What's next?, next war Romanians could be part of

True, but not necesary. We are still learning democracy. We are more democratic like in 1990, but we still have to learn. Learning democracy is not an easy task.

The Ukrainean ex-Foreign Ministry said a few years ago "Ukraine is condemned at regional hegemony". An interesting statement, for Ukraine who, I believe, is condemned to be Russia's vasal or to be disolved.
Except Ukraine, in this southern part of Europe, Romania is the biggest state, with biggest population, and have all the assets to be a regional power. In northern part of central Europe, Poland is in the same situation. (maybe is not an accident that we and Poland have a strategic treaty).
All we have to do is economic development, because military speaking, we are in better shape than all our neighbours or other countries in vicinity.

Isn't that more a wish than the reality, Contras? Because if I am asked I would rather say that we stay worse than any other neighbour except Republic of Moldova. I am not referring here to our military training, which is good to excellent, but the poor quality old equipment and absence of concrete projects of endowment in the near future! We lack new tanks, we have no modern artillery, no modern helicopters or planes, not even a large number of modern antitank system for infantry units. Look to Hungary or Bulgaria, or, why not, Serbia, and you will agree...
Well, at least we are members of NATO, Thanks God!

I can hear Nicolaie Furdui Iancu singing "Noi suntem romani" in the background :-)

Romania's capability to be a "regional power" was never based on its size, population or resources. Two world wars taught us that Romania can be invaded, chopped apart and then plundered. This was never about size, it was about allies. Romania, and I am talking about the modern state bearing this name of Romania (since Carol I) was always allied with another world power that guaranteed its position. Even now, Romanian cock-a-hoopness is born out of NATO membership. Did you ever wonder why Moldova was taken by Russia only two days after the fall of France?

It would be interesting to see on what you base your assertion that the Romanian army is in a better shape than all its neighbours.

Furthermore, what difference does it make how powerful or far your "neighbour" is? "Halpro" and "Tidal Wave" put an end to that illusory "Fortress Romania".

Radu

Being a regional power doesn't mean you don't need great power allies. Especially if you have other great powers as enemies.

Personally I think Ukraine is the regional power. Poland comes second in terms of regional power and we're third.

Let's make a comparation:

Air Force:

Hungary: SAB Jas Grippen: 14 (2 bilocs), Mig-29: 5,
Attack helicopters: Mi-24, 17

Bulgaria: Mig 29: 20, Su-25: 12, few Mig21bis
Attack helicopters: 18 Mi-24

Serbia: Mig-29: 4, Mig-21: 27,
Attack helicopters: Soko Gazelle Gama: 32

Romania: Mig-21 Lancer: 48
Attack helicopters: IAR 330 Puma Socat: 23

It don't includes transport aviation (we stay better than anyone from these 3 countries). Our 48 Mig's will be changed with 48 fighters (after licitation we will know).

this is going to be like radio yerevan. it wasn't a volga, but a bicycle and it wasn't won, it was stolen.
if the glorious DoD is to be belived:
there won't be 48 new aircraft, but 24 and they won't be new. the licitation is comming since 2004, but 6 years later they haven't made any decision and conveniently are blaming "the crisis" right now.
everybody except serbia operates more modern aircraft, particulary hungary.
other than that, nowadys "excellent training" is closely tied to available equipment. in other words, no matter how well you wield a sabre and/or shoot a musket, in 2010 nobody would dream of calling that skill "excellent" in terms of military proeficience. because after taking the equipment away, there is little left and i have yet to see an army being praised for skillfully digging foxholes.

In ww2, all Europe was invaded, etc. (except Switzerland and Spain).
In modern times, majority of conflicts and wars were waged by alliances. In ww2, in June 1940, we were alone, all our allies were beaten or refused to give us asistance, except Turkey.
Today, there is just one global power, USA. All the rest, ex prime rate powers, are now "regional powers". To be a global power, you must have the assets to project your power and your will in any corner of the world. For that, you need assets in suficient number. (ICBM, nuclear subs, aircraft carriers, strategic bombers, etc).
For "regional power", besides other things, you must have the capabilities to exert your will in one region. In near future, Romania could do that.

About Naval Forces.
Military experts said that in Black Sea region, Romanian Military fleet is the third, after Black Sea Russian fleet and Turkish one. Ukraine's naval capability decreased dramatically in last 15 years.

Which are these modern aircraft's operated by Bulgarians?
Fulcrums modernised?
We have Mig's 21 modernised, too.

I don't know if Furdui Iancu plays to George Friedman, director of Stratfor, when he writes "Next 100 years".
He says that Romania allied with Hungary will be a regional power. Other regional powers who will became antagonist will be Poland and Turkey. Russia's status will decrease, confruntated with secesion of muslim republics and the Chinese presure in Siberia.

Interesting article about Russia's army situation

http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-international-...e-din-urali.htm

Which are these modern aircraft's operated by Bulgarians?
Fulcrums modernised?
We have Mig's 21 modernised, too.

yes the BVR capability is legendary.
it's modernised 50ies vs. modernized 80ies.

if someone wakes up and wants to be a regional power, he will have to take some things seriously.
like the army, which, in light of the not-so-recent circus about choosing a "new" airplane, they don't.
just like in many other brances, like judiciary, trasportation and so forth.

This is a well established and often repeated myth.

Rumania was never "alone" in the XXth Century, completely surrounded by enemies.
E.g., at the start of WW2, it is often said that Rumania was surrounded by enemies - except for the Black Sea, as some like to say. False. Out of six neighbours, three were friendly (Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia).

The example mentioned above by Contras is also incomplete. At that date, June 1940, Yugoslavia was still friendly towards Rumania. Turkey, on the other hand, was not Rumania's ally, but a neutral state, leaning toward the Axis powers.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on February 28, 2010 12:28 pm

OK, Romania has 48 Lancer jets. How about Ukraine and Russia?
How long can these 48 jets (assuming all work) last?
Most Romanians who keep talking about the "strategic location" of Romania are thinking in terms of "horizontal warfare": build higher walls, dig more trenches and put more signs with a crossed out camera in the train station (a "bellow" camera to be more precise - what a fitting illustration for that way of thinking! ). The enemy will not come on horseback across the border. As I said above, Halpro and Tidal Wave showed that Romania can be "hit" by bombers flying from Africa. And that was in 1943!
Nowadays, the "enemy" can launch a salvo of rockets and destroy the entire air force and whatever army bases they wish while having a cup of tea in their own barracks.
War fought "on land" no longer works. Most modern wars since WW2 showed that you do not need to border your enemy's country to bring war to them. Gulf War 1 was fought mostly from the air - they won in one month. Gulf War 2 was fought on land - it took them how many years? (is it over yet?).
Radu