The first was aerial footage of large Russian tanks on the outskirts of Kiev; followed by videos of Turkish-made drones used by Ukrainians destroy armored vehicles invading air. Now, at the current stage with a nearly immobile front of thousands of kilometers, US Himars missile launchers dominate the battle scene and are destroying Russian arsenals. In the next phase, where major offensives are expected to recapture or gain ground, many armored vehicles will be needed to safely transport troops and large numbers of trucks to maintain the supply chain.
EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, a newspaper that forms part of the Prensa Ibérica group, and this media, reviews four experts in military strategy, The weapons that define the conflict in this 180-day conflict.
war of drones
“The use of unmanned aircraft on the battlefield in the Ukraine war brought the era. This can be considered a war of drones,” he says for this newspaper. Canadian analyst Candyce Kenshall President of the Canadian Security and Intelligence Studies Association, Vancouver. As an example, he gives the American kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles with switchblades (knife) used by Ukraine against Russian tanks.
Another use of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combat is to help fine-tune artillery fire, he explains. Christian D. VillanuevaDirector of Army Magazine. “These devices, in many cases ‘simple’ commercial devices brought to Ukraine through crowdfunding, allow both to find possible targets and to correct the shot and maximize lethality after the first artillery shot has been fired. In addition, they have the double advantage of allowing them to leave the position quickly, which improves the survivability of the device and saves ammunition.”
This is easy to obtain and use. Martin Hurt, In conversation with EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA from the Estonian International Center for Defense and Security: “Some are products that can be bought in stores and are really cheap; they give a lot of valuable information, allowing to shoot almost in real time with indirect fire (artillery or mortar) or even with a simple grenade suspended and carried by the UAVs themselves. They have made it much more difficult for military personnel to hide in populated areas or forests.”
Classic artillery, modern weapons
Russia followed, to the surprise of many, A typical military strategy of the 20th century: lots of artillery and large lines of tanks. Exceptions, such as the failed air raid on Hostómel airport, did not give them good results.
“Artillery is so dominant that there are many reports of soldiers from Ukraine who never saw the enemy and yet saw their fellow soldiers killed by artillery fire,” explains Martin Hurt. Artillery has always been the most effective way to inflict casualties on enemy forces, and that is the goal in this war of attrition. Ukraine alone has recently acknowledged that at least 10,000 soldiers have died, but the figure is believed to be much higher.
Hurt, Western Modern Artillery, especially the US Himars (High-Motion Artillery Rocket System) and the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 (armored howitzers).
Beyond missiles, tanks or drones, the analyst focuses on reserves of ammunition, spare parts and consumables (gasoline, for example): “They are not a very striking factor in warfare and are not very politically profitable to spend money on these reserves (which are expensive), but They are extremely important on the battlefield. and so they are often kept secret.” He notes that many countries make the mistake of purchasing new weapons, modern warplanes or warships, but ordering ammunition for only a few days or weeks in a high-intensity conflict.
US Javelin missiles necessary for the destruction of hundreds of Russian tanks. So much so that in Ukraine they are known as Saint Javelin, and in Kiev there are paintings praising the activities of urban artists. “They’re worth their weight in gold,” Kenshall says. Literally, because each unit costs tens of thousands of euros.
Armored vehicles and mine clearance
One of the two sides is expected to carry out an operation in the coming weeks. offensive to recapture or gain territory lands, especially in the Kherson, Donetsk or Lugansk provinces. What will they need? Answered to EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA by retired Australian divisional general and war analyst Mike Ryan: “The basic military equipment for the next half-year of the war will be, first of all, armored combat vehicles. [Armored fighting vehicles, AFV]. They are necessary to protect troops in advances in the area and in direct combat.”
Like the rest of the analysts, Ryan is fraught with the importance of Himars artillery systems, but also Damage (high-speed anti-radiation missiles, in English abbreviation). These will be widely used to attack operational targets such as headquarters, logistics chains or arms depots.
It will also take many mine clearance combat engineer teams and other obstacles as the troops advance. Says. And something much more mundane: thousands of trucks to get supplies where they’re needed, one of the most complex parts of a war.