"Russia - China Military Alliance?" Topic

Russia and China will be running naval exercises together, in both the Mediterranean, and the Pacific, soon:

link

It appears that both countries may be interested in a military alliance, each for different reasons, to increase their power and leverage in Asia, and beyond.

It will be interesting to see if the cooperation grows further in the future, since it would certainly make for a strong counter-balance to US and other Asian moves in the region.

Cooperation, sure. Alliance, not so sure. They compete for influence over the same border states, or rather the same set of pipes.

Russia and China can combine their respective navies and it still can't challenge:

Not that they need to of course, not in the traditional sense. In terms of "presence" they should be able to do well enough, should they so wish.

Only reason I see them doing this is to try and get intel on each other. China and Russia go at it more often that Russia and the West.

Japan alone dam' near wiped Uncle Sam's boats out once. There is no reason to believe that the US navy has invested in any more brainpower since then.

China still claims their borders stretch 400 miles into Russian territory.
Think: Who else can they practice with?

Just from an geographic standpoint, China will ultimately take much of what is now the Russian Pacific coast. By virtue of isolating themselves over the revaunchist desire to resurrect the old Imperial/Soviet claims in eastern Europe, Russia is accelerating their inevitable junior partner status with the PRC so getting used to working with a new boss might as well start now.

Same with scotland's arrangement now I spose.

At the risk of pedantry, this should not be in the modern forum, only ultra-modern, since it's post 2004.

The two countries hate and mistrust each other. Even during the Soviet era, China proved that they will not be dominated by Russia, and Russia knows that China covets the vast wealth of natural resources in Siberia.

Everything they do is temporary and only for immediate tangible gains like for technology exchange and to counter Western expansion of influence.

Once the immediate goal has been achieved, they will have another falling out.

. Japan alone dam' near wiped Uncle Sam's boats out once. There is no reason to believe that the US navy has invested in any more brainpower since then.

That's not really true. They did sink and damage several old battleships but all but two were returned to service and there were still several left in action after Pearl. They were just held back to blunt a strike on CONUS. There was never a time in WWII were the U.S. fleet was in danger of total destruction. The IJN on the other hand…

Yea, ultimately, I see it as more of an alliance of convenience than anything else, if it does occur, e.g. enemy of my enemy…..

Rather like the brief German/Russian alliance in WWII.

Whether they like it or not, Russia is a diminishing force. As per capita industrial capacity grows, so will real wages and the current military will not be affordable. Sometimes, increasing prosperity can be a two edged sword.

Unless either nation can deploy, ie: force projection … beyond overland movement … I'm not too concerned … but none the less, eyes need to be kept on both. Never underestimate your enemy.

Sobieski
Japan alone dam' near wiped Uncle Sam's boats out once. There is no reason to believe that the US navy has invested in any more brainpower since then.

I disagree … Save for 2 BBs, most of those BBs sunk or damaged at Pearl were in action again by '44. And I believe, unlike some tend to think … much of the US Military knows what it is doing. Regardless, the US Military can't do anything without elected civilain approval. That's the way it works in the US, since the time of Washington. However that being said, in the past 6 years, over 300 US senior officers have been "fired"/forced to retire, etc. … So one can do the math and come up with what your predilections and preceptions allow …

The current USN is probably them most powerful and consistently competent force the seas have ever seen. Don't make them all wise, powerful or invincible. But they are miles ahead of Russia and China combined x 2 in all likelihood. It's Russia and China deciding to co support and finance various nation states that I worry about. The ability to send arms and money is a force deployment capability in itself.

But I still struggle to see the Chinese leap into bed with Russian adventurism. They like things stable or at least predictable with the folks they seriously cosy up to, and Russia's work in the Ukraine would be a big turn off.

McWong I actually think the USN circa 1991 was the most powerful naval and overall military force ever. Since then it's been a case of decline – look at numbers of carriers and other major surface combatants in service now and then.

And a lot of the new replacements aren't as capable – the Littoral Combat Ship doesn't match an OHP frigate in capabiity.

Hopefully that decline will reverse and the idiot politicians will stop micromanaging military affairs.