Russian Air Force Woes - Time to start again?

"Yama" wrote in message
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"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
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"Yama" wrote in message
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Second, distant deployment seriously limits conscript army's main
advantage - number.


Trouble is it was the British army that was deployed 8000 miles
from home, the Falklands are rather closer to Argentina.

Falklands are islands, so deployment problems remained regardless of
distance.


Horse****

Its a hell of alot easier for Britain to deploy troops to the Isle of Wight
than it is for Argentina

Again, do you seriously think that British Army and Royal Marines could
have
taken Argentinian army on their mainland?


Again NO , but then that wasnt their mission

But was it because they were professionals or only because they got
more
training funds and better equipment because they were politically more
trustworthy?


One tends to go with the other.

Exactly - volunteer, selected palace guard was obviously better instrument
of power for Saddam than draftees. Their military prowess was not
particularly relevant...


On the contrary it was a core requirement. The politically reliable
force was his last defense against an army revolt.

What do you think conscripts do in the Army? Honestly, 32 weeks is
quite
short for conscription time.


In which army ?

Conscripts only serve around 18 months in Greece and that would mean
training absorbed 1/3 of their time in the army.

In Finland the maximum term of servive eben for specialists was 330
days, if they received 32 weeks of training then that would represent
2/3 rds of their service.

Hungary, France and Germany all have a 10 month period of service.
Its rather expensive to spend 8 months training people who only
serve in combat units for 2 months afterwards.

Ah, I see the confusion. Most conscript armies do not have "combat units"
in
the sense you talk, because there is no need to deploy them anywhere as we
do not have former, current or future colonies to fight over. Should the
need arise, combat formations are formed either expanding the training
units
or from scratch according to mobilization plans.


Which is a bit unfortunate if the enemy isnt considerate enough to give you
advanced warning of his plans

Currently Finnish conscripts serve 180 to 360 days, depending on their
task
or rank. That time is almost wholly spent on training.


Which leaves exactly who guarding the interests of the nation ?

I know some people who have operated with US and various European
professional forces in Kosovo and Bosnia. Let's just say that they
haven't
exactly been in awe about their performance. And this includes such
forces
like airborne brigades which are supposed to be more élite.


Ah mysterious sources only you have access to, how impressive.

Fine, if you don't want to believe then don't. If we go by that route, I
could ask you what are YOUR sources for that dubious "Argies couldn't
maintain their rifles" -story.


Multiple sources , here's just one
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/s2.cfm?id=341922002

"I was 19 when they sent us to the Falklands," he says.
"I had done my military service, but I think I'd only touched
a gun once for about 15 minutes. I didn't have a clue how
to load a rifle."

Keith