Adam Martin
As the US Army modernizes and prepares for the challenges of tomorrow’s battlefield, it naturally seeks lessons from the war in Ukraine—lessons on everything from maneuver to drones to command post survivability and beyond. To not seek out these lessons would be a wasted opportunity—after all, the ongoing conflict is the largest land war in Europe since World War II. And in fact, Ukraine offers a glimpse into the future of warfare, but what it reveals are some striking parallels with that last major war in Europe. One of the areas in which this is most true is engineer reconnaissance. If the conduct of the war in Ukraine over the past three years is any indication—and there is little reason to expect otherwise—modern warfighters should prepare for the largest obstacle belts seen since World War II.
Russia’s Deep and Layered Defensive Lines
Current Russian defensive tactics in Ukraine—and the toll these tactics have taken on Ukrainian engineers—illustrate the complexities of large-scale combat operations. Russian obstacle belts are layered with dragon’s teeth, mines, wire obstacles, antitank and antivehicle ditches, infantry entrenchments, and protected artillery and vehicle positions. These obstacles aim to attrit attacking Ukrainian forces and retain captured land. The need for engineer reconnaissance is paramount in this evolved battlefield. Attacking forces require real-time intelligence before assaulting heavily defended positions.
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