Posted on 04/24/2014 8:18:57 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Asymmetrical wars in Afghanistan, Vietnam, and now in Syria demonstrate all too clearly that relatively small numbers of belligerents can carry out successful military operations against superior forces.
But still, firepower is extremely important. A country's projection of power relies in large part upon its military capabilities. Successfully being able to project and wield that power is a key diplomatic asset.
The website Global Firepower ranks the most powerful militaries in the world based on multiple factors, including available manpower, total labor force, and access to strategic assets. Nuclear capabilities are not included in the calculation.
Below are the 11 most powerful militaries in the world according to the 2014 rankings (click country names to see military assets data).
The U.S. defense budget is $612 billion. Despite sequestration and other spending cuts, the United States spends more money on defense than the next ten highest spending countries combined.
America's biggest conventional military advantage is its fleet of 19 aircraft carriers, compared to 12 carriers operated by the rest of the world combined. These massive carriers allow the U.S. to set up forward operating bases anywhere and project power throughout the world.
The super power also has by far the most aircraft of any country, cutting-edge technology like the Navy's new rail gun, a large and well-trained human force — and that's not even counting the world's largest nuclear arsenal.
Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's military is growing again. The Kremlin's military spending has increased by almost a third since 2008 and is expected to grow 44% more in the next three years.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
What’s amazing about our budget deficit is that we could cut the entire military budget and still not balance the budget...Entitlements are killing us...
I am for a strong defense...we need to reign in entitlement spending...
It wouldn’t hurt to have some of our “allies” chip in a bit for their own defense either.
I'm assuming they're lumping the LHDs in as carriers.
A couple of interesting things there.
One, India at #4 now outranks the United Kingdom at #5. Who would have predicted that in 1930?
Two, Poland has a decent ranking, coming in at #18. Something for Putin to consider.
Pride goeth before a fall and it matters not about a nations military as much as whether YHVH is with them; he guards those who are with Him. USA as a nation has completely turned against Him, disregarding His instruction.
Probably almost as many nukes (Can you blame them? They live among very dangerous neighbors) and they have a population about 30 times greater than Britain's.Even if Indian soldiers aren't as well trained or equipped as Britain's (which is very likely) they'd still be more powerful.
Indeed they are. Perhaps fair, given our LHDs are larger than many 'other-world' navy carriers.
Still, they are not strike or air control assets. I'm a retired carrier aviator and I often wonder if we wouldn't be better off with more smaller carriers in the mix. Not LHDs, but real attack carriers designed to operate 30-40 attack aircraft and some E-2s. I'd put all the helo's on the escorts. Slightly smaller than the Midway class.
30-40k tons, Gas turbine engines (same fuel as aircraft), electric catapults, and combo of laser and RAM defenses.
Especially given that the Constitution assigns the federal government with two primary responsibilities: to defend the shores and collect the tariffs.
If they are unable to "defend the shores", THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB!
From article....”The U.K. is planning on reducing the size of its armed forces by 20% between 2010 and 2018...”
Given Putin’s new posture....that plan is probably in rewrite as we read this.
I am wondering what will happen if Scotland votes for independence.
https://medium.com/war-is-boring/8361e94105b1
I haven’t looked, but wonder if SEIU or the DHS are listed?
Amen
India?
Turkey???
Didn’t see THAT coming.
I think the American militia has to rank somewhere in the top 100. They are short on strategic assets but long on infantry.
At least during deer season. lol
Obama is **** Ra**** the military, we won’t be #1 long.
Nope. There are millions of immigrants from the third world needing British tax dollars. Who cares about military readiness?
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