NationStates Jolt Archive

"We cannot rely on military muscle to do our bidding!"
"That is not the case! Hindustan does not even approach the militarization of our peer nations."
"Aye, a few more troops will improve the military's effectiveness. Its bound to become overstretched in the event of a conflict. 300,000 infantry is barely enough to defend against Bangladesh, much less Sino or Xiaguo!"

Debate rages in the popular congress over a controversial idea, almost unheard-of in previous days. Recently, the government has started to worry about the military, namely its size. Delegates to the popular congress and cabinet members alike are concerned that, in the event of a conflict, the HDF will not be able to survive sustained combat operations. The prospect of keeping the same units on the front line for long stints, fighting what will almost certainly be an enemy with huge numerical superiority, seems to hint that fatigue rates will rise and morale will drop soon after the opening battles.

Therefore, the popular congress has, by a significant margin, although not without contest, approved the following HDF numerical strengths:

550,000 total army personnel
170,000 total airforce personnel
200,000 total navy personnel

In addition to the increase in personnel strengths, the popular congress has mandated the construction of an additonal 10 Bengal-class corvettes, 15 Jharkhand-class missile boats, and the initiation of the Gujarat-class missile boat, a smaller vessel to compliment the Jharkhand.

The Veer and Type 25 class vessels, a total of 21 hulls, will most likely be donated to Al-Ahzad, Lusaka, Tord, or Pakistan.

The three branches of the People's Army in the SFDNY were constructed under a Spyran military model, but have evolved in response to Yamani customs. There exist three chief General's, and below them each a council of professions. All branches report to Director Jidoshin, advising him on troop placement and policy.

There are 150, 000 military personnel active in Yaman, and following the Spyran model there are a great many reserve units, totalling near one million. This includes border guards, regular militias and Highguard. Party statistics also reports 75, 000 Strainist Youthguard enrolled.

The People's Army works on a defensive ideal and this is obvious on street level, with AA sites in every major city and in key defensive grids. 10, 000 20mm Machine guns are spread through the nation, backed by 2, 000 12.7mm; 150 Flak sites and 25 Starfire LRSAM set at key border positions and protecting the industrial interior. In addition, 102 Airguard propeller Mako Ramjets and 195 Dra-poel Miggens are ready to protect Yamani airspace.

Spearguard plans revolve around heavy artillery fire, followed by mass troop movements aided by the Airguard air cavalry units. The Dominion maintains 1, 100 armour, mostly stationed in the north. Yaman also has a modest navy, which previously sailed out of PRS Tagan and Tord, but can now come to port in Yamani Helekaru ports.

The Highlands, the vast area of northern Yaman, is populated mostly by tribes that have allied themselves with the Strainists. These groups contribute warriors to the Highguard, and with administrative assistance have created defensive posts throughout the wilderness borders of North Yaman.

The Ogakar plain, the portion of Helekar annexed by the SFDNY, is becoming a military center of Yaman. Factories, built to provide work for the Helekaru tribesmen, are beginning to crop up in the coastal towns. Crime is still a major issue, with many of the Helekaru crime syndicates setting up their bases in Tord and Yaman, rather than face Spyran justice if their hideouts are found. The military has been pouring troops and suppplies into the region, creating modern dwellings and barracks while setting up defences along the industrial coast. Here also is the first port of the SFDNY, ready to open Yaman up to the western lake and the world.

IC:

Even with the military's increased numerical strength, total enlistment amounts to less than three military for every thousand citizens, a level of militarization beaten by Romania, Finland, and Georgia.

OCC: Might as well detail Hindustani air defense while I'm at it.

IC:

As for the Hindustani air defense network, there are not many changes to be made. Akash I and II SAM batteries cover all major residential and industrial areas, and HS-200 complexes, often paired with a longer-ranged phased array radar, cover all land and sea borders and residential areas. There are also several CS-400s in service, and these are located, for the most part, in the northeastern corner of Hindustan to protect against a potential Sinoese or Xiannese incursion into Nepal or India itself.

The national air defense grid is fully integrated with other Hindustani Defense Force units, including coastal patrol boats and army divisions. Self-propelled or towed anti aircraft equipment operated by the army is included in the national defense grid's command and control structure, but due to concerns over being too centralized, local batteries and launchers are generally very competent on their own.

AAA is not a major component of the grid, although there are often ZPU-23-2 batteries or domestically manufactured 35mm guns deployed to provide close-in defense for S-200 batteries, the only static element of the national air defense grid. AAA guns are deployed in large numbers by the army on the tactical level, however, for defense against helicopters.

The 500 or so fighters operated by the HDF also play a major role in the national air defense strategy. The bulk of the HDF-AF is the SAf. 37 fighter-interceptor (a liscence-built copy of the Viggen), and these operate from a multitude of dispersed bases throughout Hindustan. The larger, more heavily armed and armored SAf. 6 fighter-bomber is also important, but has limited utility in dogfight situations where its comparatively heavy weight and slowish speed are drawbacks.

A number of reserve units still fly the SAf. 21, a MiG-21 copy, and one squadron flies ex-polish MiG-29s. However, these two types are not a major part of the fighter force.

Though this still menat that Quinntonian forces were superior in size and equipment, some Quinntonian analysts were concerned about the build-up of arms.

WWJD
Amen.

Though this still menat that Quinntonian forces were superior in size and equipment, some Quinntonian analysts were concerned about the build-up of arms.

WWJD
Amen.

Hey, don't look at me mr. biggest exporter of arms in the world! 'Build up of arms.' Pshaw!

Being superior in size...well, yes, naturally, considering that Hindustan expects to participate in far fewer wars than Quinntonia, plus BG's around to provide enforcement.

But in equipment, well, that's up for grabs. The SAf. 37 is comparable to the F-16 in many respects, and while it doesn't carry as wide a range of weaponry or go quite as fast, its very manouverable, has longer range, is much more reliable, and can operate from facilities totally inaccessable to the Falcon. And Hindustani ATGWs eat TOW 2s for breakfast.

When it comes to SAMs, the HDF's Akash system is comparable to American and European systems overall, and is much more reliable and maintainable. The R. 122 is at least as good as the MLRS, and the Hindustani army operates a wide range of systems that the US armed forces don't have, like towed MRLs, automatic mortars, and even a towed dual AT. 43 launcher. The HDF also operates numerous AT. 30 land-attack missiles, based on the Polyphem, which are excellent for counterbattery and deep-strike operations.

And once the AT. 46 comes into service, it should put Hindustani ATGW systems well ahead of competitors, even though the AT. 46 will only be deployable on specialized platforms due to its large size and considerable cost.

When it comes to armored vehicles, Quinntonia and Hindustan are probably comparable. For example, where Quinntonia has the Stryker, Hindustan has the BTR-152I. Both vehicles are not terribly well armored, and are not useful for fighting tanks. But the BTR-152I is arguably a more capable vehicle, able to serve as a command post, an AAA platform, an armored logistics vehicle, an anti-tank carrier, a scout vehicle, and a mortar carrier, without major modifications, and is easy to maintain and very reliable.

Quinntonia beats Hindustan when it comes to tanks hands-down. The T-72s, T-55s, and BT. 2s operated by the army are much less heavily armed or armored, but again are much more reliable and maintainable, and carry 75mm guns which outrange the 120mms on most western tanks.

As for tracked APCs, the TC. 3 is easily better than the Bradley. Besides being far more reliable, more maintainable, and possessing a much longer range, the TC. 3 is also less prone to burning, and protected against anti-tank mines. The TC. 3 is also a more versatile vehicle, able to be fitted with a wide range of applique armor and weapons systems in a short time. TC. 3s are usually less heavily armed than the Bradley, with only a 14.5 or 12.7mm MG as well as an AT. 43A (plus whatever the infantry's carrying), but IFV variants carry 35mm main cannons, four AT. 43Bs, and often a MANPAD missile as well. Sapper variants can carry anything from land-attack missiles to 82mm mortars to AT. 43Bs and 106mm RRs. The TC. 3 is likely to become the main carrier vehicle for the AT. 46 when it comes into service as well.

Similar to the Achzarit in appearance, the TC. 3 has a low profile and a minimal IR signature, thanks to its hybrid drive system, and is also much more adaptable than the Bradley.

Er...any rebuttal, Quinn?

Er...any rebuttal, Quinn?
Um...I didn't realsie we were debating, sorry.

I am assuming that most of these elements are of a fictional basis? I dunno, what do you want me to say, most of the stuff seems pretty realistic. Everyone in NS uses the stuff I have as the nechmark, I guess that is saying something because I am only using RL tech, not even improvised stuff for my military, except maybe my missile shield. Your not pulling a Maccabees and claiming to have better tech than all the scientists at NASA or anything. I find it kind of interesting that everyone seems to every so often claim a new technology, but being sure to add the words "Comperable or even better than the Quinntonian counter-part." I just sometimes wonder, what happens when I get sick of this and start to make stuff of my own? I mean, I really got into AMW to stay away from the whole "my tech is better than yours" thing, but I am sure that with the foundation I claim in AMW as the USA, I could probably kick some as if I wanted to start an arms race. In short, meh.

WWJD
Amen.

Eh, I guess I'll revert to RL stuff too.

Just say that the AT. 43 is a copy of the Gill/Spike and the AT. 46 is a copy of the Nimrod.

And keep in mind, you have, like, a bazillion more tanks than I do. So don't you be complaining!

This does present a problem, though. I don't really have that many pieces of equipment that are the real thing. I don't think its a stretch to claim that a lot of nations have indigenous defense industries that build equipment comparable to western types.

After all, its not like I expect my SAf. 6s or SAf. 37s to be better than, or even equal to, F-15s and F-16s. Most Quinntonian equipment, it seems, is built to win battles, whereas Hindustani equipment is built/aquired/stolen and modified so that it will help to not loose battles. For example, take the SAf. 37 and the F-16. The SAf. 37 is designed to be able to fly from a dirt road, operate on minimal fuel supplies and with minimal facilities, and come home with half its wing shot off. The F-16 is designed to never be in that position.

Hindustan expects to fight wars on its own soil (or that of Nepal...er...close enough to home), whereas Quinntonia, TBF, etc. expect th be fighting in foreign lands. Nothing I operate is something that you can't counter. For example, the AT. 43A and B have ranges of 4 and 8.5km respectively. The TOW 2B can beat the AT. 43A and the EFOGM can beat (by a large margin, mind you) the AT. 43B.

Albeit, I do operate some systems that you don't, such as towed MRLs (R. 130) and land-attack missiles (AT. 30, AT. 46), but these systems are based on European and Israeli models that can be outdone by your air-launched munitions, when it comes to range and other such factors. The AGM-65 is one missile that Hindustan could use.

When it comes to ships, I don't think there is much of a problem considering that you could match almost every Hindustani vessel with a ship twice its tonnage, and have a significant portion of the navy left over. And when it comes to SAMs, well, I see where you are suspicious. The HS-200 (modified S-200) has a range greater than any Patriot model, but when it is faced with a target besides a ballistic missile or big bomber, its utility rapidly diminishes and for this reason it is necessary to guard HS-200s with other SAMs. The Akash I and II are similar to the HUMRAAM and Patriot PAC-1 respectively.

While the TC. 3 might be better protected than the Bradley when it comes to mines, and might be mechanically more reliable and possess a greater range, it doesn't have a cannon or turret. Once it runs out of AT. 43s, the average TC. 3 can only run around with a 12.7mm or 14.5mm MG. While some variants do have cannons and anti-tank guns and land attack missiles and SAMs as armement, these vehicles hardly make up for the lack of a serious tank force.

So I guess I won't quite revert to RL stuff...