US Defense overall/ navy's role. US navy world's most powerful
Well who thought 300 + years ago a group of farmers could beat the World's greatest military power(Those redcoats). It took some unusual combat tactics. You will never see any officer recommend attacking a US Battle Carrier Group... How many times do we have to learn the same lesson. rebels against The Nazis. The Japanese by the end of the war, Vietnam, Russia's unvasion of Afghanistan, Desert Storm, operation Iraqi freedom. When faced with an overwhelming opposing force in everyway ( nowadays with tech, stealth, numbers, reinforcements, etc.) but either way one will adapt to use his assets to increase his kill/loss ratio, try to fight on his terms and try to use his underpowered assets in their most effective positions, tactics, etc. whatever he can do to increase his chances. As for the US Navy, of course we are the greatest in the world, I would hope for the amount that we spend.
I am not in the military, just have always loved strategy, and what I can't figure is why we send so much on the Army, why do we have some 8,800 est. M1 (of all variants) in stock? What is the point of the apache if not to destroy the 12,000+ Soviot tanks. Not to mention systems of other countries. We are basically one large island with two large Allied nations on either side. We need to focus less on army and airforce bases around the world and increase the size of our navy. By the time it would all be done, you will have UCAV's flying sleath missions anywhere in the world. A global struck platform to hit anywhere in the world within a few hours, but do we really need the ability to invade and control 2 wars the size of Desert Storm. First of all, how about just 1 war and if another should arise, you knock their ass back in the stone age, dropping 10 M.O.A.Bs (mother of all bombs) on their ass to warn them not the time and if that doesn't make them stop in their tracks, then u destroy them without ever having to step on their soil and without using nuclear weapons. Just sit there firing tomahawks from over 1000 miles away. Anything that moves you wipe off the face of the planet. War is messy and there is no room for appeasement.
Returning to the original question, this is why defense is so important. The Russians knew our navy was superior, which is why they built the P-700 or (NATO SS-N-19 Shipwreck). They are launched in groups of 4-8 even more swarming the enemy. China is looking at using a similar tactic. The north Koreans are building tons of subs because they know they can not touch our serface fleet, but in a region where a mile in the ocean could mean the depth difference of 100 ft to 10000ft trench, seems like the ideal setting for hiding behind reef, ocean underwater barriers similar to the U-boats of WWII if anything were to break out. Let's build a larger navy, remove a lot of our men from these old bases (Germany/ GB!). We need to worry about protecting our boarders and with just the other day a story was out about a Russian sub in the golf of Mexico, we have some ocean control issues for the greatest navy in the world. In terms of mission capable, survivabilty, the US is def. the best equipped. Now let's get moving on building one platform for the destroyer and cruiser rather than 2. We have to replace them within 30-50 years anyway, and use nuclear power. Forget the cost. What is the cost of being able to go anywhere in the world, only limited by food, which could always be flown in, priceless and as the rail gun, newer laser and other electronic weapons, lethal and non-lethal, along with increases in survalance equipments power consumption (I.e. stronger spy2 radar), we will need an unlimited supply of power because then when the airborne laser can fit on a ship, you can have unlimited ammo for the defensive and even offensive weapon. (laser killed destroyed moving target in water, 2010). It comes down to politics. No one wants to loose contracts, factories and jobs in their district. Look at what is good for the country. I know what I will be called. But u know what... It is the job of the military and our officials to keep the US on the top of ever list in the world. Financial, military, power, influence.... We would notbe the country we are today without our forefathers thinking that way, and they just took it. Tht not being right resource management ( fresh water, food, petro, then natural gas,) is going to be the next critical issue and we need to be ready.