug 2016 23:20:30
If it's logistics then surely Britain is up there, I read that they can deploy troops anywhere in the world within 2 hours or something. Due to the huge network of overseas bases.
Pretty insane if you ask me.
If it's logistics then surely Britain is up there, I read that they can deploy troops anywhere in the world within 2 hours or something. Due to the huge network of overseas bases.
Pretty insane if you ask me.
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10 Aug 2016 09:42:12
Two hours is a touch optimistic. Britain has some troops on high readiness, I can't remember the exact notice to move but it's something like a company of infantry (100 soldiers) on 48 hours and a Battalion (600 soldiers) on 5 days. Britain has its own strategic lift capability to get them to any friendly airfield in as long as it takes to fly there along with light vehicles and short term supplies. Our global coverage is a lot less than it used to be though, I think we have deployable soldiers in the UK, Germany, Cyprus and Brunei now.
After that then it's a bit more tailor made, the more complex the formation the longer it takes to deploy. We were in no great rush but in our last major emergency deployment, the 1st gulf war, the coalition took 5 months to prepare, Britain deployed around 50,000 soldiers for that conflict.
Two hours is a touch optimistic. Britain has some troops on high readiness, I can't remember the exact notice to move but it's something like a company of infantry (100 soldiers) on 48 hours and a Battalion (600 soldiers) on 5 days. Britain has its own strategic lift capability to get them to any friendly airfield in as long as it takes to fly there along with light vehicles and short term supplies. Our global coverage is a lot less than it used to be though, I think we have deployable soldiers in the UK, Germany, Cyprus and Brunei now.
After that then it's a bit more tailor made, the more complex the formation the longer it takes to deploy. We were in no great rush but in our last major emergency deployment, the 1st gulf war, the coalition took 5 months to prepare, Britain deployed around 50,000 soldiers for that conflict.
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10 Aug 2016 10:38:20
Britain is in the top 5. Its ranked on more than just firepower. Technology, logistics, support, strategic capabilities etc.
Britain is in the top 5. Its ranked on more than just firepower. Technology, logistics, support, strategic capabilities etc.
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10 Aug 2016 11:07:02
So does America have the most people overseas?
So does America have the most people overseas?
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10 Aug 2016 13:12:48
By a long margin, the US has over 300,000 troops based abroad. Their largest presence is in Europe, SE Asia and the middle east.
By a long margin, the US has over 300,000 troops based abroad. Their largest presence is in Europe, SE Asia and the middle east.
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11 Aug 2016 00:47:19
Yes troops in Germany, Japan, South Korea. Plus what was in Iraq and Afghanistan which is being redeployed. The the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean fleets.
Russia an China are pretty much all at home. America particularly with its navy an air force has more of a force projection.
Yes troops in Germany, Japan, South Korea. Plus what was in Iraq and Afghanistan which is being redeployed. The the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean fleets.
Russia an China are pretty much all at home. America particularly with its navy an air force has more of a force projection.
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