With most weapon systems now being about offensive capabilities is it still possible for a country to have a purely defensive military or would they just get rolled over? I realise that static positions would most likely be obliterated within days (if not hours) but could an Air force with sufficient AWACS support hold the line and help control ground units to counter and ground offensives.
Is it now true that the only good defence is to have massive offensive capabilities?
Sorry if this is in the wrong folder.
Some would say that the best defence is always to attck.
Personally i would say having a solid defence with enough support and room to be changed to a versatile or multiroll concept would do in most cases just fine.
A army needs a good and solid defence to secure its intrests and its positions, but just defence will be not enough to holdback a full scale attack.
Having a solid defence with multiroll options ( defence that can be adapted to attack situations ) would still not be enough to holdback a fullscale attack, but it will make the enemy think again because a static defence will be just cannon meat but a multiroll or versatile defence structure that is capable to go after the invader will give massive options to "return the favor" to the enemy and with a solid airforce, you can control a certain period of time on any given area.
The Awac's will give you a little view into the close future because you can monitor enemy movement and respond in a properway to meet a situation.
Rule number one is in my option Information is one of the most important features a modern army must have, so having a few AWACS and mobile radar bases around is always a good thing offcorse you need to have a very solid data comminucation network to make this work.
Having a solid airforce with A2A, A2G and A2A/G planes is always a big plus.
Add a few Tank/recon battalions with enough infantery support will also boost your defence and attack options.
But iam not a army guy perhaps i explain this in a wrong way or to simple for a reply in detail ask Kato and some others who has so mutch intel on this kind of questions.
But the again any army can be defeated and any defence will fall sooner or later, but in most cases the cost of lives will be massive on both sides.
To return to your main question:
Is it now true that the only good defence is to have massive offensive capabilities?
Only Defence will not do the job so having a proper amount of offensive capabilities will give you at least way more room to move and making your enemy rethinking his plans, ( But this is just theorie, think for a second you are Belguim and Germany or France is attacking you? the war will be over before you know that you are in one for example
nfloorl: then having defence/offensive capabilities is just not enough and will buy you only a few minutes extra time.
But iam no expert i leave this to Kato and some other members they can explain this way better than i could.