Poll: Which Branch of Military Is Most Important In Modern Warfare?

lupe

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I would have to say that neither of these branches are the most important. What is important is the logistics branch. The truck drivers, the paper armored trucks hauling ammunitions, food and fuel to the front line, the boats and aircraft that carry the said supplies to overseas theaters where the trucks pick them up, the flight controllers that make sure aircraft don't collide while landing or taking off, and so forth. Generally all the unglamorous jobs that put people's lives at constant risk without any commendations for valor, any glamorous stories to share at the pub, and, sometimes, even without the benefit of being paid as much as the folks on the front.

Because, quite honestly, you could enlist the whole population of China into an army, and it would still be ineffective if you only had two trucks to get your army to a war. Or you could have the most advanced tank in the world, but if you come under fire and your nearest ammunition depot is 500 miles away, you better hope the research teams come up with a method of teleportation really fast.
 

elbryan108

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Knight Templar said:
They are all of equal importance.
The Air force can bomb people to hell sure, but what use is that in modern combat?

The troops do most of the work, but how will they be supplied or supported without the others?

The Navy allows you to go anywhere, and hit any target. They also limit a foes ability to do the same.
I have to agree with you here. I mean sure the Airforce can bomb the hell out of a foe, but what happens when the enemy dig in and cant be harmed by bombed, then the army and/or Marines have to go in and do the work of getting to them for some close in combat.
 

Cowabungaa

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Where is the Special Forces option? In any war in any given time period, information is key and what might even be more powerfull than war is making sure war doesn't even have to happen. Special Forces units make sure of that.
 

Bradfucius

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Air Force is first, because of nuclear weapons and cheap things like that to obliterate the country

Then Army/Marines because you would need them to sweep the area and operate Anti-Air guns blah blah blah

Last is Navy because you might be invading landlocked countries or just because ships are much slower than planes. The only thing they are nice for is aircraft carriers, which are of course used to support the air force.
 

Danny Ocean

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Jun 28, 2008
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What's all this about the Air Force? Without the other two they are almost completely useless!

Yes, they have cool guns, but all of these weapons are available to the other two and just as precisely used. All the air force does is wrap these systems up in a fast-moving package.

I voted navy. They've got their own planes and soldiers, they've got the biggest guns and are the hardest to stop once they get going. They've got the subs, and the AA. They're just the most versatile. Plus they have the most nukes.

The navy also provides most of the logistical and supply support, and the base for almost all offensives. Why build an airfield when you have an aircraft carrier a few hundred miles away?


Although, when it comes down to it, Navy and Airforce are the least involved in the actual combat, the foot soldiers do most of the work, and the other two are largely designed to support them.
 

Ginnipe

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Wardog13 said:
Pretty much what the title says.

Im going to have to go with the Air Force, it has been proven time and time again that you cannot win a war without Air Superiority.

Yes I know you need Air, Land and Sea units, but which one matters the most in modern war?
Yes but remember, to get air superiority you usually need aircraft carriers to get the planes to their destination depending on where the war was. Also you need transport ships to get supplies and troops to the battlefeild. and with nuclear submariens they can destroy the enemies supply lines and ships, while being on station to launch an ICBM. So if you haven't noticed I think the navy is the most important branch of our military. (U.S.A)
 

Ginnipe

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icedtea14 said:
SakSak said:
icedtea14 said:
Air Force wins overall! You can have some of the best trained and equipped troops on the battle field but they're no match for a jet that can kill them in less time then 5 seconds or an ac-130 gunship that can kill from well above the clouds.
And that air force is useless if they can't find the enemy or get shot down by AA missiles and/or AAA and/or enemy fighters.

Air force is necessary is modern warfare, sure, but not more so than any other branch, I believe.
Yeah your kinda right. If I was to choose only one it would be the air force but you really do need all the branches working together to win a battle.
Look at WW2, The German Stukas decimated their Europian and Russian counterparts, but only with air superiority, without it they got shot down the minute they reached the battlefeild. But think about it, without the other branches of the military you can't capture bases/intel, you can't negotiate, and you can't do much but destroy. So yes, all the branches have to work together for a war to be won
 

Hot'n'steamy

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It is strongly believed by military strategists that the Navy will be the most important in the next modern conflict. I listened to a documentary all about it last night.
 

countrysteaksauce

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Alright Gentlemen we're going to need to occupy Iraq with the air force. I want an A-10 warthog on every street corner to ensure peace and stability. Put the stealth fighters on post at the embassy.

The Navy is the most important branch. Not only do they have the firepower but they also take care of the logistics of bringing and supplying all the troops that need to get on the ground.
You can only paradrop so much before the cost becomes too much. Plus, there are several fleets placed all over the world, so no country is too far away.

Not to mention the Navy is technically in charge of the Marines and has its own airpower. The boomer subs can also launch strategic missiles and are considered the best possibility for retaining nuclear capability in the event of a nuclear exchange.

The inland reach of the Navy also ensures that the US can project its power almost anywhere in the world, especially considering that most of the world population lives near the coast.

You can see the role seapower has played in world events in the Influence of Seapower Upon History by Mahan. It was always important and continues to be the most important branch of a well-supplied modern military.
 

Ginnipe

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elbryan108 said:
Knight Templar said:
They are all of equal importance.
The Air force can bomb people to hell sure, but what use is that in modern combat?

The troops do most of the work, but how will they be supplied or supported without the others?

The Navy allows you to go anywhere, and hit any target. They also limit a foes ability to do the same.
I have to agree with you here. I mean sure the Airforce can bomb the hell out of a foe, but what happens when the enemy dig in and cant be harmed by bombed, then the army and/or Marines have to go in and do the work of getting to them for some close in combat.
Now I voted for navy, but the solution for a dug in emeny is the Thermobaric Bomb, it's like having your ears pop, except your whole body pops.
 

Evil mr dave

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Apr 28, 2009
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i went with the army because, lets face it name one country with a successful military that didn't have a great army

plus when you deal with areas where blind carpet bombing is not an option or were there could be civilian causualties you send in the army. plus how is an air force supposed to occupy a country
 

Agent Larkin

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Two soviet General's meet in downtown Paris. After sharing a drink and talking about life one of them turns to the other and says "By the way who won the air war?". That is an old anti air force joke from the cold war sorry but I had to through it in.

And while I know they are just an expeditionary force still

Semper Fi
 

EricKINGS

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May 22, 2009
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gentleben said:
At least it's like that in Australia (although it would be nice if the Navy had a special forces regiment like the army has with the SASR)
Aint those the SEALS?
 

EricKINGS

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Agent Larkin said:
Two soviet General's meet in downtown Paris. After sharing a drink and talking about life one of them turns to the other and says "By the way who won the air war?". That is an old anti air force joke from the cold war sorry but I had to through it in.

And while I know they are just an expeditionary force still

Semper Fi
Ive heard so much about this but i still dont know wat Semper Fi is. Any explanations would be good. :D
 

uhgungawa

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Mar 19, 2009
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to the start of a conflit it would have to be the navy, has both sea and air power, LRMs,and easy transit for marine troops. Since most conflicts happen abroad, it's the navy that are the first on the front lines. All of them have their place though. the army has the people needed to hold an area, and the choppers and heavy armor. marines are the all around go getters. and the air force has the intel sats and huge amounts of air power. it's only when they all work together that you get your results.
 

nekolux

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When jet engines and missile were not as powerful as they are today. The field artillery dominated the battlefield. However with modern air units, that provide more accurate strikes, bigger strikes, FASTER strikes. The air force is in my opinion the most important.

Afterall when we're talking about symmetrical warfare, the first strike doctrine uses your air force to get THEIR air force. I mean right now, because we're focusing on smaller scale warfare, with a good air force you can effectively cripple land forces.

Also to those who voted for navy. I point you to the TU-22 =D

Not like symmetrical warfare is gonna happen anytime soon anyway. All the super powers are pussies nowadays. There was a time when a superpower could have taken over the world. That time has gone. ( Soviet union could have easily fuck up the western allies after WW2 if not for the fact that stalin is a paranoid fuck. )