In modern warfare, the rapid deployment capability of the army is an important manifestation of a country's hard power.
The speed of troop mobilization not only reflects the level of military equipment and training, but also serves as a touchstone for the country's comprehensive strength and organizational efficiency.
Data shows that as early as 2001, when the twin towers in New York were attacked by terrorists, the United States set a record of mobilizing 900000 troops in 24 hours, shocking the world.
Moreover, in the 1990s, the United States deployed 420000 troops to the Middle East war zone in only 40 days. It includes not only the mobilization of a large number of soldiers, but also 8 aircraft carriers, 1200 fighter planes and more than 3000 tanks and armored vehicles.
So, 20 or 30 years later, how long will it take for China, the United States and Russia, as the world's top military powers, to transport 100000 troops each?
Only 1 day in America
The military strength of the United States is obvious to all. As early as the 1980s and 1990s, when China was just in the process of military modernization, the military strength of the United States has been able to dominate the world.
On the one hand, it has more than 800 military bases and strong allies in the world. On the other hand, its technology in military industry has really made an amazing performance, of which the B2 bomber is a vivid example.
As far as the ability to transport troops in modern warfare is concerned, the United States announced an idea as early as 2020:
It is intended to cooperate with Space X to develop rail transport vehicles that can transport combat materials and troops to any place in the world within one hour.
As the core commander of the Military Transportation Command, General Lyons gave a high appraisal of this plan.
He firmly believed that through cooperation with Space X, the United States would be able to usher in a new era of military transportation.
General Lyons further proposed that the powerful cargo carrying capacity of C-17 strategic transport aircraft should be combined with this cutting-edge technology, so as to achieve efficient and fast military transportation while ensuring the carrying capacity.
The C-17 strategic transport aircraft was developed in the 1980s by US McDonnell Douglas (later incorporated into Boeing), flew for the first time in 1993, and was delivered to the US Air Force in 1995.
As a large strategic and tactical transport aircraft used by the US Air Force, C-17 transport aircraft has played a key role in many global military operations, such as the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, etc., and has the reputation of "global hegemony".
C-17 is the only transport aircraft in the world that can simultaneously adapt to strategic and tactical tasks.
Four engine turbofan engines are used, and the maximum thrust of each engine can reach 40 tons, ensuring the takeoff and landing and flight capability of the aircraft under complex conditions such as high temperature, high altitude and short runway.
Large forward and lateral cargo doors and telescopic cargo docks are provided to facilitate the loading of large materials, equipment and vehicles. The maximum effective loading capacity is up to 77.5 tons, or can accommodate 102 fully armed soldiers.
Because of this, the United States had an absolute advantage in transportation. If it cooperated with Space X again, it would be even more powerful.
Regardless of whether the idea of cooperation between the United States and Space X can be realized, it only takes one day for the United States to transport 100000 troops based on the current transportation capacity.
Russia takes 3 days
As the largest country in the world, Russia's military deployment is also subject to the huge land area.
Especially in winter, ice and snow covered alpine areas increase the difficulty of troop transportation. What's more, Russia's garrison is far away from all places, which makes it relatively long to mobilize troops and assemble.
In addition, Russia, as a fighting nation, has always been somewhat slack in troop transportation. To be more precise, the Russian side has suffered many constraints in troop transportation. The first thing to bear the brunt is that the Russian army is inferior to the United States in terms of transport aircraft.
The most obvious example is the Il-76MD-90A transport aircraft.
As an important strategic transport vehicle in Russia, its annual delivery quantity is less than two, which reflects Russia's deficiencies in the manufacturing and maintenance of transport aircraft.
Even if the Il-76MD-90A is improved and upgraded, its production progress and performance improvement are not optimistic. In this case, the advantages of the Russian Air Force in air transportation are greatly limited.
