What detirmines military might?

[sox63]

http://www.globalfirepower.com/list_act_mil_personnel.asp

If you look at this list you might understand why the US, is far more cuatious in initiating a war with any of the REAL threats (Iran, North Korea and to a smaller extent, China). They are simply outnumbered man for man, however if you go to the military expenditure, you see why the US is considered the most powerful when it comes to armed forces.

Now imagine the US insecuirity if China decides to spend equally as much as the US on it's military? Scary thought.

http://www.globalfirepower.com/list_mil_exp.asp

 

[Nod]

Probably things like:
- Number of people in the military
- Number of tanks, aircraft, ships, etc.
- The means to support all of the above.
- The means to deploy all the above.

Size does matter, but only if you can deploy it remotely.

 

[Goobie]

the size of the can of ass-woopin you can open

 

[RompelStompel]

You can have the best equipment - at the end of the day the soldiers make or break the military.

It's the personnel that determines military might.

 

[icyrus]

Having lots of men to expend for your cause its a positive, but not so much when an adversary has the means to make all your men disappear with a few well place guided missiles.

 

[sox63]

You can have the best equipment - at the end of the day the soldiers make or break the military.

It's the personnel that determines military might.

I guess the training of those soldiers has to be factored in, the website noted that they just put reported numbers and not quality of the training and quality of equipment.

 

[icyrus]

I guess the training of those soldiers has to be factored in, the website noted that they just put reported numbers and not quality of the training and quality of equipment.

Personally if I had to make a list:

• Training
• Equipment
• Terrain
• Numbers

In that order.

 

[w1z4rd]

America have worn down 40% of their military hardware in Iraq (rooivalk pwns the apache in those conditions.. useless note). They simply dont have the man power to deal with Iran without major aid. That said, nothing is stopping the US from using surgical strikes to remove Iranian military installations. Just dont expect many ground troops.

 

[sox63]

America have worn down 40% of their military hardware in Iraq (rooivalk pwns the apache in those conditions.. useless note). They simply dont have the man power to deal with Iran without major aid. That said, nothing is stopping the US from using surgical strikes to remove Iranian military installations. Just dont expect many ground troops.

I hope they don't use their "intelligence" sources to find those military installations, we all know how accurate they can be from Iraq.

Back to the subject, it is apparant to me anyway that China and Iran are "sleeping giants" in terms of being super powers. China's economy is growing rapidly, and only a matter of time till they start spending large percentages of their GDP on military hardware, they sure do have the numbers!

 

[RompelStompel]

(rooivalk pwns the apache in those conditions.. useless note).

The sand particle filters used on the AH-64 Apache was designed by a South African mechanical engineer.

 

[w1z4rd]

The sand particle filters used on the AH-64 Apache was designed by a South African mechanical engineer.

Thank you for the update. When were they added? I know in the first Iraq war an Apache used to spend 1 day in operation and 3 weeks been cleaned.

 

[Natas]

IMO military might is not easily measuerable. Sure you can count the tanks, aircraft carries, etc ,etc... but I think this is only a contributing factor. The face of war has changed. USA canbe said to have the biggest military, but if you look at Iraq, where the guerilla's are getting their money's worth. Like Icyrus has listed... there are other factors that impact on the iffecicacy on a military force. To add to Icyrus's list I would also say combat experience. But in addition to this, the fighters in Iraq are extremists who are ready to die fighting. I don think the americans share this trait. This makes the guerilla's stronger and scarier.

Equipment in a ground war is not that important as proven in the Vietnamese war. The vietnamese simply killed americans and used the US's own weapons against it. Equipment yes, when you are talking fighter jets and tomohawk missles!

 

[w1z4rd]

they sure do have the numbers!

...and very few human rights.

 

[RompelStompel]

Thank you for the update. When were they added? I know in the first Iraq war an Apache used to spend 1 day in operation and 3 weeks been cleaned.

No idea when the particle filters were added to the Apache

We had a talk with our Dynamics (aka Demonics ) lecturer - Dymanics at Tuks being taught by the Mechanical Engineers.

IIRC we were busy covering flow tempo and the subject somehow came up.

 

[sox63]

...and very few human rights.

That's why they scare me so much.

 

[w1z4rd]

No idea when the particle filters were added to the Apache

We had a talk with our Dynamics (aka Demonics ) lecturer - Dymanics at Tuks being taught by the Mechanical Engineers.

IIRC we were busy covering flow tempo and the subject somehow came up.

Do you know if the Apache uses the Israeli/South African CHASM system for its front gatling gun? I heard rumours that the yanks could not get it right so used our system.

 

[Leitmotif]

We need nukes. Lots of nukes.

 

[RompelStompel]

Do you know if the Apache uses the Israeli/South African CHASM system for its front gatling gun? I heard rumours that the yanks could not get it right so used our system.

Learned something new

No - don't know about the CHASM system.

 

[Angelo]

That's why they scare me so much.

And the Great Satan doesn't scare you seeing that it already has WMDs and it's the only country ever to use nukes on people? Aren't you scared when thinking about Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay etc? I am.

 

[icyrus]

And the Great Satan doesn't scare you seeing that it already has WMDs and it's the only country ever to use a nuke on people? Aren't you scared when thinking about Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay etc? I am.

Perhaps you should seek therapy then? By what you post, you need it quite desperately.