AS we in the West are disappointed w/the Ukranian's progress of western trained and equipped Brigades what is seemingly overlooked in the conversation in the media is the most important component in combined arms doctrine,AIR SUPPORT,Ukraine has none and a NATO ground force wouldn't advance one step forward without it,Ukraine is being asked to do the impossible which is to advance 75 miles or more to cut Russian forces in half w/virtually no air support and weak tactical air defence against the Russian's who control the sky's in the theater and whose attack copters operate relatively freely against any armored advance.
Counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: American analysts named three scenarios, noting the most successful
ISW analysts Carolina Hird and Ekaterina Stepanenko, as well as Frederick W. Kagan from the American Enterprise Institute in the TIME material noted a favorable situation for the APU and the continuation of the initiative. They named three key points:
A mechanized breakthrough of the Armed Forces of Ukraine can break part or all of the Russian defensive lines.
Russian troops, which are already morally depressed, can start a controlled or uncontrolled withdrawal.
Constant pressure and a campaign of closure could create gaps in Russian lines that Ukrainian troops can exploit first at a local level, and then for deeper penetration. Analysts consider this option to be slower, but more successful.
It is enough for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to reach the Sea of Azov in order to cut the land lines of communication of the Russian Federation and make almost the entire territory that Russia holds to the west of their advance unsuitable for defense.
The Pentagon also expressed confidence that the Ukrainians have a significant combat capability, which they will use at the right time and in the right place to protect their country and reclaim their sovereign territory.” But they noted: "there are no illusions that this fight will be easy."
I won't argue about the importance of conventional airpower, but manpads and AA systems make their use risky at best and we have not seen a lot of Russian air power used for this reason and others. Drones are filling many roles that conventional airpower used to, particularly reconnaissance and artillery spotting. They are also used to attack and bomb, the commercial ones are cheap, and they provide a kind of micro close tactical air support that appears to be very effective, in terms of kills and costs per kill.AS we in the West are disappointed w/the Ukranian's progress of western trained and equipped Brigades what is seemingly overlooked in the conversation in the media is the most important component in combined arms doctrine,AIR SUPPORT,Ukraine has none and a NATO ground force wouldn't advance one step forward without it,Ukraine is being asked to do the impossible which is to advance 75 miles or more to cut Russian forces in half w/virtually no air support and weak tactical air defence against the Russian's who control the sky's in the theater and whose attack copters operate relatively freely against any armored advance.
Sure, and the helicopters are launching missiles from past the distance of manpads and there is not a lot ofI won't argue about the importance of conventional airpower, but manpads and AA systems make their use risky at best and we have not seen a lot of Russian air power used for this reason and others. Drones are filling many roles that conventional airpower used to, particularly reconnaissance and artillery spotting. They are also used to attack and bomb, the commercial ones are cheap, and they provide a kind of micro close tactical air support that appears to be very effective, in terms of kills and costs per kill.
These drones can clean out a trench line in front of a minefield so that it can be cleared by sappers while M777s using counter battery radars and long-range UAVs decimate the inaccurate Russian artillery fire on their advances. The Russians are using huge numbers of mines and that will slow them down air power or not and once they chew away at the outer crust the rest should be easier going. The drones should help them to spot the ambushes and killing grounds while providing artillery targets to clear a path. Drones are changing warfare and taking on some of the roles of conventional air power that has become very risky with the development of AA technology. Often, they can't spot or hit a small drone and the missile used to destroy it is an order of magnitude more expensive than the target.