Five officers from very different backgrounds draw lessons on various aspects of combined arms warfare (CAW) in Ukraine. This analysis is part of the 2023-2024 course for senior officer candidates at the Defence College. Their contributions and recommendations are brought together in this opus, which is the fruit of an ongoing collaboration between the Land Operations Chair of the Defence College and the Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID) and published as the first issue of a brand-new series of RHID publications: the Thematic Papers.
In the first article, Simon DEVOS analyses the failed Russian combined arms operation during an attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River. In the second article, Michael DELANNOO reminds us that combined arms warfare is not just about combat units, but that logistics also have a key role to play. In the third article, Marie-Eve COHARD studies the importance of artificial intelligence in revolutionising C2 capabilities, and thus in radically transforming the way military operations are conducted, through two Ukrainian applications. Next, Matthias LOGGHE turns our attention to the impact of the presence of cellular phones and networks on the battlefield. Finally, in the last article, François DELVAUX focuses on the potential role that special operations forces (SOF) can play in supporting combined arms warfare operations.
(Only available in Dutch/French)
Source photo: Be Defence
Thematic Paper 01
Lessons of Modern Combined
Arms Warfare in Ukraine:
Coordination, Innovation and Tactical Evolution
Simon DEVOS
Michael DELANNOO
Marie-Eve COHARD
Matthias LOGGHE
François DELVAUX