![]() Meanwhile, China’s aggressively expansionist behaviour in the South China Sea is reported alongside stories of its first aircraft carrier and long-range ballistic missiles. At the other end of Europe, the Russian military is threatening the small Baltic states, but it is rarely noted that the Russian Baltic fleet is the same size as Denmark’s and half the size of Germany’s. While much is made of Russia’s two frigates and smaller vessels stationed off the Syrian coast, France alone has 20 warships and an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean – and US standing forces in the area include six destroyers equipped with scores of cruise missiles and anti-missile systems. The same holds true when it comes to maritime forces. Russia and China, by contrast, have nothing of equivalent quantity or quality with which to threaten the US mainland. ![]() Barely visible to radar, these are designed to destroy “hardened” targets such as nuclear missile silos. The US Navy already has 4,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, and the Navy and Air Force are currently taking delivery of 5,000 JASSM conventional cruise missiles with ranges from 200-600 miles. For all that China and Russia are arming up on various measures, US commanders have the power to dominate escalating crises and counter opposing forces before they can be used. When it comes to estimating military capability, the Western media is principally concerned with the weapons capabilities of weaker states – and it rarely pays much attention to the colossal capability of the US, which still accounts for most of the world’s defence spending.Īny sensible discussion of what a hypothetical World War III might look like needs to begin with the sheer size and force of America’s military assets. ![]() But many of the people seriously engaged in this weighty discussion often get it wrong. As the US, Russia and China test each other’s patience and strategic focus, speculation about the chances of a world war has hit a new high.
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