The Army is working to learn lessons from the Ukrainian in how to use drones. Which is good. But I don't want to make the mistake of thinking the Winter War of 2022 provides the entire lesson for drone use.
One of the lessons learned is that drones can’t just be sensing platforms anymore. “They all have to be multifunctional. They all have to be lethal. They all have to be capable of doing many things at the same time,” he said.
There also has to be a universal controller that can guide any drone the Army acquires, he said.
And soldiers down to the platoon level must be able to act without having to ask higher headquarters to deconflict airspace.
In Ukraine, “they are free to shoot whatever they want, launch whatever they want, because that’s as fast as they’re seeing targets. And if they don’t, either that target is going to move or they’re going to be targeted and shot before they can do something about it,” Ryan said.
I like those lessons, especially the ability to use initiative to use drones without waiting for higher echelon input or permission--including using the asset itself as the weapon.
But.
It seems to me that Ukraine uses drones--especially the famous FPV drones--because it lacks other assets to fight with. The Army would have a lot more to fight using combined arms; and has capable sister services able to provide joint support. As I observed about small drone usage:
I don't believe they are supplanting artillery because of intrinsic superiority. While drones seem useful, part of their so-called dominance has been caused by a decline in artillery availability. That is significant.
I'll wait to see how ramped up artillery ammo and gun barrel liner production--and new drone counter-measures--affect the post-introduction FPV drone advantage. The God of War is not so easily spurned.
And it seems to me that the static nature of the fighting enhances the value of the drones.
But absolutely, drones should be part of the force. Whether or not drones will have such an out-sized impact as they are having right now in the long run in different types of ground combat and with counter-measures developed and deployed seems doubtful to me. But they will be an important addition, just as anti-tank missiles became important without being an ever-elusive silver bullet solution.
I'm certainly satisfied that the Army is seeking to learn from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Just don't think it is the entire universe of teachers.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
NOTE: I'm adding updates on the Last Hamas War in this post.NOTE: You may also read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it.NOTE: The image was made with Bing.
