While most eyes are focused on “Red” China as an economic juggernaut and near-peer military force (not to mention its best-of-breed cyber-hacker force), Russia may be a growing threat to the U.S., in terms of the traditional measures of military force.  Consider the following –

1. Here’s an article from RIANOVOSTI that reports that Russia’s new 2010 military doctrine explicitly anticipates preemptive nuclear strikes.  The article notes that Russia’s former military doctrine was adopted in 2000, and “it outlines the role of the Russian military in ensuring the defense of the country and, if necessary, preparing for and waging war, although it stresses that the Russian military doctrine is strictly defensive.”
2. A follow-up opinion/analysis piece adds that the new doctrine anticipates the use of nuclear weapons “in local conflicts in case of critical threats to Russia’s national security.”  According to the piece: “A critical threat to Russia’s national security can come from different types of conflicts, including a large-scale war with a block of countries, or a hypothetical territorial conflict with one or several militarily developed countries. … Theoretically, such a conflict is possible with Japan if Japanese politicians seeking to use military force to solve the Kuril problem come to power there.”  The piece notes that Russian wargames held over the past decade “showed that only nuclear weapons would save Russia in case of Western aggression.”  The piece concludes with the following, perhaps somewhat chilling, statement:  “Russia now intends to use its military force when and where necessary, and against any opponent.”
3. Russia is developing a new stealth fighter to counter the F-35 “Lightning II” Joint Strike Fighter.  Known as the PAK-FA or T-50, the new fighter is causing some consternation amongst those who follow global airpower.  This Australian blog post carries a quote on the T-50 that’s worth considering.  (Remember that Australia is currently pondering whether to purchase F-35s or make do with F/A-18s.)  The quote, from Peter Goon of Airpower Australia, discusses various T-50 photos released by Russia and says:  “This is but one small part of the analysis that goes to show that those who think Sukhoi have a long way to go and many risks to overcome to develop this aircraft to operational status are card bearing members of the ‘don’t know what they don’t know about things they are not equipped to understand’ part of our society.”

4. 

• France has agreed to sell Russia “one or more” Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships, according to many reports, including this article.  These ships are 200 meters long, “capable of carrying 900 troops, 35 helicopters, and 70 land-going vehicles….”  This opinion piece at The Economist notes—

The ship involved, the Mistral, is not just any hunk of steel. It is a 200m long warship, whose job is to land soldiers, helicopters and armored vehicles on foreign shores. It can carry 15 helicopters, 13 tanks or several hundred troops (different reports talk of 750 soldiers, or a 1,000). After one of these hefty ships paid a port visit to St Petersburg, in November 2009, Vladimir Putin said on a visit to Paris: ‘I can assure you that if we purchase this armament, we will use it wherever deemed necessary.’

A recent Washington Post article quotes an anonymous defense official as downplaying the differences between the two countries, saying “We consider Russia a partner and friend in promoting stability and security in the region."  Recent events make us wonder whether such optimism is warranted.