These are the American weapons systems that Russia covets.

Despite its considerable strength, the Russian military currently lacks certain weapons that would allow it to catch up with the US in terms of effective combat capabilities.

During the final stages of the Cold War,The Soviet Union gradually fell behind the United States in the competition.The race to possess the best weapons technologies. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the downfall of its defense industry, leaving Moscow to covet Washington's advanced weapon systems to this day, according to cmilitary expert Robert FarleyNational Interest.

Fifth-generation fighter jet

The US F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet. Photo: USAF.

Five years ago, Russia hoped that the Sukhoi PAK FA or T-50 fighter jet would help it catch up with the US in the field of fighter aircraft development. However, this program is stalled due to economic and technological factors, causing a sharp decrease in the number of fighter jets produced according to orders. Meanwhile, the US has commissioned and deployed the 5th-generation F-22 Raptor fighter jet to frontline units. The 5th-generation stealth fighter F-35 is also about to be widely deployed in the US military.

Although Russia continues to manufacture and operate other powerful fighter jets such as the Su-35, none of its fighters can compare to the F-22. Until the PAK FA or Russia's next-generation aircraft are commissioned, the US will still possess a decisive advantage in achieving air superiority.

Precision Guided Missile (PGM)

The US Predator drone. Photo: AFP.

Although Russia has begun using more precision-guided munitions in Syria than in previous wars, it still lags behind the US in deploying this weapon.

One reason is that Russian military doctrine tends to place less emphasis on minimizing casualties compared to the US military. A second reason is that Russia still lacks a large stockpile of PGM weapons like the one the US has built up over the past decades.

Furthermore, Russian aircraft are not equipped with sensor pods like most Western aircraft when carrying out air-to-ground attack missions, which means that Russian airstrike campaigns are fundamentally different from those of the West and are sometimes less effective.

Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR) Complex

In the final years of the Cold War, Soviet military strategists recognized that combining long-range attack with information technology would be a dominant factor in the future military era. But they also understood that the Soviet Union lacked the necessary systems to compete with the United States in advanced communications and computer technologies.

Currently, the Russian military still lacks the communication, intelligence, and coordination technologies that the US possesses in combat. While Russian forces have fought effectively in Georgia and Syria, the addition of drones, lightweight communications equipment, satellite navigation systems, and high-speed computers could significantly improve their combat effectiveness.

Landing craft

The US amphibious assault ship USS America is considered to be as powerful as an aircraft carrier. Photo: US Navy.

In 2010, Russia signed a contract to purchase four Mistral-class amphibious assault ships from France, two built by France and the other two with Russian participation, to fill a gap in its amphibious warfare capabilities that had been neglected since the end of the Cold War.

However, the contract fell through after Russia annexed Crimea, leaving the Russian navy without any modern landing ships. During its military intervention in Syria, the Russian navy had to rely on older Ropucha-class landing ships while its shipbuilding industry continues to struggle with assembling large, modern vessels.

"Although the Russian military is highly combat-ready, it still grapples with the legacies of the Cold War. Economic recession and low oil prices continue to hinder the professionalization of the military. However, the Russians recognize the weaknesses in their army and are working actively to overcome these problems," Farley emphasized.

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According to VNE