Does our air power have no rival?

I have come to the conclusion that in terms of air power alone, the U.S. is the greatest. In the Cold War, they were far inferior to the Soviet Union, but now that they're a crumbling democracy, no nation seems to be able to counter us.

But as we all know, air power has it's limitations, and it has been seen. Disregarding this fact, who do you think is the closest to being a rival to our air power? I actually have to say China. They can afford to fund their military aviation properly. Russia is haveing problems keeping their current planes.

This is an interesting question. I was going to post, but I decided that it's worthy of a decent write-up so I'll go away and come back with some research.

Originally posted by Lampyridae
This is an interesting question. I was going to post, but I decided that it's worthy of a decent write-up so I'll go away and come back with some research.

Awesome. Looking forward to it!

I would also estimate that no nation can rival the U.S. in airpower at the current time. I also believe that if the USSR had not fallen, that we would still be neck and neck with them to this day.

Originally posted by fingerprint
I would also estimate that no nation can rival the U.S. in airpower at the current time. I also believe that if the USSR had not fallen, that we would still be neck and neck with them to this day.

Actually, the U.S. was never neck-and-neck with them. Our superior technology made it seem so, but in reality, their training was a whole lot better, their aircraft in many respects superior, and their numbers simply greater. In a war, we would've lost. Big-time

I'll only elaborate if you want me to. Otherwise, I want to keep this a discussion on our possible rivals only.

Currently, I'd agree with that....but the Soviets are making a comeback...

I'd disagree with better training (more on par, as far as the elite, but agree on better for common pilots), and even though they did have some better planes during the cold war, they still didn't have great numbers of the good planes, only great numbers of older ones (like they still do)....

Against terrestrial opponents, the U.S. military has no known equal. Though that excludes anything beyond the boundaries of the earth.

I think right know Russia is almost with USA in the race. But in a couple of years you will see that it will be back as before. Russia is making a big come back. All they are waiting for is so their economy to pick up. And the economy in Russia is coming back.

Originally posted by Russian
I think right know Russia is almost with USA in the race. But in a couple of years you will see that it will be back as before. Russia is making a big come back. All they are waiting for is so their economy to pick up. And the economy in Russia is coming back.

The question is, what all is coming back? There are many people who think Russia is very susceptible to falling back into Communism. Alas, that is for another thread though.

www.sinodefence.com...

China has fighters but they are not as good as what Russia or USA has. Probably the best they have is are the SU-30. Most of the Chinese planes have come from Russia. And Russia doesn't sell its most advanced aircrafts to China.

By looking at the Russian vs. Chinese air force it looks like Russia has more superoir fighters and that is way I think that Russia is the second in the world with air force power. But in a couple of years it will beat or tie with the USA air force.

Also China had 3,000 fighters now they are going down cause now they have only 2,000 fighters.



[Edited on 12-11-2003 by Russian]

Originally posted by Russian
Air Defense Force

1210 interceptors

420 MiG-23 Flogger
305 MiG-25 Foxbat
240 Su-15 Flagon
5 Su-27 Flanker
80 Tu-28/128 Fiddler
65 Jak-28 Firebar
95 MiG-31 Foxhound
AWACS aircraft

7 Tu-126 Moss
1 Il-76 Mainstay
Soviet Air Force

165 strategic bombers
150 Tu-95 Bear
15 M-4 Bison
550 medium bombers

155 Tu-22M Backfire
260 Tu-16 Badger
135 Tu-22 Blinder
2780 fighters

490 MiG-21 Fishbed
1570 MiG-23 Flogger
105 MiG-25 Foxbat
260 Su-15 Flagon
20 Tu-128 Fiddler
20 Jak-28 Firebar
275 MiG-29 Fulcrum
30 MiG-31 Foxhound
10 Su-27 Flanker
2835 attack aircraft
130 MiG-21 Fishbed
830 MiG-27 Flogger
895 Su-7/17 Fitter
770 Su-24 Fencer
210 Su-25 Frogfoot
50 tankers

30 M-4 Bison
20 Tu-16 Badger
658 tactical reconnaissance and ECM aircraft

65 MiG-21 Fishbed
195 MiG-25 Foxbat
165 Su-17 Fitter
65 Su-24 Fencer
195 Jak-28 Brewer
260 strategic reconnaissance and ECM aircraft

115 Tu-16 Badger
15 Tu-22 Blinder
4 Tu-95 Bear
102 Jak-28 Brewer
24 MiG-25 Foxbat
3050 helicopters

1500 trainers and training helicopters

576 transport aircraft

55 An-22 Cock
210 An-12 Cup
310 Il-76 Candid
2935 civilian and other transport aircraft

Navy

340 bombers

120 Tu-22 M Backfire
190 Tu-16 Badger
30 Tu-22 Blinder
145 fighter and attack aircraft

75 Su-17 Fitter
70 Jak-38 Forger
70 tankers
70 Tu-16 Badger
200 reconnaissance and ECM aircraft (Tu-16, Tu-95, Tu-22, An-12)

480 anti-submarine aircraft

60 Tu-142 Bear F
100 Mi-14 Haxe A
60 Ka-27 Helix
115 Ka-25 Hormone A
95 Be-12 Mail
50 Il-38 May



By looking at the Russian vs. Chinese air force it looks like Russia has more superoir fighters and that is way I think that Russia is the second in the world with air force power. But in a couple of years it will beat or tie with the USA air force.

Also China had 3,000 fighters now they are going down cause now they have only 2,000 fighters.

[Edited on 12-11-2003 by Russian]

Dude... do you realize that list of fighters you have is from the mid to late 1980s?

For one thing, Yak-38 "Forgers" were removed from service the moment the Soviet Union fell. The Su-15 "Flagon" hasn't existed for a little over a decade. Russia also no longer operates any Tu-95 bomber variants, only the reconnaissance ones as a result of the SALT II talks of the early 1990s.

11 of the types of aircraft in that list have been since non-existent. And the total number of aircraft they have is Cold War levels. There is no way Russia can have that number today, considering the current situation they're in. And truth be told, they have far less than what that list says.

I'm very impressed by Soviet air power, but your report is irrelevant, as it is the Soviet Union, not Russia.

Ok sorry for the miss leading information. Russia currently has 1800 frontline fighter ans 965 air defense fighters. So all in all Russia has 2765 fighter. It is still better then the Chinese.

This whole industry is a smoke screen
The more advanced tech. is not available for you scrutiny
The weapons available to the US make most conventional aircraft a joke do you really think The US
has pulled out the Big guns in Iraq no way
An Ex relative of mine ...is a physicist in weapons development ....you aint seen nothing !
Enjoy the Bravado while it lasts ...


Reagan to Gorbachev
comrade look out your window

checkmate.

Also I or anybody cant say how has the best air force cause their is alot of secrets we dont know.

Again, I would have to say that the U.S. has no equal in air power. It is just because of technology and training. As for closest known equal...Russia...but what about Britain, can anyone inform me of their air force? Thanks.

-wD

Maybe it has but it hasn't done America much good in recent months

.......................Trained Under.......... Training.... Total
General Duties 3,555 ........................753 ..........4,308
Ground Branch Officers 6,027 ............531 ..........6,558
Airmen Aircrew ....1,145 ....................170 .........1,315
Ground Trades .....37,908................ 2,715 .......40,623
Grand Total .........48,635 ..............4,169 ........52,804

As I can see their is only 1,145 airmen.

www.raf.mod.uk...

Originally posted by Netchicken
Maybe it has but it hasn't done America much good in recent months

You're only as good as the ones leading you. There's so many restrictions on what we were/are allowed to do in Iraq, that we look weaker than we are. Trying to win a war quickly with minimal civilian casulties makes you look weaker than you are. If we had gone in guns blazing like we are capable of, it would have been over in 2 days, but we would have looked like we don't care about civilians.

As for who is closest to us, I'd say China. But it's a distant second.

Superiority is a matter of perception.
It involves defining in what respects "superiority" encompasses....technology, etc, etc.
Facts and numbers do come into play.
Training and maintaining as well.
The trick to all this is maintaining THE edge.
Once you have lost the "edge", then you are no better off than the next guy or nation.
Does the US hold "superiority"?....That is debatable, theory, and inconclusive conjecture. One can only hope.
Does the US have any "real" threats or rivals?....Yes, though also debatable....but if the US didn't have any "real" threat, besides making one up, why would the US continue, or any nation for that matter, continue to develop and improve weapon platforms?
Nothing is unbeatable.....


regards
seekerof