my gusse is amrica china russia isreal uk france inda italy turkey pakisan

It depends on how you define military force. If you are talking capable militaries that can project and operate abroad with little support from their native land then the list is very small indeed.
US
UK
France
Spain
4 main ones I think

India
Russia
Australia
China
Are the other 4

If you are talking "big armies" then there are loads India, Pakistan, China, but what degree of capability and training there is would be debatable and what their actual combat effectiveness would be is again open to question.

i would easly say that the us uk china isreal are the most well eqiup army in the world wouldnt you agree maybe france also

quote:

Originally posted by charlie4ever:
i would easly say that the us uk china isreal are the most well eqiup army in the world wouldnt you agree maybe france also ;

Nope. China certainly isn't a great equipped army. Like the former USSR it has a large number of soldiers but most of its actual regiments do not have the best or modern equipment. Just like the USSR they only show the modern equipped regiments on their parades. Most have outdated equipment which wouldn't be worth much on a modern battlefield. Numbers are their greatest asset not equipment.

The problem with this question is you really need to ask which armies can project and conduct offensive ops not just defensive ones. Personally I don't truly rate the US too well, yes they have the kit but I think their overall training and ethos leaves much to be desired. Now if the British Army had some of their kit and more importantly the vast amounts of resources particularly air support. Ah well then it would be no contest.

BTW - Our CR2s actually hold the record for the longest range tank kill and it isn't as vunerable as the Abrams from RPG attacks and it isn't such a constant logistical drain fuelwise. That said the German Leopard 2 is probably the best MBT in service with any army. Likewise the Brit Apaches have a better avionics suite than the US Apaches (which they envy). So don't knock all our kit or assume the US stuff is always better it often isn't they just have lots of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Tomus:
It depends on how you define military force. If you are talking capable militaries that can project and operate abroad with little support from their native land then the list is very small indeed.
US
UK
France
Spain
4 main ones I think

I'd easily add the Germans and remove Spain - The former do have political restraints on their operational capabilities but that removed their military capability would be far better than Spain's.

Germany still has conscription whereas Spain now has a professional army. Conscript armies have a mixed reputaion (see Sebrenica).

quote:

Originally posted by Fil2:
Germany still has conscription whereas Spain now has a professional army. Conscript armies have a mixed reputaion (see Sebrenica).

So what, each army is different. The Israelis have national service and they ain't reckoned to be a cack army. I have worked alongside the Germans and I'd rate them above the Spanish, conscription or not. I should add that I've also had experience with Dutch and Belgian forces but I didn't recommend them.

I think the question is about who can really project force and Germany can't. They have a very defensive armed forces.

The Spanish military has the capability to support and conduct unsupported overseas.

1. Australia - They could kick America's butt, and they already have.
2. Iran - They have a great military mind and could defeat anyone if they used that brain of theirs.
3. Ireland - Like Iran, they have defeated many great armys in the past.
4. Germany - No explanation needed.
5. South Africa - I know a lot of South Africans, and they are tough son of a bitch*s. They could kick anybodies buts.
6. Japan - Again no explanation needed.
7. Tuvalu - If we keep up our habits they will be under water.
8. Cuba - They are close to America so they can spy on them easily and destroy part of AMerica quickly.
9. Chile - They may be thin and long but my God can they kick so @ss.
10. Iceland - They copy Japan.

quote:

Originally posted by Special Richard:
1. Australia - They could kick America's butt, and they already have.

As have Canada. That's why the Yank's have a Whitehouse".

Actually I worked with a few Aussies and Canucks who were on exchange. Decent enough guys but then they do basically follow our Army model.

quote:

2. Iran - They have a great military mind and could defeat anyone if they used that brain of theirs.

LOL, there are no really good Arab armies. They may have large numbers but that's really about it. Heck, if you want an example of Iran's capability just remember their prolonged, almost attritional, war with Iraq. How many years and what was the result!

quote:

3. Ireland - Like Iran, they have defeated many great armys in the past.

Again an essentially British Army model but their equipment isn't that great and they really only do UN stuff.

quote:

5. South Africa - I know a lot of South Africans, and they are tough son of a bitch*s. They could kick anybodies buts.

Maybe at one time, but they cannot really operate outside their immediate area of influence.

quote:

6. Japan - Again no explanation needed.

A bit like Germany though they are constrained in what they can do by politics.

quote:

8. Cuba - They are close to America so they can spy on them easily and destroy part of AMerica quickly.

Cr@p.

Actually thinking about it if you want to beat an insurgent or guerrilla force the S Koreans are a good ally. (Have a read up on their escapades in Vietnam.) They were no slouches there and the NVA tried their best to keep out of their TAOR.

quote:

Originally posted by Special Richard:
10. Iceland

Gotta be a joke? If you are fighting in icy wastes then I would want the Danes, Norwegians and Finns on my side.

Actually, did you know the UK is actually the 2nd highest spender on defence in the world? Even more than China - unbelievable.

That said, a lot of the money spent goes in military projects, often with BAE. The idea being that once we have made a product, we can sell it to other countries.

quote:

Originally posted by Joobs:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Special Richard:

[QUOTE]
LOL, there are no really good Arab armies. They may have large numbers but that's really about it. Heck, if you want an example of Iran's capability just remember their prolonged, almost attritional, war with Iraq. How many years and what was the result!

Sorry Joobs but Iranians are not Arabs

I thought Turkey would be up there. They are ment to have one of the largest armies in the world.

All this talk of armies, there is an alternative way of viewing it and that is states with nuclear weapons:

USA
Russia (have any other former USSR states got any?)
China
France
UK
In that order due to size, independence and means of delivery.

Then you have:
Isreal
India
Pakistan
PDR Korea (possibly)

[/QUOTE]
Nope. China certainly isn't a great equipped army. Like the former USSR it has a large number of soldiers but most of its actual regiments do not have the best or modern equipment. Just like the USSR they only show the modern equipped regiments on their parades. Most have outdated equipment which wouldn't be worth much on a modern battlefield. Numbers are their greatest asset not equipment.
QUOTE]

OK this is true now and while the PLA is large this is due to the large influence it has in govenment. However the rise of Chinese military might is coming up fast. They are deleoping bases for their navy in Angola and Japan. They can deploy anti satalite technology. Recently one of there subs came up next to a US carrier on exercise in the middle of it's escort - boy were the yanks shocked they had no idea there was a sub anywhere near them.

China will be THE superpower of the 21st century. The USSR could not compete with the US economically, the Chinese are not making that mistake.