Many years inflamed minds of guilds wary of hypothetical military conflict in the two countries - Russia and the United States. Imagine a military conflict between the two countries in pure form is virtually impossible. Can hardly be assumed that in the military conflict between the two countries would not have involved neighboring countries. Moreover, the United States as a member of NATO, can count if not full support from NATO, at least the support of its main European ally - Britain. But let's try anyway just to analyze what may mutually to oppose the armies of the two countries.
The meaning of such opposition, its probability, and also the possibility of a complete military aggression against Russia with the introduction into its territory of US ground troops will leave outside the brackets. Comparison information is taken from public sources, which are accessible to everyone. The majority of the information about the exact amount of arms and armies represents secret information even to be published, it often is delayed and then quoted values can be changed as "up" and "down". The comparison of the military potential of the two countries can start with the population of both countries. The population of Russia to January 1, 2013 was 143,347,059 people, and the population of the United States in December 2012 was 314,895,000 people. Actually more of these numbers shows that in case of a global war the US would be willing to put in the weapon much more physically healthy and strong male citizens. Potential mobilization reserve of Russia is estimated at 31 million. People of the United States - 56 million. People - (if you believe all males 17 to 49 years - no less than 109 million.) It should be it is clear that even the US can not put into weapons such amount of people. For the maintenance of such an army will not get weapons, ammunition, supplies, clothing and transport logistics will become a real hell. Meanwhile, in the war of attrition the US will be able to complete their own losses much more efficient and much longer. Moreover, professional mobilization reserve in Russia simply does not exist. Currently work for its creation is only the beginning of the road. The number of Russian armed forces was reduced to 1 million. People, including out of state, there are about 70,000 people about 300 000 conscripts soldiers. US army is fully professional, its size is about 1.4 million. People more about 1.1-1.3 million. People in nearby mobilization reserve or stock.All they have a valid contract with the Ministry of Defence regularly attract exercise and combat training and if necessary - can be called to active duty.
According to published in 2012 military doctrine "Maintaining US global leadership. Priorities for 21st Century Defense, "the US military is ready to lead to only one full-scale war, as restrain aggressive actions of the enemy in other regions of the Earth. Earlier it was assumed keeping two full-scale wars simultaneously. Proceeding from this, in case of military aggression against Russia, the US Army will be able to allocate for this purpose the majority of its armed forces.
Technical equipment of the Army
Main striking force of land troops are the tanks. Service in the US Army in 2012 there were 1963 tanks "Abrams" version M1A2 - (of which 588 have been upgraded to version M1A2SEP). Moreover, the US military still have about 2,400 M1A1 tanks and about 2,385 M1 tanks in stock. In the Russian army the most modern tank T-90. In the armed forces has everything 500 such tanks version T-90A and T-90AK. That is, the most advanced tanks in the armies of the two countries have some parity. At the same time the Russian army has 4,500 tanks T-80 of various modifications to major renovation (to 2010). Moreover, the army and in the warehouses there are about 12 500 T-72 tanks of various modifications. Thus, even if only a third of these machines are in motion, be loaded and their crews be uploaded and a mix, the number will surpass the number of US tanks park. Given that the US will not be able to deploy against Russia all their tanks, the quantitative superiority will be absolute. As the total number of tanks Russia excels US not less than 2.5 times.
Service in the US Army also has about 6500 BMP "Breda" and turn Russia has about 700 BMP-3, BMP-2 4500 and almost 8,000 BMP-1. Fleet of armored vehicles in the Russian army is around 4900 units of BTR-70 and BTR-82A. It is assumed that by 2020 all BTR-80 in the Russian army will be upgraded to the level of BTR-82A (AM). Moreover, Russian airborne troops (VDV) have about 1500 units BMD of all modifications and about 700 BTR-D. In the US Army BTR are considerably more - about 16 000. One of the main component of success in ground operations, as before, is a good artillery preparation. US Army currently has about 2000 ACS 1500 and towed guns. The Russian Army data from 2010, there are over 6800 ACS and 7,500 towed guns. 4600 of them are 122-mm howitzers D-30, which will be removed from active service until the end of 2013. Moreover, Russia has about 3,500 Multiple rocket launcher (RSZO), while in service with the US Army these systems are all 830. Thus, on paper the Russian army has superiority in American self-propelled artillery in 3.4 times, in towed in 5 (1.9 after scrapping of D-30), in RSZO in 4,2 times. While the immediate staffs of brigades and military bases in the Russian army has only about 2,500 tanks. It is not difficult to prove. The Russian army has all 4 separate tank brigades of weapons in each state has a 91-94 GTN. Furthermore, there are about 30 separate motor-rifle brigades - (I have listed a total of 27, but may be wrong), each of which has in its composition Tank Battalion - 41 tanks. The remaining tanks are in warehouses and bases for repair of military equipment (BHiRVT). The same situation can be projected on the artillery.
Furthermore, the armies of the two countries have a large amount of helicopters. The US Army has a composition about 2,700 combat helicopters. Russia's army has less vintokrili machines - 1368 units - (about 2 times less).
Technical equipment of the Air Force
US Air Force are ferociously quantity warplanes they are the first in the world. Among the full parts of the US Air Force (to 2011) has 144 strategic bombers (66 B-1, B-2 20 and 58 B-52); 297 shturmovitsi A-10; 1629 fighters (471 - F-15 968 - F-16, 179 - F-22, F-11, 35). It is worth noting that the US is the only country in the world of weapons that has fighter of 5th generation - (talking about F-22 Raptor). In addition, the composition of the Navy (in 2008) had 867 fighter-shturmovitsi F / A-18. No aircraft from the reserve have all 2937 combat aircraft. It is worth noting that the composition of the Air Force of Russia has a secret and therefore the information provided herein may not be accurate. Among the full BBC Russia has 80 strategic bombers (16 - Tu-160, 64 - Tu-95MS); 150 distant bombers Tu-22M3; 241 shturmovitsi Su-25; 164 frontline bombers Su-24M and M2; 26 frontline bombers Su-34. The composition of fighter aircraft has 953 machines (282 - MiG-29, 252 - MiG-31, 400 - Su-27, 9 - 30 and Su-10 - Su-35S).The overall composition of combat aviation aircraft is 1614 (approximately). Thus in combat aviation opponent has approximately twice superiority.
It is worth noting that currently the Russian Air Force is actively modernize and rearm. The amount of modern aircraft they will grow, and will appear own plane of 5th generation - PAK FA.Moreover, in its capacity aircraft Su-35S practically no way inferior to the planes of the 5th generation - (BBC Russia's plan to acquire at least 48 of these machines). Also by 2012 half of the Su-27 was upgraded to version Su-27SM3, which already is actually another machine that is able to fight equally with all planes of 4 th generation. Actively modernize and aircraft interceptor MiG-31.
Moreover, the Russian aviation has up his sleeve ace in the hole. Those on weapons in the Air Force of Russia missile class "air-air" greatest distance shooting among similar types of weapons. Missile P-37, which can be used by fighter-interceptor MiG-31BM and Su-27 fighters, Su-35 is capable of striking targets at a distance of 300 km in! Together with those in Russia are working on a missile KC-172, which has an even greater distance of defeat - up to 400 kilometers. And the new rocket PBB-DB, while the rocket with an average distance PBB-SD is shooting distance of about 110 kilometers. The most sophisticated American missiles for all weather conditions AIM-120S7 and AIM-120D can strike targets of distance 120 and 180 km respectively.
Sukhoi Su-35, Su-27 and MiG-31BM equipped with modern radars and missiles R-37 with greater distance shooting than any American missile allow these machines to significantly reduce the gap even before the most modern American fighterof the 5th generation F-22 Raptor, which has a reduced detectability. With the type of fighter F-15, F-16 and F / A-18 they can handle without any problems.
The main trump of Russia in a military conflict, not among the weakest Air Force is the air defense system of the country which is able to make the Russian sky sight Action aviation of any likely opponent. And without the support of aviation today is not possible to lead successful warfare against strong enough land groups opponent. Given that the US Army will be forced in the initial stage of the campaign fights for foothold and their subsequent expansion, such operations without air supremacy will be doomed to failure.
According to a report by the Australian think tank Air Power Australia, which makes a comparison of US combat aircraft and Russian air defense resources in the event of full-scale military conflict, survival of the aviation of the US Air Force is almost completely excluded because the Russian means of air defense, radar systems and anti-aircraft missiles have reached the highest level of development. Modern Russian missile defense systems S-400 have no analogue in the world and significantly outperform American Patriot.
Moreover, the backbone of the Russian Air Defense - complexes C-300 are still able to cope with any likely opponent. According to a number of European experts, air defense system of Russia is capable of destroying up to 80% of entrants in its airspace aircraft of all types. Russian experts are more modest estimate this probability of 60-65%, but in any case the aviation opponent will be done simply irreparable losses from which it can no longer be fine. In 2010, the composition of the Russian air defenses were about 2,100 launchers (PU) C-300 of various modifications of the C-400 deployed the division 9 - 72 PU everything to 2020 is planned to be deployed 56 the division armed with this complex.Moreover, the army has at least 22 air defense complex with a small distance - Pantsir-C1.
It MLP is the main trump card of Russia and its "umbrella" that would protect the country in the event of aggression. Under the protection of the MLP, 2020. Russia will be essential to renew and land troops and air force, filled with new weaponry. After 2020 the probability of a direct armed conflict between the US and Russia, which now looks very unlikely, will be reduced to virtually zero.
