View of Brits
I believe the best in the world, I know that has been a topic of annoyance an almost peurile, even petty arguements over who's best, but most brits are too modest to say it around anyone else. The thing is unlike most country's (e.g. US) Britain has a strong warrior culture which supports the best training around. This in collusion with the fact that we are also the most flexible army mainly because in the past we have had to do much with very little. This means a completely different viewpoint on the part of the soldiers and a completely different attitude (mainly because of a more empathetic yet fiercer culture).
Ok
OK. As i said, i think your soldiers are among the best, I really dont want to use the phrase "the best" since its a close one. Plus my grandfather was in the british army during WWII, so i sympethize with the UK. Now, as to the RAF, as I said, it makes the top 3, but between the USAF, RAF, and IAF, its a damn close match.
OK. As i said, i think your soldiers are among the best, I really dont want to use the phrase "the best" since its a close one. Plus my grandfather was in the british army during WWII, so i sympethize with the UK. Now, as to the RAF, as I said, it makes the top 3, but between the USAF, RAF, and IAF, its a damn close match.
IrishWizard
Active member
The British have always had a fine army. Ever since... well way back lol. They were always known for the precision and obedience which I think they are still known for today. They definitely would play a huge part if another world war broke out because of there discipline. But on a 1-10 for Brits army I give a 9.
Well, i do agree with sherman on the RAF matter, but as for the army - well it is in no way a "close one", and i can see you are obviously showing your own patriocy, but an example that best illustrates the point i am trying to make is that in Iraq, when senior army commanders are making decisions about coalition involvement, they consider most regular brit army regiments more effective than US SF (not regarding the amount or quality of your kit though) in terms of purely combat effectiveness. As for the rest of the nations in Iraq, the standard is poor comparitively and was illustrated well when the Lithuanians withdrew, leaving their civilian contractors to be captured by poorly trained and equiped Iraqi militia.
Well
Well, compared to lituania, your immensly better, but i wouldent say tha tregular british troops are superior to US army or Marines. I agree that your infantry is better then the Israeli Infantry, but as far as the Armour, i think we are better(acctually, i think we are the best.)
Well, compared to lituania, your immensly better, but i wouldent say tha tregular british troops are superior to US army or Marines. I agree that your infantry is better then the Israeli Infantry, but as far as the Armour, i think we are better(acctually, i think we are the best.)
Re: Well
No I am! :rambo: :lol:
Hi Ben, Welcome to the forum.
I worked aboard one of your ships, the HMS Albion, when I was on Exercise Joint Winter 04 here in Norway.
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1177
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1002
I'm quite impressed of the professionalism of the british soldiers and officers.
But one thing that didn't impress me was you MREs...
sherman105 said:
No I am! :rambo: :lol:
Hi Ben, Welcome to the forum.
I worked aboard one of your ships, the HMS Albion, when I was on Exercise Joint Winter 04 here in Norway.
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1177
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1002
I'm quite impressed of the professionalism of the british soldiers and officers.
But one thing that didn't impress me was you MREs...
The problem here is defining the term 'best' and I suspect it will never be agreed to everyone's satisfaction. The three nations refered to already, Britain, the US and Isreal are all very different Army's born out of different histories, doctrines and, perhaps most importantly, out of different budgets. I have never had the pleasure of serving alongside the Isrealis (although I once met the most beautiful female Armoured Infantry Company Commander), but I have spent some time up at Fort Lewis with the Americans.
My experience was that the US Army is just different from the British Army, better at some things, worse at others. Their logistical chain and use of close fire support is something that we 'borrowers' can only dream about. Their mobility around the battlefield, on both ground and air, enables them to be able to, if they had the inclination to, fully employ maneouvre warfare in its purest form. They do however have their weaknesses. They are not particularly good at 'thinking outside the box', not are they able to switch from warfighting to peacekeeping at the drop of a hat, something the Brits are the best at the world in due to policing the Empire and the last thirty years in Northern Ireland. Certainly I got the impression that force protection in the US Army was paramount whereas in the British Army it is balanced against setting the local population at ease and winning them over to you.
Maybe just different Armies, with different strengths and weaknesses and different mindsets.
My experience was that the US Army is just different from the British Army, better at some things, worse at others. Their logistical chain and use of close fire support is something that we 'borrowers' can only dream about. Their mobility around the battlefield, on both ground and air, enables them to be able to, if they had the inclination to, fully employ maneouvre warfare in its purest form. They do however have their weaknesses. They are not particularly good at 'thinking outside the box', not are they able to switch from warfighting to peacekeeping at the drop of a hat, something the Brits are the best at the world in due to policing the Empire and the last thirty years in Northern Ireland. Certainly I got the impression that force protection in the US Army was paramount whereas in the British Army it is balanced against setting the local population at ease and winning them over to you.
Maybe just different Armies, with different strengths and weaknesses and different mindsets.
Redneck
Active member
Good points, I don't even want to think of how many threads we've had going here arguing about who was the best at pretty much everything from rapid deployment to peeling potatoes, and it always comes down to that, you can't compare apples and oranges like that.
Welcome to the forum, Sir.
Welcome to the forum, Sir.
TacticalEdge
Active member
ben youre on confused man
The US is the BEST the brits are good but they always seem to forget that we won a war with only some farmers and badly trained men..... we won with spirit... i have no problem with you being partiotic but listen when i say that in every major engagment the US has been the deciding factor lets see: WWII, WWI, War of 1812, American revolution, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm..... the list goes on and on...... plus we did beat your butts twice....... the US is simply the best..... and the USMC is the best of the best...... UURAAHHH
The US is the BEST the brits are good but they always seem to forget that we won a war with only some farmers and badly trained men..... we won with spirit... i have no problem with you being partiotic but listen when i say that in every major engagment the US has been the deciding factor lets see: WWII, WWI, War of 1812, American revolution, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm..... the list goes on and on...... plus we did beat your butts twice....... the US is simply the best..... and the USMC is the best of the best...... UURAAHHH
Doppleganger
Active member
Bah 
It's very hard to answer this question without being biased. I'm British and I know we have a very good army, especially in infantry. Am I being biased? I don't believe so. Our basic infantry training is some of the most demanding in the world and that doesn't even get into what you have to go through to become a Royal Marine and so forth.
TacticalEdge, nothing wrong in being patriotic but you're completely biased although I guess you're not afraid to hide it
Anyway, I don't believe you can say one army is the best these days. It depends on the situation. For example, during the cold war it was interesting to note which divisions of the Nato Alliance made up the bulk of the of the forces that overlooked the Fulda Gap and where the Soviet 3rd Shock Army would swarm over in the event of WW3. They tasked that to the Panzer divisions of the Bundeswehr, who unofficially as I heard from various people where the best units Nato had in that situation, i.e. mobile armoured warfare.
I heard this from some BAOR officers and it was also backed up by a BBC documentary on NATO units in Germany.
It's very hard to answer this question without being biased. I'm British and I know we have a very good army, especially in infantry. Am I being biased? I don't believe so. Our basic infantry training is some of the most demanding in the world and that doesn't even get into what you have to go through to become a Royal Marine and so forth.
TacticalEdge, nothing wrong in being patriotic but you're completely biased although I guess you're not afraid to hide it
Anyway, I don't believe you can say one army is the best these days. It depends on the situation. For example, during the cold war it was interesting to note which divisions of the Nato Alliance made up the bulk of the of the forces that overlooked the Fulda Gap and where the Soviet 3rd Shock Army would swarm over in the event of WW3. They tasked that to the Panzer divisions of the Bundeswehr, who unofficially as I heard from various people where the best units Nato had in that situation, i.e. mobile armoured warfare.
I heard this from some BAOR officers and it was also backed up by a BBC documentary on NATO units in Germany.