This will feature a combined South Asian force taking putative action against Vietnam. As the reader will imagine, the bulk of these forces will be Australian.
In 1990 Australia had quite an impressive military. On land they had one standing infantry division plus the capability to form two more. These included armored and mechanized elements and even an airborne brigade. Now, this was a light infantry formation completely inappropriate for the European battlefield. They certainly could have gone to the Middle East, but in the conflict the Australians were best used as a grand strategic reserve in case trouble arose in South Asia. In 1990 the Australian Army had decades of experience fighting in the jungle from Malaya to Borneo to Vietnam.
In the air the RAAF had two squadrons of F-18 fighters and two squadrons of F-111 fighter-bombers, making the RAAF the most powerful air force in the region.
The Royal Australian Navy boasted an impressive array of destroyers and frigates. The RAN also had half a dozen extremely quiet Oberon submarines. Now, Australia scrapped her last aircraft carrier, the Melbourne, in 1982, but I'm resurrecting it here. Melbourne could either carrier a squadron of A-4 Strike Fighters or a few dozen helicopters.
Australia also possessed an SAS Regiment, also vastly experienced in jungle warfare and special ops.
Now, a thousand miles to the East lies New Zealand. Upon researching their military hte author was a tad disappointed. In 1990 New Zealand had a pair of infantry battalions an artillery and armored squadron. In Pacific storm these are combined to form the 1st Provisional New Zealand Brigade. New Zealand had a squadron of A-4s and a trio of frigates. Interesting, beside this neglected regular force the Kiwis maintained and SAS Regiment.
Despite their small size, In this novel, the Kiwis are going to be a lot of fun.
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