All articles tagged with #military balance
The US's surprise raid to capture Venezuela's leader highlights regional power dynamics, with comparisons drawn to potential conflicts over Taiwan. While China views Taiwan as a domestic issue and emphasizes coercion over violence, the military balance and US support serve as deterrents. The incident may cause China to reconsider its strategies, but global norms remain fragile amid varying international responses.
Russia has lost more tanks in Ukraine than it had operational before the full-scale invasion, with approximately 1,120 tanks and 2,000 armored vehicles lost in the past year. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) reported that Russia's battlefield tank losses now likely exceed 3,000, surpassing the number it had at the start of the invasion. Despite sustaining significant losses, Russia has been able to replenish its tank fleet with lower-quality vehicles and has increased domestic tank production. Ukraine's tank fleet has received Western aid, including NATO-standard tanks, and has maintained its pre-war levels of main battle tanks.
Russia has lost over 3,000 tanks in Ukraine, equivalent to its entire pre-war active inventory, but has enough lower-quality armored vehicles in storage for years of replacements, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses but has received Western military replenishments. Russia still has about twice as many available combat tanks as Ukraine. The conflict is likely to persist as neither side can launch a large-scale attack without incurring heavy casualties.
The US approval of the sale of F-35 fighters to Greece as a counterbalance to Turkey's procurement of F-16 aircraft has reignited the debate on the military balance in the Aegean. While Greece holds an advantage in air power with modern Rafales and F-16 upgrades, Turkey leads in drone technology and has expanded its shipbuilding capabilities. Greece faces challenges in its aging navy fleet and limited shipbuilding capabilities, while maintaining an advantage in submarines. Both countries are aiming to strengthen their military capabilities by 2030.
Ukraine has utilized sea drones to challenge Russia's dominant navy in the Black Sea, disrupting Russian military supply lines and shipping routes, thereby altering the military balance of power in the region.