From drones to Reb: what American intelligence is learning based on the experience of war in Ukraine
The use of unmanned -electronic warfare (HRS) has become one of the key factors that change traditional ideas about the conduct of large -scale fighting. What lessons are the US military experts from the experience of combat in Ukraine is referred to in Breaking Defense.
At the annual Conference of Intelligence and National Security (Insa), which took place last week, representatives of the US military intelligence discussed what conclusions were made from observations of how Ukraine defends its independence. Particular attention was paid to innovation on the battlefield caused by the cruel realities of war. "Listen, easy to sit in the Pentagon and think that you have wonderful ideas for innovation.
But know who is the best innovators? People who are forced to introduce innovations, otherwise they will die the next day," said the director of the army target intelligence group Andrew Evans . One of the most striking aspects was the maritime war, where Ukraine, without traditional naval forces, was able to resist the Russian Navy.
Viceadmiral Karl Thomas noted that the drowning of the flagship of the Russian fleet, the cruiser "Moscow", became a symbolic victory and starting point for the introduction of unmanned technologies in marine battle. The use of small unmanned surfaces and submarines demonstrated the effectiveness of an asymmetric strategy, which forced the Russian fleet to retreat to the eastern Black Sea.
"Frankly speaking, the Russian fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, pressed to the eastern part of the Black Sea because Ukrainians do with unmanned surface and unmanned underwater means. We have taken out of this many lessons that can be transferred to other theaters," said the military manager Maritime intelligence Vceadmiral Carl Thomas.
According to him, large ships are built for a long time and they spend a lot of money on their construction, while the unmanned systems are much cheaper and allow you to achieve a "extraordinary effect". Major General Gregory Ganon from the US Space Forces emphasized the role of the commercial remote sensing industry in ensuring the intelligence and support of diplomatic efforts before the war.
The pictures provided by commercial satellites helped the United States and their allies to predict and show the world's plans for Moscow, which helped to strengthen Ukraine's international support. Brigade General William Wilburn noted the unprecedented importance of information space in the conflict, where both parties actively used social networks to disseminate information and, sometimes, misinformation.
This has become a key element of modern war, which requires military adaptation and rapid reaction. According to Andrew Evans, the most important lessons of land battles were the efficiency of cheap drones and the need to constantly update the tactics of radio electronic struggle. The confrontation between inexpensive drones and expensive armored vehicles showed the need to review approaches to purchase and use of weapons.