Once upon a time I was present at interesting sports competitions. Something like "Dad, Mom and I are a sports family." Interesting competition. Diverse. For all organisms, so to speak. But in the final - a face-to-face meeting. Dad with dad, mom with mom, children with children. The apotheosis of competition.
And everything would be fine, maybe I would have reached the final. Only dad was there. Sports. And big. Of course, I would play darts with him or play pins there. I could even play checkers-chess. I just got sick of something after he had a heating pad … No, he didn't break it like Tuzik. He inflated it until the body burst. Not mine or mine. Warm body.
And I remembered this story because today many military and political leaders of the West are in "my" place. International Army Games 2016 (ARMY 2016) has started in Russia. The invention is Russian. Fostered from tank biathlon. And today it has turned into a grandiose military-technical holiday of an international scale.
For two weeks, from July 30 to August 13, military personnel competitions in various military-applied disciplines will be held on the territory of Russia and Kazakhstan. 19 countries representing all continents except Australia and Antarctica put 121 teams in 23 events. The most well-represented teams are from Russia, Kazakhstan and China. This is understandable. Host countries and one of the leading countries in the world.
Tank biathlon was and remains the most spectacular sport. As the "dad" of the competition, he is central to both the military and the audience. The skill of the soldier, combined with powerful technique, is always mesmerizing. But there is no need to belittle the interest in other types of competitions. Especially for professionals.
What is ARMY 2016 from the point of view of a military man? And from the civil point of view?
For the military of all countries, this is not just a competition. It is also an opportunity to compare the training of your own soldiers and soldiers of other armies. It is problematic to do it "in its own juice". Due to the difference in the armament of the units, due to the small number of units, for other reasons.
In addition, samples of equipment are exhibited at the competition, which are still just dreams for most armies. And mastering such a technique, even with a limited number of soldiers, is already a success. Past games have shown not only the capabilities of the armies of the participating countries, but also the possibility of the illiterate use of tanks. Everyone remembers the somersaults of tank crews. I will lose "shoes", slide down hills and passages "narrow" for some crews through the "ravine", "deep" to "I can not" fords.
The third, and probably the most important factor for the military, is the ability to face real opponents not in battle, but in competitions. Alas, ARMYs are war games. And they are those who, in certain situations, are obliged to go to war with the enemy. To join the battle for life and death.
Among the teams that will strive to win, there are those who recently looked at others through the reticle. These are the teams of Armenia and Azerbaijan, China and India. But it has long been known that the military can come to an agreement with each other much faster than politicians. Death is closer for soldiers and officers than for politicians. And the military knows the price of life. More precisely, they know how weak a person is. How easy it is to take his life.
But besides those who participate, there are others. Those who look and see. Yes, this is also the task of games. To be watched and seen! Observers from almost all European armies, Americans, British, all are already in the competition. Even those who are still "nobody in world politics", but quite possibly will soon become "everything" there.
Sometimes questions arise. Questions for those who are interested in the "entertainment" of the competition. Why is there no T-90? Why Shoigu "spares" "Armata"? Why did the Chinese "hide" their TYPE 99? Everyone knows very well that these cars have gone far from those that are exhibited at the competition. So why?
Yes, simply because those machines that are now in service are participating. Main tanks. Those that will fight. And those that are "in perspective" today do not need to be shown. Everyone is learning. Everyone learns the technique and how this technique works.
And what about us? Those who want to watch the real struggle of crews, squads, repair crews, groups? But a fertile time has come for us. Competitions for all tastes. From scouts to repairmen. From snipers to sappers. From tankers to BMP drivers. For all tastes and any viewer.
I catch myself thinking that I'm looking forward to the competition more than the Olympics. Maybe this nasty fuss around our team influenced. Or maybe it’s just tired of watching how the competition is "judged", how, instead of a fair struggle, there is a struggle between politicians. And maybe youth is remembered.
But most importantly, ARMY-2016 is a show of what and, most importantly, with whom the warriors of those countries, in whose traditions they gather once or twice a century to "hunt the Russian bear", can face. Real implementation of the Olympic slogan! About sport! You are the world! Just because those who like to fight will actually see a "torn heating pad". And not Tuzik, but crews, squads, brigades, groups.
And I wish victory to our teams! I will personally go to support our people at the "Rembat". Far from my military profession. But it's important! Competitions for men performed by men.
