Military problem #1

[Begemot]

I wouldn't waste money on any of these. Look at the Taliban. They've defeated the most Powerful Military In The History of the World (was that the title of a Mel Brooks movie?) without any of this stuff. Big expensive equipment are big targets and that is what the "free world" countries are designed to deal with best. Never play to your opponent's strengths.

[CG2]

Spend it all on oil drilling or mining equipment and buy American protection with the money earned from selling the resources - that's what most dictators do and seems to work OK. Maybe lease some land for a base too.

[chrisswim]

Fireball, that is suitable force to participate in the UIN. For the armor, you can purchase one model.
So which country is enforcing an embargo?

[redleg]

I would purchase 1 tank, 1 wheeled APC, 1 tracked APC, and 1 attack helicopter from each country: US, UK, Russia, China, Israel, Germany. I would just buy one of each and tell them that I am evaluating them and that a huge purchase was forthcoming to whoever won me over. Then I would let them wine and dine me. I would make sure that they all knew how fond I am of German beer, Mexican food, and redheads.

For the jet fighters I would take F-16s, but instead of the James Bond revolving license plates, they would have changing national markings to make them look like they belong to any air force in the world. Then instead of attack planes I would purchase C-130s with the same changing national markings, but inside they would be fixed up like the Austin Powers party jet.

Once the world gets sick of my drunken debauchery I would throw my homeboys and all the redheads into the C-130s and fly to Europe where we could easily navigate around with our F-16 escort, just changing our national markings and sticking to the multitude of countries that use F-16s and C-130s. Eventually we will settle in Switzerland where my considerable gold and diamond wealth will buy me citizenship and a modest estate near Zurich.

[redleg]

So no redheads?

So are you looking for favorites, or what we think is best or most capable equipment?

Here are my favorites:

Main Battle Tank: M60A3
Wheeled APC: LAV Mortar Carrier
Tracked APC: M113A3
Jet Fighter: F-4E
Attack Aircraft: F-16C (not dedicated attack aircraft, but the only one I ever had drop bombs for me so it is my favorite)
Attack Helicopter: AH-64
Diesel Sub: No favorite
Guided Missile Cruiser or Destroyer: Spruance class destroyer
Frigate: No favorite
Anti Air Missile System:

[CG2]

I'm with redleg - I've spent far more on 1:1 scale redheads than I have on 1:1 military equipment!

[Donald M. Scheef]

Although the original posting is clearly intended for current (post-Cold War) equipment, my favorite era is World War II. Therefore, I am going to give my picks from this era, with some modifications.
Main Battle Tank (medium tank for this era): Soviet T-34/85
Wheeled APC and Tracked APC: Since neither wheeled or fully-tracked APCs were widely used during WWII, I am going to group these together as half-track APC - German Sd.Kfz. 251. Most of these would be the basic infantry-carrier with a mixture of command, anti-tank, gun support, anti-aircraft, engineer, etc. subtypes
Fighter: US North American P-51 Mustang
Attack Aircraft: Germany Junkers Ju-88
Attack Helicopter (Since this type of aircraft did not exist during WWII, I am selecting an armored attack aircraft): Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik
Submarine: German Type XXI
Cruiser/destroyer: US Fletcher-class
Frigate: UK Loch-class
Anti-aircraft (not missile) systems: Bofors 40 mm

BTW: for modern forces, I think you should have a significant number of transport/assault helicopters and fewer attack helicopters.

Don S.

[Donald M. Scheef]

Why did I go with the T-34/85? As you stated, it's an improvement on earlier versions of the T-34. I seriously considered the German Panther, but it suffered reliability problems and high cost. The US M4 Sherman was just not as good (on an individual basis) as the T-34 or Panther. I seriously considered the British Comet but I had to make a choice. The Centurion and M48 Patton were too late. The Tiger had massive firepower and armor but was too slow. French tanks would have been considered only if choices were limited to pre-1940. The Italian and Japanese tanks (and all minor combatant countries) were out of the running.

Don S.

[piersyf]

Ok, I'll play...

WW2 (thanks Donald)

Fave tank is the comet. Never got a chance to prove itself, but in every way the equal to the T34-85 if not superior (although the MoD rated them equal).

Wheeled APC, can only really think of 1, the M20. The M3 scout maybe, but the M20 is far cooler.

Tracked APC, RAM Kangaroo.

Fighters, my favourite is the Tempest.

Attack aircraft, the Mosquito, then Typhoon. Ju88 a very close third.

Fave sub, Balao class.

Fave cruiser (no missile) Hipper

Fave destroyer (no missile) Battle class. Maybe Gearing.

Frigates, captain class.

AA system... difficult choice between bofors and the 88 flak.

Cold War

Fave tank, Centurion.

Wheeled APC, Humber pig. Just because.

Tracked APC, M113

Fighter, F8 Crusader

Attacker, Difficult choice between Skyraider and Corsair II

Attack helo, Mi-24

Diesel sub, Oberon class.

Modern

Fave tank, Challenger 1. Longest first round kill (5,100m), and the best description of survivability I've ever read; "if there were any strikes, it had no effect."

Wheeled APC, LAV-25

Tracked APC, Bradley

Jet fighter, F-35

Attack aircraft, A-10

attack helicopter, Apache Longbow

[Steel Arrows]

Main Battle Tank: - LeClerc MBT
Wheeled APC: - VAB 6x6
Wheeled Armored Car - AMX10RC
Tracked APC: YPR765
Jet Fighter - Kfir
Attack Aircraft - Sepecat Jaguar
Attack Helicopter - T129 ATAK /Turkish Mangusta helo
Diesel Sub - Type 209
Guided Missile Cruiser or Destroyer - USS bunker Hill Class
Frigate -Meko Class
Anti Air Missile System - HMMV Avenger

[Guroburov]

Tank -- Leopard 2A6
Wheeled APC -- Boxer
Tracked APC -- Puma
Jet Fighter -- F-22
Attack Aircraft -- A-10
Attack Helicopter -- AH-64
Diesel Sub -- Type 212
Cruiser -- Ticonderoga
Frigate -- Oliver Hazard Perry
Anti-aircraft System -- S-400 (would have gone with THAAD but not sure how useful it is vs all target types)