canoe

Yah I know its Strategypage but its got a point on this topic.

"October 3, 2006: While Russia is spending a lot more money on new military gear lately, the armed forces are still stuck with largely antiquated weapons and equipment. For example, some 80 percent of the weapons and equipment in the Russian army is twenty years, or more, old. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the military budget was drastically cut, to the point where there was barely enough money for payroll, food and heating fuel. Military manpower shrunk from 3.4 million to 1.1 million, and much older, unneeded, equipment was just abandoned. The army bought few weapons, and very little equipment, during the 1990s. In the last few years, it was decided to cut the armed strength a bit more, and eliminate conscription. This will cost a lot of money, because conscripts are paid very little (a few hundred dollars a year).

Russia increased it's defense spending 22 percent in 2006, to $24 billion. This was largely due to the rising price of oil, which has nearly tripled from a few years ago. Most of the increase in the oil price comes from skyrocketing demand from China, and fear of oil shipment interruptions in Persian Gulf. The Russian military needs several years of large increases so they can replace more aging Cold War error weapons and equipment. At the moment, the U.S. Army is larger, and much better trained and equipped, than the Russian Army. This is an intolerable situation for Russia, which has vast land borders, and many neighbors with current or potential disputes. Russia needs are larger, and more effective, army. But first they need a decade of larger budgets to pay for it.

Meanwhile, we are witnessing one of the most massive disarmament efforts in human history. Within the space of two decades (1991-2011), the largest peacetime army in history (the "Red Army" of the Soviet Union) is being dismantled, including junking over 100,000 armored vehicles and over 20,000 aircraft and helicopters.

Trucks, radios, tents and all manner of gear are becoming unusable because of wear and age. This stuff has to be replaced. In some units, decrepit gear has not been replaced, and this is creating embarrassing situations that cause troops and officers to leave the service. So the government is getting an increasingly urgent call from the army for more money, or else. This year, the army got 31 new tanks, 125 new infantry vehicles and 3,770 trucks. In addition, 139 tanks and 125 self-propelled artillery systems were refurbished. "

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htp.../20061003.aspx

canoe

At this point wouldn't it be worth looking at what the cheapest option is to rebuild? I'd assume downsizing the force to around 150,000-300,000 volunteer troops and making sure their fully equipped with modern gear and training up to western standards, then slowly increase troop stength every year as equipment becomes available might be preferrable then trying to barely maintain a million man army with rags and rusting gear?

If overall troop strength is the issue maybe make a conscripted reserve force of around 500,000 that only has to train once a year and just divide and rotate their training schedule so theirs enough of the new gear being shared to do chunks of the reserve force every month.

FOG3

Haven't they always been packrats with regards to gear? It seems like I remember equipment numbers, where they had sizable numbers of hopelessly obsolete gear still in service. Also heard they tended to use alcohol in their hydraulics, and their troops would tap the hydraulic systems to excess because of it.

How much of their stuff are they selling off, and how much is actually getting scrapped?

RepublicanGuard

crooks

The russian army could definetly use rebuilding, from what I hear.
Hi, BTW, I'm new.

TopHatter

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zraver

The Russian army has some really good gear to rebuild with. Thier newest ATGM's are awesome and with the French selling them modern technology like nightfighting gear and optics thier heliborne capabilites have the potential to be devestating. What russia doe snot need is more tanks. Russian tanks are outclassed and any serious attmept to upgrade them will only increase demands in other areas somethign they cannot afford. Besides tanks are an offesinve weapon.

Russia needs a military that is geared towards more mobile defensive warfare against it's enemies (real, imagined and possible) China, Iran, Ukraine, and Turkey. The new family of BT-90 wheeled APC including AT-14 and 15 equipped tank hunters, helicopters and artillery deleivered smart munitions are the keys for the ground force. But she also needs to get the airforce back in order. While probalby 2 decades away form feilding stealth of it's own and good tactical airforce and interceptor fleet is critical.

omon

russia for sure could use rebuild of army, they cant downsize it, territory is too big,soldgiers are 18-20 yers old boys,99.9 of russian youth hate the fact that they have to go to army,they try to buy their way out anyway they can,many of those are cought by police and brought to army by force,russian reality is this; no midle class it's ether rich or poor as hell. rich ones don't go to the army, and those who go don,t feel like protecting upper class,they think that rich are rich becouse they steal from poor(i'd say it's very close to truth,relationship in army is allmost same as in jail,imo russian youth would gladly join america's army than russian,just upgrading equipment will not do much good since guy's who use them hate to be there. solgier's mentality needs to be rebuilt first, russian youth mentality that is,it's much harder than giving army new planes and tanks.

canoe

Being given a choice in the first place and having good equipment, decent pay and being treated with respect go a long ways towards that.

Alot of people were predicting doom when the U.S went with an all volenteer force but it ended up working out pretty well for them.