Ukraine: The conflict that mixes advanced technology with trench warfare
The war in Ukraine, ranging from the technological to the brutal, is inspiring the UK to take a fresh look at its own security and defence thinking.
By observing the rapidly evolving conflict regarding technology, tactics and the physical nature of the battlefield, the UK is taking lessons on how future threats could be dealt with.
The Director of Joint Warfare and Strategic Command, Rear Admiral Andrew Betton, has observed how the conflict has managed to combine modern technological advancements with the First World War-style trench warfare.
He said: "The big difference with Ukraine is this is a conflict which we are not directly engaged but we have the opportunity to draw some really detailed insights into a rapidly evolving campaign across all areas.
"The brutality and the physicality in many ways back the sort of early 1900s trench warfare, but at the other end of the spectrum there's the hugely modern rapidly evolving embracing of technology.
"There is the digitalisation of the battle space, the speed of adaption we're witnessing on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine ... with uncrewed systems perhaps being the most prevalent."
Despite the initial assumptions that Russian forces would overwhelm Ukraine, the defenders have been able to modify their tactics and technologies to adapt to the situation.
This year, the Russian Navy has been put under greater stress by Ukraine's use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) which are capable of inflicting heavy damage without endangering personnel.
While technology is advancing, the conflict has also descended into the type of warfare seen on the Western Front in the First World War.
Rear Adm Betton added: "We're seeing both Russian and Ukrainian forces testing new capacities and adapting very rapidly when they don't quite work.
"Utilities of various bits of military equipment and various military methodologies have been put under the microscope.
"Sometimes it worked, often it had to evolve very rapidly."
However, any lessons that can learned from Ukraine can also be observed by other hostile nations or criminal elements.
Rear Adm Betton cautioned: "We've very quick to praise Ukrainian progress and adaptability and their audacious tactics, but Ukrainians are also exposing this adaptability and agility to everybody else who is looking at it.
"So Russians, any other potential aggressors or non-state actors are also learning from that experience."
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
