How do Russia's and China's militaries align and differ in today’s world? In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Mark Cozad, a RAND Corporation senior defence researcher and former US Air Force intelligence officer joins Peter Apps, to explore how NATO’s 1999 Kosovo campaign pushed both nations toward “non-contact warfare,” mixing precision strikes with political strategy to counter the West. Russia leans on mass mobilisation, as seen in Ukraine, while China bets on cutting-edge tech and institutional strength.

We dive into the human and strategic factors - Russia’s purges and cultural shifts versus China’s lack of combat experience since 1979 - plus nuclear posturing, alliances, and flashpoints like Taiwan or Korea.

Key moments

1:45 - Non-Contact Warfare Explained

6:54 - Military Evolution Post-1999

9:49 - Modern PLA vs. Russian Military

16:09 - Chinese Perspectives on Taiwan Conflict

30:05 - Internal Military Cultures

33:24 - Planning and Execution Challenges

42:12 - Future Directions for the PLA

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.