BASIC INTELLIGENCE – UNDERSTANDING THE ARMED FORCES OF THE "BIG 3"
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1. INTRODUCTION
Originally, this text was supposed to become an article, but in the end that was not possible. Therefore, the product you are reading is more of a basic intelligence package/report on the armed forces of the big players, the US, China and Russia. There is a lot of text and pictures, so we recommend that you browse through the whole thing and then focus on the details that interest you.
The aim of the report is to present the basics of all three armed forces, from the military thinking of the country in question, through to the basics of the armed forces themselves, presenting the command relationships of the armed forces and creating an understanding of force structures and strategic / operational leadership relationships, and concept of operations.
Finally, we aim to illustrate the main differences and to highlight the similarities. The basic idea of the structure of the armed forces is fairly similar between the three countries, due of course to the fact that China and Russia have deliberately sought to imitate the US armed forces, while retaining their own spices. At the end of the report there are some sources and additional information.
Please note that most of the Russian armed forces basics are presented here in a pre-Ukraine manner. Overall, the report will not go into small details, such as weapon systems etc., since we are trying to introduce the overall picture of all three armed forces.
2. BASICS ABOUT THE ARMED FORCES AS A WHOLE
2.1 The United States
2.1.1 Military Thought in short
The United States emerged as a superpower after World War II and further solidified its global position following the end of the Cold War. The collapse of the Soviet Union made the U.S. the sole superpower in a unipolar world. With the absence of the Cold War threat, the prevailing war image of the United States that had persisted for decades became unjustified. Instead, the U.S. focused on its role as a global peace guarantor and became involved in resolving humanitarian and civil crises. The Gulf War emphasized the importance of technology in warfare and influenced the development of the armed forces. The current instability is attributed to the resumption of strategic competition between major powers and the erosion of the rules-based international order established in many cases by the United States.
The U.S. has experienced various types of warfare, from limited wars to total wars and guerrilla warfare. Overall, if necessary, The U.S. military conducts various types of warfare and interventions, such as combat missions, stability operations, and deterrence. Deterrence is an ongoing activity.
The concept of integrated deterrence is used to influence the adversary's decision-making process by affecting their perception of costs, benefits, and consequences of aggression or restraint. U.S. military thought and actions today are influenced by historical lessons, recent and current policy considerations, and the evolving nature of warfare.
Today Russia and China pose a different threat to the United States, although Russia and China share the common goal of a world order that respects only the interests of the superpowers. The United States perceives Russia as a significant threat in the short term. In the United States, Russia is not interpreted as being on a par with the Soviet Union but is seen as challenging US interests and allies in its 'own neighborhood'. China is to pose a challenge to US dominance that it has not experienced since the end of the Cold War. The US believes that China's long-term goal is to displace the U.S as the leading global political actor.
2.1.2 Armed Forces – Basics
The United States is a superpower with global national ambitions. Its armed forces are designed to protect the United States from attack, to defend its allies and international objectives, and to prevent regional threats from emerging. The Department of Defense is responsible for providing the armed forces capable of achieving those goals.
The President of the United States is the Commander-in-Chief and the President has authority over all US Armed Forces. Congress, however, has exclusive authority to declare war, raise armies, and establish rules for the military.
The US Armed Forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard. All of the service branches are housed within DOD, except the Coast Guard which falls under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime. Each service branch has an active component of full-time service members and a reserve component of part-time service members. The US armed forces are based on the interoperability of the defense branches at all levels.
In the operational chain of command, the Secretary of Defense directs the US worldwide deployed forces through Geographic Combatant Commands and Functional Combatant Commands. The Secretary of Defense acts as a conduit for orders and information between the President and the Commanders of these Commands.
2.1.3 Combatant Commands
The US military has a truly global reach, with a presence on every continent. The US Armed Forces are organized into 11 Unified Combatant Commands (COCOMs), which provide command and control for military personnel regardless of branch. The purpose of the COCOMs is to promote coordination and cooperation between the service branches in the execution of their missions.?
Combatant commands come in two types. Geographic commands, such as Africa, Central, European, Indo-Pacific, Northern, Southern, and Space commands are responsible for planning and operations in a certain geographic area.
Functional commands, such as Cyber, Special Operations, Strategic, and Transportation commands are responsible for a functional activity that crosses geographic boundaries:
Here you can see Unified Combatant Command’s Area of Responsibility:
We will not go through all of the Geographic Combatant Commands with details – just a few for the reader to get the idea.
Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) – For homeland defense
USNORTHCOM plans, organizes and executes homeland defense and civil support missions. It is responsible for air, land, and sea approaches and encompasses the continental US, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the surrounding water, the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, portions of the Caribbean region to include the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the US. In its latest national military strategy, the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff mentioned the importance of strengthening homeland defense.
USNORTHCOM consists of unified commands, component commands, and Joint task forces. Main forces for the homeland defense are
Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) – Countering China
USINDOPACOM Area of Responsibility (AOR) is about half the earth’s surface, stretching from waters off the west coast of the U.S. to the western border of India. Mission of the command is to implement a combat credible deterrence strategy capable of denying U.S’ adversaries sustained air and sea dominance by focusing on posturing the Joint Force to win before fighting while being ready to fight and win, if required.
The main elements of USINDOPACOM are:
The total military and civilian strength of the command is approx. 375 000 personnel. The most important task of the command is also the most obvious one, to counter China.
Below you can see more detailed introduction of United States Pacific Fleet and United States Army Pacific:
The Fleet example – United States Pacific Fleet
The Army example – United States Army Pacific
Africa Command (USAFRICOM)
USAFRICOM employs the broad-reaching diplomacy, development, and defense approach to foster interagency efforts and help negate the drivers of conflict and extremism in Africa.
U.S. Africa Command is responsible for all U.S. Department of Defense operations, exercises, and security cooperation on the African continent, its island nations, and surrounding waters. The area of responsibility consists of 53 African states. You can see the main elements of USAFRICOM below. After that there is the Marine Corps Example - Marine Corps Forces Africa.
The Marine Corps example – Marine Corps Forces Africa
Conclusion
Each one of these geographically oriented combatant commands are capable fighting forces which consist of ground forces, naval forces, marines, air force components, special forces etc. The basic idea is that each one of the geographic commands is responsible for its area of operations and is capable of fighting the war in that particular region if necessary. We will get to the concept of operations later.
2.1.4 Presence
The United States is the only country in the world which truly has global presence with its armed forces. The main areas of operation for US military forces have been identified as the Western Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
2.1.5 Concept of Global Operations
The aim of the Armed Forces is that the capabilities of the various branches of defense will enable the projection of military power in a short time around the world in all environments. The capability of power projection is the basic idea behind the U.S’ concept. This will provide policy makers and regional commanders with options to achieve strategic objectives.
The US concept of global military operations emphasizes the importance of protecting the nation and securing vital interests against capable enemies. It recognizes the need for expeditionary maneuver and joint combined arms operations to deter enemies and influence allies. The focus is on winning at the strategic level and presenting enemies with multiple dilemmas. Joint combined arms operations allow for the integration of joint capabilities and other efforts to accomplish missions. It emphasizes the importance of strengthening the global network of allies and partners, agility, innovation, integration, and global engagement.
2.2 China
2.2.1 Military Thought in short
China's objective can be interpreted as the restoration of its historic great power status, which it lost at the beginning of the 20th century after the dissolution of the last empire, the Qin dynasty. The subsequent interventions of European states and the Second World War are interpreted in China as a period of "humiliation". The state's own perception is that it has returned to its rightful place as a regional superpower. The ultimate goal is thought to be a new world order based on the Chinese model.
As a rising global power, China has been actively modernizing its armed forces and developing new approaches to warfare. China's military strategy is shaped by a combination of factors, including its national security objectives, historical experiences, and evolving geopolitical landscape. China's national military strategy encompasses a broad range of objectives, including territorial defense, regional stability, and the protection of national interests.
China’s strategy seeks to achieve “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049. China’s strategy can be characterized as a determined pursuit of political and social modernity that includes far-ranging efforts to expand China’s national power, perfect its governance systems, and revise the international order.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) frames this strategy as an effort to realize long-held nationalist aspirations to “return” China to a position of strength, prosperity, and leadership on the world stage. The CCP asserts its absolute leadership and governance systems are indispensable to China’s national renewal into a “great modern socialist country.”
China has intensified its efforts to advance its overall development including steadying economic growth, strengthening its armed forces, and taking a more active role in global affairs. The CCP’s leadership has long viewed China as embroiled in a major international strategic competition with other states, including, and in particular, the United States.
2.2.2 Armed Forces – Basics
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is led by the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the highest national defense organization in the People's Republic of China. It operates within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and is chaired by Xi Jinping.
China's armed forces, officially known as the People's Liberation Army (PLA), are the military forces of the People's Republic of China. They consist of the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, and Strategic Support Force. China's military modernization efforts have focused on enhancing its capabilities in areas such as cyber warfare, space operations, and missile systems. The PLA has also been investing in advanced military technologies, including artificial intelligence and unmanned systems.
China’s Ground Forces: The PLA Army (PLAA) is the world’s largest ground force, with approximately 915,000 active-duty personnel. The PLAA’s forces are organized into five Theater Army Commands, the Xinjiang military command, and the Tibet military command. The PLAA has now standardized its 13 group armies (= roughly a U.S. corps-level equivalent). Each group army includes multiple combined-arms brigades. In total, almost 80 combined-arms brigades are the PLAA’s primary maneuver force.
China’s Naval Forces: The PRC has numerically the largest navy in the world. China has three different naval forces: PLA Navy, China Coast Guard, and People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia. The PLA Navy (PLAN) is largely composed of modern multi-role platforms featuring advanced anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine weapons and sensors. Major Naval units consist of the Northern Theater Navy, Eastern Theater Navy, and Southern Theater Navy.
China’s Air Forces: The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and PLAN Aviation together constitute the largest aviation forces in the region and the third largest in the world. The PLAAF’s role is to serve as a comprehensive strategic air force capable of long -range airpower projection.
China’s Nuclear Forces & PLA Rocket Forces: China’s nuclear weapons policy prioritizes the maintenance of a survivable nuclear force that can retaliate against an adversary’s first strike. China’s nuclear forces will significantly evolve over the next decade as it modernizes, diversifies, and increases the number of its land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery platforms.
As of 2020, China's nuclear arsenal consisted of approximately 320 nuclear warheads. The PLA Rocket Forces (PLARF) possesses the largest ground-based missile force globally, with over 2,200 conventionally armed ballistic and cruise missiles. The PLARF plays a crucial role in maintaining China's national security and strategic balance, with a particular focus on Taiwan and the South China Sea.
China’s Strategic Support Forces: The Strategic Support Force (SSF) is a branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China that was created in 2015 as part of a major military reorganization. The SSF is responsible for developing and employing China's space capabilities, which are viewed as vital for strategic deterrence, countering U.S. intervention, and supporting operations globally. It consists of a Space Systems Department and a Network Systems Department, which are responsible for satellite launch and operation, cyber warfare, and electronic warfare. The exact relationship between the SSF and other components of the PLA is unclear, but its role suggests that space will become more integrated into PLA warfighting.
2.2.3 Theater Commands (TC)
Chinese theater commands refer to the regional military organizations established by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. These commands are responsible for the strategic planning, operational coordination, and overall command of military forces within a specific geographic area. The PLA has five theater commands: Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central.
Each theater command is headed by a theater commander who exercises command and control over the military forces in their respective regions. The theater commands play a crucial role in China's defense and security strategy, ensuring effective coordination and rapid response capabilities across the country.
The Eastern and Southern Theater Command are presented here with a little bit more detail.
The Eastern Theater Command
The Command is responsible for Taiwan and the East China Sea. It executes operational control over matters related to Taiwan and Japan, including in and around the Taiwan Strait and the Senkaku islands.
The Eastern Theater Command:
Ground Forces – Group Armies of Eastern Theater Command:
The Southern Theater Command
The Command is responsible for the South China Sea, Southeast Asia border security, and territorial and maritime disputes. It is most likely the command that is also responsible for supporting the Eastern Theater Command in any invasion of Taiwan, as well as assuring the security of sea lines of communication (SLOCs).
The Southern Theater Command:
Ground Forces – Group Armies of Southern Theater Command
Navy example: Southern Theater Command Navy:
South Sea Fleet - Area of Operations:
The Western Theater Command
The Western Theater Command is responsible for India and counterterrorism operations along western borders. Internally the command focuses on the Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions because of the perceived threat of separatism and terrorism.
Ground Forces – Group Armies of Western Theater Command:
The Northern Theater Command
The Northern Theater Command is oriented toward the Korean Peninsula, Russia, Mongolia and Yellow Sea. It is also responsible for conducting border stability in northern borders.
Ground Forces – Group Armies of Northern Theater Command:
The Central Theater Command
The Central Theater Command has two important responsibilities. It is responsible for defending the Capital, and it serves as a strategic reserve for other theaters. It connects the other four theater commands.
Ground Forces – Group Armies of Central Theater Command:
2.2.4 Presence
The PLA's presence is mainly within the borders of China (if and when we don’t take into account peacekeeping operations etc). China has a naval base in Djibouti. However, the PLA has an ambitious campaign to build a global military network that includes at least five overseas bases and ten logistical support sites by 2030. This planned network includes facilities in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.
2.2.5 Concept of Operations
PLAA publications discuss "new-type operations'' that focus on leveraging combat power to neutralize key nodes, diminish the enemy's capabilities, and achieve objectives quickly. PLAA battalion training emphasizes long-range fire, dispersion of formations, and advanced communications. Future PLAA units will be smaller, modular, and less reliant on headquarters. The PLAA aims to transition from regional defense to trans-theater operations and build a strong and modernized land force.
The PLAN is transitioning from defense on the near seas to protection missions on the far seas.
The PLAAF's missions are shifting from territorial air defense to offensive and defensive operations.
Overall, the Chinese armed forces operate on the basis of joint forces with regional responsibility, prepared to operate inside and outside (close to) their own territory against acute threats. Regional forces prepare to reinforce each other when necessary. At present, China does not yet have the capacity to conduct global operations in the same way as the United States. This is the focus of the development of China's armed forces and its various defence branches.
2.3 Russia
2.3.1 Military Thought in short
Russian military thought involves a focus on buffer zones and reinforcing defensive measures to counter potential large-scale attacks. In the event of a major conflict against a peer or near-peer adversary, Russian operations would prioritize coordination, deception, and speed. Emphasis would be placed on fire superiority, improved ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities, and combined arms maneuver to overwhelm enemies. These strategies aim to ensure the security and territorial integrity of Russia.
Russian military strategic thinking relies on the Clausewitzian tradition. Clausewitzianism assumes that military force is used to destroy a physical opponent and that warfare is a subordinate means to politics to achieve political ends - war is thus just an extension of politics, as the famous phrase suggests. The view of war as an extension of politics has not changed in Russia even today, but it has been supplemented by new means and, in some cases, new ideas.
Despite the limited success of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it is essential to understand that the Russian perspective on the war emphasizes the pre- and early stages of the war. The pre- and early stages of the war should be resolved in Russia's favor through swift and decisive action. Surprising and offensive methods are used, for example, to ensure that physical fighting takes place on the territory of another state. Starting and keeping fighting out of Russia's geographical territory has become a fundamental principle from which there is no readiness to be flexible.
What is exceptional in Russian military thinking is the emphasis on the offensive in the operational and tactical level. Defense and delay are forms of combat subordinate to attack and are aimed at creating a situation in which a successful attack is possible.
However, the declared reality is that Russian warfare at the strategic level is based on a defensive approach. From its own point of view, Russia defends itself, its own culture and its own interests, especially against the West and, even more so, against the United States. This 'defensive' approach at the strategic level is, of course, seen from the point of view of smaller states as an offensive action. Because that is the situation in that particular space and time.
Russian Armed Forces today are in a strategic level mainly built for conception called 'active defense' (mainly vs. NATO and the West as a whole, see the picture below). Even though this conception can and has contained offensive operations (Georgia 2008, Crimea and Eastern Ukraine 2014, Ukraine 2022), it is not by its roots built for conventional large scale expeditionary operations.
2.3.2 Armed Forces – Basics
Please note that most of the Russian armed forces basics are presented here in a pre-Ukraine manner.
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The armed forces are headed by the General Staff. It is organized into 17 main administrations, 26 administrative divisions, 20 departments and 5 service divisions. The Russian armed forces consist of three branches: Ground forces, aerospace forces and the navy, as well as two independent branches of arms: strategic missile forces and airborne troops. Each branch of defense has its own command staff and the independent arms have their own command staff.
Since the military districts command all conventional (land, navy, aerospace) forces in their area in peacetime and in emergency situations, the branche's HQs are likely to be responsible for non-operational tasks related to readiness and warfare. Such tasks include personnel management, infrastructure development and maintenance, general maintenance and tactical operational research and development in accordance with guidelines defined by the General Staff.
Ground Forces
In 2019, the Russian land forces consisted of 11 armies and one Armored army. In addition, the Northern Operational Strategic Command and the Baltic and Black Sea Fleets comprise the Army Corps of the Ground Forces. The Ground forces are organized in either divisional or brigade formations.
Below you can see typical brigade level table of organization & equipment (Brigade level):
Battalion Tactical Groups
The Russians have solved the problem of military readiness by forming "mini-groups", or battalion combat units, capable of "independent" warfare. A Battalion Tactical Group (BTG) is a combined-arms maneuver unit and it is supposed to be a flexible and highly ready formation consisting of a battalion reinforced with additional units such as air defense, artillery, engineering, and logistical support.
The concept of BTGs has its roots in the Soviet Army, where battalions were often reinforced with additional units during field exercises. BTGs played a significant role in Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, with approximately 150-170 BTGs estimated to be in service. These groups have been deployed in conflicts such as the Chechen, Georgian war, and in Syria as well. The Russian Army has been focusing on forming "permanent readiness" BTGs within garrison brigades, staffed by contract soldiers.
Below you can see an example of BTG's force structure:
BTGs are not a desirable outcome of Russian use of its land forces but more of a way to create 24/7 readiness since this kind of readiness is not possible to achieve through division / brigade structures due to the multiple problems. When we look at some military garrison in Russia which is a home for example to a readiness brigade (pre-Ukraine, let's say that the brigade's fighting force in paper consists of three BMP / APC battalions and one armored battalion), we can note for example that only one BMP / APC battalion and one company from armored battalion are actually manned with people and equipment. In addition, there are some of the reinforcement units; engineers, logistics, artillery etc. When this “brigade” is pulled from the garrison with everything that is actually ready-to-fight, we have a full BMP / APC equipped battalion with an extensive amount of different kinds of reinforcement. To put it simple, this is a battalion tactical group.
BTG might be a useful force structure in micro-theaters, as seen in Georgia, Syria, and in Eastern Ukraine since 2014 but it has proved too light to be used on wider fronts or large theaters. That is precisely why Russia would most likely prefer to use brigade or even division structures in wider theaters in the future.
The Navy
The Russian navy plays a key role in safeguarding the country's strategic interests, such as securing merchant shipping and countering maritime threats, especially in the Baltic, Arctic and the Pacific.
The navy is composed of four fleets:
The naval forces include surface forces, submarine forces, coastal forces and naval air forces.
The Aerospace Forces
The Aerospace Force composition includes air forces, space forces, air- and air defense forces.
The Airborne forces
The Airborne forces are directly subordinate to the General Staff. It comprises two airborne and two ground landing divisions, three airborne brigades and a special forces brigade.
The Strategic Missile Forces
The Russian strategic missile force’s ground forces are organized into three divisional missile armies. They are equipped with mobile and siloed intercontinental missiles.
Nuclear Weapon Forces
The naval component of the nuclear triad is represented by strategic missile submarines in the Northern and Pacific Fleets. The third component of the triad is the long-range air component of the air-space force, which can also be launched by strategic bombers’ cruise missiles.
2.3.3 Military Districts (MD)
Russia is divided into four military districts (Western, Southern, Central and Eastern) and a Northern Operational Strategic Command, which was granted the status of a military district in January 2021. These command echelons under the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces may also be referred to as the Operational Strategic Military Task Force.
One of the tasks of the military district is to protect the territorial integrity of Russia within its area of responsibility. To this end, it commands all conventional armed forces on its territory. Exceptions are strategic missile forces, landing forces, and air transport and long-range air forces of the aerospace force. They are directly under the command of the General Staff.
In times of emergency, other authorities involved in the protection of Russia's territorial integrity, such as the National Guard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Security Service, the Federal Protection Service and other special forces created in times of war, may be subordinated to the military district within its area of responsibility.
Below you can see the Russian map illustrating different military districts. Below that there is picture about Russian military headquarters within these military districts.
When we go through military districts, we are going to present the district as a whole and its main components. Basic military district consists of 2-4 combined arms army, air and air defence forces army, and a fleet. Usually, as part of the district, there are also different kinds of ‘independent’ (not part of combined arms armies, fleets or air and air defence forces armies) combat support forces etc. which are not included in this report.
Within each district there are also forces operating in and from the area but are led by the General Staff. Within different districts we will highlight some element of it in order for the reader to understand the basic concept and “average” structure of the specific component whether it's about a combined arms army, fleet or so on.
Western Military District
The Western Military District is headquartered in St Petersburg. Pre-Ukraine it had about 150 000 active persons. However, the total strength of the troops under the command of the military district headquarters is (was) over 400 000 soldiers, which is about 40% of the total strength of the Russian armed forces.
The 6th and 20th Armies, the 1st Armored Army, the Baltic Fleet and the 6th Air Force and Air Defence Army constitute the main fighting force. In addition to these, the Western Military District has direct command of some 20 combat support brigades, and operational command of the 2nd Special Forces Brigade in Tambov and the 16th Special Forces Brigade in Pskov.
The western military district has and will be a priority for Russia. Threats coming from the west are seen as the most severe.
Fleet example: Baltic Fleet
With Finland and Sweden's membership of NATO, just over 90% of the shores of the Baltic Sea belong to NATO countries. The Baltic Sea is not only a transport route for trade, but also a communication and energy route. The seabed is full of important infrastructure - gas pipelines and telecommunications cables.
For Russia, the Baltic Sea is important because it is the main transport route between St Petersburg and Kaliningrad. It is also a hugely important route for Russia's oil transport, and St Petersburg is the main port as a freight route to St Petersburg and Moscow.
Below you can find basic information about the Russian Baltic Fleet
The Southern Military District
The Southern Military District is headquartered in Rostov-On-Don. Pre-Ukraine it had about 100 000 active persons. The mission of the Southern Military District includes:
Combined Arms Army example – 58th Combined Arms Army
The Central Military District
The Central Military District is headquartered in Yekaterinburg. Pre-Ukraine it had about 200 000 active persons. The purpose of the Central Military District is to ensure the defense and security of the central region of Russia. It also serves as a operational-strategic reserve especially for the western and southern military districts.
Air and Air Defence Forces Army example: 14th
The Eastern Military District
The Eastern Military District is headquartered in Khabarovsk. Pre-Ukraine it had about 200 000 active persons. The Eastern Military District operates towards potential threats from neighboring countries, such as China, North Korea, and Japan.
Northern Operational Strategic Command
Northern Operational Strategic Command is headquartered in Severomorsk. Pre-Ukraine it had about 50 000 active persons. The main task of this command is to protect Russia's interests in the northern Arctic and to contribute to securing the capabilities of the underwater nuclear weapons.
Its composition includes: surface and submarine forces of the Northern Fleet, coastal troops (including 61. Marine Brigade), 14th Army Corps, 45th Air Force- and Air Defence Army, two tactical groups stationed in the Arctic archipelago and an Air Force- and Air Defence Base.
2.3.4 Presence
Russian armed forces have a regional presence as can be seen from the picture below. Wagner PMC’s presence is not included.
2.3.5 Concept of Operations
The Russian Armed Forces emphasize the concept of "deep operations," which involves conducting simultaneous and synchronized offensive actions across multiple fronts and depth of enemy territory. This concept is rooted in the Soviet military doctrine and aims to disrupt the enemy's command and control, logistics, and communications infrastructure.
The Russian Armed Forces prioritize offensive operations to achieve their objectives swiftly and decisively. This offensive orientation is characterized by the use of combined arms forces, including tanks, artillery, infantry, and air support, to overwhelm and defeat the enemy. The goal is to exploit the enemy's weaknesses, maintain a high tempo of operations, and achieve operational objectives while minimizing risks to Russian forces.
However, like discussed earlier, at the strategic level Russia’s posture is mainly defensive. One big example of this is Russia's approach to military logistics, which relies heavily on utilizing the homeland's railroads (supply movement) and pipelines (fuel). Basically Russian military logistics as a system, and as it is at the moment "can't" sustain prolonged expeditionary operations far from homebase. For example in Syria Russia could rely on some sort of 'host nation support'.
Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 was probably meant to be relatively quick 'local war' in 'near abroad', success ensured by 'regional war' -scale troops. In Russian military thinking this kind of behavior is part of larger deterrence. Russian conception of deterrence can and will contain active measures and it is ambiguous by nature. Overall, Russia's military strategy is both defensive and offensive in nature, depending on the situation and the target.
3. SIMILARITIES, DIFFERENCES AND SOME CONCLUSIONS
Whether it's Combatant Commands (the U.S), Theater Commands (China) or Military Districts (Russia), they are all either strategic or operational strategic joint task forces responsible for some specific area or region, and countering some specific threat or threats. These task forces include all military branches, and are supposed to be capable of wage war on their own (with reinforcements and reserves obviously coming from other regional commands if necessary).
The main similarities are listed below:
These similarities highlight the shared focus on jointness, geographic responsibilities, and the need for effective command and control in military operations.
How about differences? Obviously, there are plenty. There are differences in the way countries think about the military, which are a whole other subject for a more in-depth discussion. On a more practical level the most obvious differences are about the presence of the armed forces (Truly global vs. Regional or even local) and overall resources.
Joint training has become a major facet of Sino-Russian military cooperation and has been expanded from land, air and sea exercises to embrace sensitive fields like information and anti-missile technology. The common enemy unites China and Russia but it is also important to note that they are not allies in a sense that we understand it but more of a competitors who has settled their differences for now because of the window of opportunity to challenge U.S led world order.
It is also worth mentioning that there is a common assumption among military analysts in the West that China’s military reforms are driven by strategic competition with the United States and inspired by changes in the US military as the sole template. That is mostly true, obviously. However, it is also a fact that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been considerably influenced by Russian doctrine, force structuring and equipment from its inception. The PLA continues to draw heavily on the Russian experience. At the latest, the PLA is learning from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
4. LASTLY
The United States remains the world's leading military power, with a military force of its own in terms of size and global operational capability. At the same time, however, it should be noted that this fact does not mean that China, for example, could not defeat the United States in a regional war (in relation to the potential chain of events following the invasion of Taiwan, for example).
In recent years, China has invested in particular in developing its naval operational capability and in developing its long-range influence capability. China is by far the most significant military challenger to the United States, and so it 'should be' if China is to truly challenge the US's still somehow surviving hegemony in the long term.
When looking at Russia, we must bear in mind the significant difference in Russia's strategic interests compared to the US and China. Russia is not seeking to become the world's leading hegemon, but to create a multipolar world and challenge the current international system (as China does also). Consequently, the analysis of its armed forces should also be limited to these objectives. On paper and in theory, Russia has a strong enough armed force to further this objective. In reality, however, the invasion of Ukraine has revealed significant shortcomings in Russia's armed forces as a whole.
The overall aim of the report was to provide the reader with a basic understanding of all three armed forces. We hope we succeeded in this. We want to emphasize that understanding the armed forces is an important part of understanding the geopolitical power struggle.
Some sources and additional information:
Buildup resumed at suspected Chinese military site in UAE, leak says https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/26/chinese-military-base-uae/
Characteristics of Successful U.S. Military Interventions https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3062.html
China plans to build a network of five military bases overseas https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/China-plans-to-build-a-network-of-five-military-bases-overseas/
China wants to increase its military presence abroad https://www.economist.com/china/2022/05/05/china-wants-to-increase-its-military-presence-abroad
The Culture of Strategic Thought Behind Russia’s Modern Approaches to Warfare https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/files/Culture%20of%20Strategic%20Thought%203.pdf
China Military Power Report Examines Changes in Beijing's Strategy https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3230682/china-military-power-report-examines-changes-in-beijings-strategy/
Defeating the Russian Battalion Tactical Group https://www.moore.army.mil/armor/earmor/content/issues/2017/spring/2Fiore17.pdf
Getting Gerasimov Right https://www.proquest.com/docview/1761154028
Getting to Know the Russian Battalion Tactical Group https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/getting-know-russian-battalion-tactical-group
IBON Foundation https://www.ibon.org/us-overseas-military-footprint/
Learning from Russia: How China used Russian models and experiences to modernize the PLA https://merics.org/en/report/learning-russia-how-china-used-russian-models-and-experiences-modernize-pla
Michael Kofman’s analyses https://russianmilitaryanalysis.wordpress.com/
People’s Liberation Army - Ground Forces https://rdl.train.army.mil/catalog-ws/view/100.ATSC/D9915B53-207D-4EB8-9305-D5D01541842D-1640033052890/gta20_10_002.pdf
PLA Rocket Force Organization - Air University https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/CASI/Display/Article/3193056/pla-rocket-force-organization/
National Military Strategy https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/NMS%202022%20_%20Signed.pdf
REFLECTIONS ON RUSSIA'S 2022 INVASION OF UKRAINE: COMBINED ARMS WARFARE, THE BATTALION TACTICAL GROUP AND WARS IN A FISHBOWL?https://www.ausa.org/publications/reflections-russias-2022-invasion-ukraine-combined-arms-warfare-battalion-tactical
The Rise and Fall of the Russian Battalion Tactical Group Concept https://euro-sd.com/2022/11/articles/exclusive/26319/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-russian-battalion-tactical-group-concept/
Rochan Consulting https://rochan-consulting.com/
Russian Forces in the Western Military District https://www.cna.org/archive/CNA_Files/pdf/russian-forces-in-the-western-military-district.pdf
Russian Forces in the Southern Military District https://www.cna.org/reports/2022/01/Russian-Forces-in-the-Southern-Military-District.pdf
Russian Forecasts of Future War https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-review/Archives/English/MJ-19/Thomas-Russian-Forecast.pdf
Russia Military https://irp.fas.org/world/russia/tradoc-refguide.pdf
the Russian Way of War https://www.armyupress.army.mil/portals/7/hot%20spots/documents/russia/2017-07-the-russian-way-of-war-grau-bartles.pdf
Russian Baltic Fleet https://www.foi.se/rest-api/report/FOI-R--5119--SE
Updated Report: Chinese Strategy and Military Forces in 2021 https://www.csis.org/analysis/updated-report-chinese-strategy-and-military-forces-2021
U.S Africa Command https://www.africom.mil/about-the-command
U.S Northern Command https://www.northcom.mil/About/
U.S Indo-Pacific Command https://www.pacom.mil/About-USINDOPACOM/
US Global Force Posture and US Military Operations Short of War https://www.stimson.org/2021/us-global-force-posture-and-us-military-operations-short-of-war/
The US Army Operating Concept https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/publications/Army%20Operating%20Concept%202014%20%28TP525-3-1%29.pdf
U.S Marine Corps Forces Africa https://www.africom.mil/about-the-command/our-team/us-marine-corps-forces-africa
Understanding the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/July-August-2021/Mihal-PLA-Rocket-Force/
Ven?j?n sotilaallinen voima Suomen l?hialueilla https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/186542
Ven?j?n sotilasstrategia muutoksessa https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/169586
What is the South China Sea dispute? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13748349
Xi Jinping urges China’s navy to be ‘firm and flexible’ in defending country’s interests https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3216845/chinese-president-xi-jinping-urges-navy-be-firm-and-flexible-defending-countrys-interests