stalkere, about power projection, what countries can project any kind of force? I think most countries couldn't attack their neighbor's neighbor tbh
Power Projection - that's a game for the big boys.
America - we're in that game big time. Anywhere, anytime. We can deliver troops in 30 hours or less. I remember a trip to the Congo. Angola was going to help "secure" some Uranium mines. The US decided to send some Armor out there to help secure them instead.
Angolans had to move their tanks something like 200 miles. We were sending ours from Colorado. Our platoon of Abrams and Bradleys was in place, along with some Canadian Peacekeepers, before the Ugandans made it halfway, so they turned around and went home.
Big problem is - we are starting to run into the same problem the Brits had. We CAN'T afford it. That kind of power is nice to have, but expensive.
And hell - I'm an American, but you know what? I"m NOT comfortable with the US having that much power. Sorry, but that's the way I feel. I DID not like the way the US acted in Libya. We had a deal with Gaddafi, he honored his part of the deal, and Obama kind came in and decided "hey, I'm going to change the deal." Uh, sorry, I don't like the way Gaddafi was running Libya - but hey, he'd given up his WMD, allowed inspectors in, done what he was asked to do - that should have been enough for us. But any further discussion on THAT belongs in Political Chat, methinks, not here.
The Russians have some good power projection - still not back up to where they were in the 1980s, but not too shabby. Their Indian ocean Squadron is looking pretty nice, and their Marine ( sorry Special naval Infantry) is nothing to sneeze at. Their Airborne - VDV - is definitely nothing to make fun of. Closer to our Rangers as a whole - where we have an Airborne Division and a Ranger Regiment, they have more like a Ranger division, with something like a regiment of training cadre at our Airborne skill level. Russian Navy is coming back from where it was ten years ago.
The Brits and the French have something like one Carrier Group and one Amphib group each to put out there these days
The Brits are great - as always - there just isn't very many of them. What they have is damned fine quality, but that only take you so far.
the French - not many of them either - and from what I hear, the carrier has trouble maintaining sustained operations for more than a few days - even off Libya - and from what I here (not always that reliable) the French Amphib group is kind of excreble.
China - kinda scary...but at the same time, they have a lot of teething troubles. they are still in the "neato toys" stage.
India - nobody to be scornful of. Good stuff, dedicated military, but their caste system is holding them back. their Navy comes out here in exercise, and usually more than a few ships have to be towed home <shrug> just the way it is. They get that part solved, and they will be scary.
Argentina - they have a carrier that hardly ever puts to sea, no? And a lot of planes that look pretty on the ramp, but don't get a lot of flying hours. At least that's what I hear, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
And...off the top of my head, that just about does it.