The Best Military

This topic is inspired an exchange in a recent thread. Which country in the world do you think has the best military? I know there are several former and current military pax here, and even more armchair strategists, so I imagine there are a lot of opinions on this.

You may interpret "best" as you see fit, but explain your definition of best. Is your chosen military best because it will fight a conventional war to victory? Defend against any invasion? Institute national policy? Protect the regime? Some other reason? Post it.

EDIT: Hooah.

EDIT 2: Poll.

Iceland, I mean they completely took over most of the European airspace.

Oh and to further add proof of Icelands military might when they were helping us in Iraq they sent one soldier.

Just one because if they had sent 2, It would be overkill.

I say the USA, followed by Russia.

It's all null and void when the nukes start flying.

It's all null and void when the nukes start flying.

Wasdie

america or just hide in switzerland

It's all null and void when the nukes start flying.

Wasdie

Or when the borg invade, or when Jesus comes back.

In all seriousness, I disagree with your statement. The recent nuclear powers could initiate an exchange with say, Russia or the US. They would be utterly destroyed. Russia or the US would not. The number of nuclear weapons and their capabilities plays a very big role when the nukes start flying.

Smaller countries (who aren't poor) often have efficient military forces, which often makes them good. Take my own country, Sweden, for example. We have a very small military branch, but it what we do have actually works pretty well. Not very much in terms of defense, but it works perfectly as a strike force.

Canada followed by the U.Sweezyfb

Huh? What exactly is so special about Canada's military?

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]Canada followed by the U.S789shadow

Huh? What exactly is so special about Canada's military?

Its basically Britains, USA, our own, and every country that likes us.

Smaller countries (who aren't poor) often have efficient military forces, which often makes them good. Take my own country, Sweden, for example. We have a very small military branch, but it what we do have actually works pretty well. Not very much in terms of defense, but it works perfectly as a strike force.

--Thomas--

I would not want to fight against the Scandinavian countries, especially if it were on their own turf. They have a martial tradition that goes back a very long time. Vikings with guns...yeah, you want them on your side.

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]Canada followed by the U.S789shadow

Huh? What exactly is so special about Canada's military?

Its basically Britains, USA, our own, and every country that likes us.

ASRCSR

You do have a point there. Anyone that tries to attack Canada would stir up a ####storm of epic proportions.

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]Canada followed by the U.S789shadow

Huh? What exactly is so special about Canada's military?

They have talents

weezyfb

Haha, that second cartoon is awesome. +1

[QUOTE="ASRCSR"]

Its basically Britains, USA, our own, and every country that likes us.

dkrustyklown

You do have a point there. Anyone that tries to attack Canada would stir up a ####storm of epic proportions.

Nah, you gotta consider each country's military individually for a pure comparison.

At the moment, USA. Just looking at their super carriers enforces their might power on the ocean, however since China is building a new carrier, it may be competition. However, it always seems USA has the best and newest tools in the field.JasonDarksavior

The Chinese navy has a long ways to go before it could even be in the same league as the US navy.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

It's all null and void when the nukes start flying.

Palantas

Or when the borg invade, or when Jesus comes back.

In all seriousness, I disagree with your statement. The recent nuclear powers could initiate an exchange with say, Russia or the US. They would be utterly destroyed. Russia or the US would not. The number of nuclear weapons and their capabilities plays a very big role when the nukes start flying.

The recent nuclear powers like Iran and North Korea will be swept aside in a few minutes if they even tried a fight against the US or Russia. That's not a measure of their strength though.

If you want a fair estimate, no major country would have the power to successfully invade another today. The defensive infastructure of Europe, Russia, and the US is far to great. Yet for the hell of it lets look at them if they were in a big square box and didn't have any defenses.

If that was the case, as of right now the US would win. The Russians have the T-90 main battle tank but their airforce is much smaller than that of the US, not to mention that their pilots have 1/10th of the flight time. Sad truth, America can afford the proper training. Though we have to take a deeper look at the militaries of each.

The T-90 > M1A2 Abrams as an assault tank, it's faster and lighter weight. The M1A2 Abrams is a defensive tank meant to fight outnumbered yet if the Russians could unleas their tanks, it would be a close fight. The victor would be the army with a better battlefield coordination, and as of right now that is the US. Again training plays a vital role and the US just has more money to train.

Tanks are one thing, but lets say it's an infantry fight. In that case the Russians and the US would be pretty even until the Russians unleashed its hordes of light armored vehicles (BMP3 and BDMS). The US has great AT abilities for squads but I think the edge would go to the Russians with their numbers and larger caliber of rounds (7.6mm vs 5.6mm).

Airforce it's not really a contest anymore, the F-16 has never been shot down in battle, the F-18 has proven to be the best fighter in the sky, and the F-22 is overkill. All is lost if you can't maintain air superiority. The hell with your bombers if they get shot down.

Navy... again not contest. The US has a navy, the Russians have a merchant fleet. Big difference. Though the Russians have very large anti-ship missles that are extremely deadly against the US fleet.

I would include teh EU here but in times of major war, the EU would not stand as one but would stand as seperate countries on different sides, completely ruining any advantages they may have had.

The choice is pretty clear, the US has the best military in the world. China may have a larger, but their tech and training is nowhere close to that of the US and their more high tech stuff is still very small in numbers. Russia is the only other military power in the world that can truely take on the US in a full out conventional war. It would not be a good one though as neither side has a real ability to invade and keep a strong foothold

Even if one side could invade and do some damage, once the H-bombs start flying who cares.

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]At the moment, USA. Just looking at their super carriers enforces their might power on the ocean, however since China is building a new carrier, it may be competition. However, it always seems USA has the best and newest tools in the field.dkrustyklown

The Chinese navy has a long ways to go before it could even be in the same league as the US navy.

At the moment, USA. Just looking at their super carriers enforces their might power on the ocean, however since China is building a new carrier, it may be competition. However, it always seems USA has the best and newest tools in the field.JasonDarksavior

One carrier vs. 15+.

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]At the moment, USA. Just looking at their super carriers enforces their might power on the ocean, however since China is building a new carrier, it may be competition. However, it always seems USA has the best and newest tools in the field.Wasdie

One carrier vs. 15+.

As I said before, it's a good start. Also, it's actually 2 carriers. However for the next few years, USA will dominate the seas.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]At the moment, USA. Just looking at their super carriers enforces their might power on the ocean, however since China is building a new carrier, it may be competition. However, it always seems USA has the best and newest tools in the field.JasonDarksavior

One carrier vs. 15+.

As I said before, it's a good start.

A real good start would be getting electricity to all of it's people as well as clean running water, not building a military.

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

One carrier vs. 15+.

Wasdie

As I said before, it's a good start.

A real good start would be getting electricity to all of it's people as well as clean running water, not building a military.

C'mon lets not start debating about the issues in China.

C'mon lets not start debating about the issues in China.

JasonDarksavior

I'm just saying...

There is also no real economical gain today in attacking and conquering any lands. It costs far more to fight war than it is to reap the benifits of a victory.

The age of empires and kings is over. We live in a very connected world. Our connectedness is our true shield against our few enemies.

Who would win a naval war between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan)?

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]

C'mon lets not start debating about the issues in China.

Wasdie

I'm just saying...

There is also no real economical gain today in attacking and conquering any lands. It costs far more to fight war than it is to reap the benifits of a victory.

The age of empires and kings is over. We live in a very connected world. Our connectedness is our true shield against our few enemies.

The US, no argument.

And I'm not even from there.

Who would win a naval war between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan)?

dkrustyklown

Probably the U.S., followed by China, then Russia, North Korea, then Canada and Australia, then the Scandinavian countries, and finally most Western European countries. Iran, India, and Pakistan also have decent armies. It's hard to say about North Korea and China, but from what I've read they're both pretty powerful. I don't know very much though.

Modern warfare is a competition of finances. The U.S. spends the most money on its military, therefore it is the most powerful.

Uhhh, as a continent, I think probably Europe or Asia.

Edit - Oh, I skimmed over the topic title and thought the question was, which continent would have the best combined military force.

SAPPERS lead the way!

United States of course.

Europe and Asia - Russia is on two continents :lol:Crimsader

Europe and Asia - Russia is on two continents :lol:Crimsader

Well, you best figure out which part of Russia has more of their army in it.

[QUOTE="JasonDarksavior"]

C'mon lets not start debating about the issues in China.

Wasdie

I'm just saying...

There is also no real economical gain today in attacking and conquering any lands. It costs far more to fight war than it is to reap the benifits of a victory.

The age of empires and kings is over. We live in a very connected world. Our connectedness is our true shield against our few enemies.

--------

when i think of military armies... it seems more 'fun' i guess to say. to think in regional terms. because it seems when you take the entire world in context, it is near no-contest for the USA to win in a conventional war. in a one-vs-one conventional war contest? USA all the time (for the long forseeable future).

as far as regional..

umm Asia? best armies? Russa, China, followed by India and Pakistan.

i do think that North Korea would collapse in on itself the moment the war was pressed on them. I also think that despite South Korea's smaller army, it'd have a good chance of beating the North Korean force.

=============

Middle East?

Israel, Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

Israel by and large has the most technically advanced military force in the region, especially their air force. has a 600k man army (about half are reserves).

Saudi may have a larger airforce then Israel, but they lack the wartime experience that the Israeli's have. they have the training, just not the experience (and not as technologically advanced, we may F-15's but we don't have the same upgrades that hte Israeli's get). has a 300k man army. (100k are reserve)

Iran for sheer numbers.

Egypt for it's large army and the experience it has from it's past.

============

North America?

USA no contest for anyone else on the contest.

============

South America?

I would say Brazil, or Argentina, but i honostly to God don't know, every conflict they've ever had has been mostly within their own borders, and usually ends up as a bloody entangled jungle fight. Not much to say really in terms of world standing.

============

Africa?

(i consider Africa everything south of the upper African continent nations... to me Egypt to Morocco are part of the MidEast, even though politically and in reality they consider themselves part of Africa.. so forgive my own way of thinking of what is Africa.

South Africa, no real contest. it is one of the toughest more coherent military forces in Africa.

============

Europe?

France - largest land army in Europe today, has the high tech Lecrec tanks though they have not been tested in combat yet.

Britain - largest navy in Europe, one of the best airforces in the world, lots of experience backing them.

Germany - it may have a smaller army then in the past, but their Leopard 2 tanks are very impressive, their small arms are also work of art. Oceania? umm Australia (i would swear Micronesia was a contender.. oh wait... )

============

at least those are my thoughts.

US probably already has some techs that we have never even heard of, but I wonder how long can the country keep up with their extravagant expenditures.

The United States has the biggest budget for their Military, but then again they have the biggest debt.

USA
Russia
China