Who Would Win Between The United States Military and a Dragon?

[DragonReaperX]

[NamerOfStars]

The obvious question is "what kind?". Balerion, here:

I'm not actually sure where this picture came from

DOES have firepower and intimidation from size- but that size also makes him an easy target. Heat, too. Remember that balloon that was (supposedly) shot down by an F-22? Well, the rat-a-tat-tat days of the Red Baron are over; an F-22 carries radar-guided missiles, which use hard contact fuses that wouldn't work against something so soft with a radar profile that small, and heat-seekers, which wouldn't work against something generating essentially zero heat. Like, say, a balloon- but not a dragon. The simple fact is that no matter how powerful it is, a creature with an animal-level intellect isn't going to be able to prevail against the best killing technology humanity has, along with a functionally limitless budget.

But what if we removed that intelligence limit? Let's kick it up a notch:

Smaug doesn't have Balerion's size- for good or ill- or stupidity, which makes him a trickier target. However, scaled hide that ballista-fired arrows can't pierce is still going to fall to heavy artillery fire. If you're talking about taking on individual groups in a confined space that he knows well- like, say, the halls of Erebor- he could probably handle several before being overwhelmed, but in the open, he wouldn't have a prayer.

Okay, intelligence helps; let's keep that and up the power again:

Ancalgalon seems to fix every problem we've seen so far- he's got incredible size and toughness, at least human-level intelligence, and the toughness to absorb a LOT of incoming damage- but that size means he can't fight in confined spaces, and even he was eventually brought down. That was by one elf; an army of modern humans would take him out, too. Let's kick the power up a notch:

Jormungandr, who may not QUITE be a dragon, but is pretty close. The lack of fire means a lack of heat, so even torpedoes aren't going to be much use. Regular weaponry isn't intended to be used in the depths of the ocean, and even naval artillery shells would disintegrate long before they reached the depths at which the worldserpent lives. The catch there is that neither are naval vehicles; Jormy could eat a few submarines, but if he surfaces, he'll be limited to hit-and-run attacks against coastal targets- he'd be very difficult to stop, but he's a SEA dragon; stay inland, and he can't really hurt you. Kind of a tie.

All right, that just leaves one more option:

NOW we're getting somewhere- the only entry on this list to have been repeatedly tested against not only modern (well, 20th century) military hardware, but also to have killed dragons himself, and to have "fire" breath that mere thermal shielding won't protect you from. Godzilla's just about the only dragon who could not only take on the entire US military, but actually have a chance at winning. Not a GOOD chance, mind you- he's still vulnerable to a LOT of things- but a chance nonetheless.

[BCA6010]

Without bullsh*t fantasy mcguffin nonsense, a dragon doesn't stand a chance against really any military with late cold war to modern equipment.

In fact, not to get too deep into the weeds on this, a (flying) dragon can't physically be a particularly rugged animal at any size, and would more than likely fall to even small arms fire. Even if its hide and bones are comparable to that of an elephant, something as small as a 7mm rifle round (the 7mm Mauser is the most successful elephant hunting bullet in history and its far from what's recommended for big game) to the brain could still take it out. In a fantasy setting, the fearsomeness of a dragon comes largely from a lack of accurate or high-penetration projectiles, while the primary defense against a dragon is typically a ballista derivative, which is not easy to move or aim against a fast moving target. On the ground, a dragon's wings and claws (and sometimes breath) make a close fight suicidal. This would largely not be a factor anymore as soon as entering the age of pike and shot armies, and by the time of the world wars, even a lone shooter or fire team size element could bring one down with relative ease.

[msmissydc]

Dependsmon the dragon I guess. Average fantasy dragon than a the U. S military would win not even close. If the dragon has some kind of supernatural immunities that allone could change the result.
Of course there are dragons in fantasy who can destroy whole landscapes continents or even planets. I gues that should be selfexplenetory than.

The closest story I can think of where this actually happaned was shadowrun. Yes militaries there did defeat a dragon. But both forces had troops. It was more a mini war with a dragon as a commander/general. More of these battles took place and some where won by dragons others by 'state' military. Even than the big dragons could probably defeat a large force on their own.

[purplepoppy]

I think this short explains it all

https://youtube.com/shorts/muSS6hONxDo?si=rYeYMnjzRa3uXJQN

Remember the US military struggled to shoot down a cheap Chinese balloon never mind a dragon.

[strateguy632]

one anti aircraft gun would take down a dragon. that is how dragon extinct.

[strateguy632]

your question reminds me of film "Reign of Fire 2002" with stars like g. butler! battling dragons.
but seriously the first minute doesn't make ssense, any city dragons attA

[strateguy632]

... attacked we can shoot them down with flak, same as any warplane, but dragon doomed, because a plane gets damaged by flak but a beast cut all over bleeds n rots n dies.

[AviatorTom]

The dragon would win some initial battles, then the military would overwhelm it.

[strateguy632]

nah in the first sttack on a city, the premise is dragon burns animals n people to "cook" them to ssh it eats... any country would move its artillery to shoot flak, quickly, wound the beast it retreats bleeds to death or the infection spreads festers.

[Chazmatazz269]

What’s the dragon’s name?

[strateguy632]

the general of dragons is "Ge-rard Dr-ew mcQuin".

[PositiveNote]

Who’s Army? LOL

[Iron_Man]

USA would