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Brenton's avatar

This continued harping on about the next 'Wonder Weapon' as a war winner shows that the West lacks a strategy in the Ukranian War.

Firstly, new weapons are just tools that should be intergratable into tactical and operational frameworks that support a strategic vision and concept. This is obviously lacking when looking at the West and its proxy-war in the Ukraine. The Russians have a strategic concept and each new weapon system introduced into the war fits within that vision - or it is not introduced at all.

Secondly, the record on new weapons systems introduced to Ukraine show them having a battlefield advantage of only a few months, at most, before counter measures are imposed by the enemy that negate or mitigate its advantage. The more the AGM-158 is used in Ukraine the more the Russians, and by extension the Chinese, learn how more effectively to deal with the weapon. And, as the author of the article points out - it will not effectively change the outcome of the war. Anyway Ukraine's main weakness is lack of manpower not new gadgets.

Lastly, this smacks of desperation. Each weapon system the West's introduces to Ukraine, we hope desperately will turn the tide in Ukraine's favour. NATO, having engaged in this war, at least materially - they are not willing to sacrifice blood, and having leveraged its prestige, treasure and technology in defeating Russia are desperate. If Russia wins this war, and all indications are that it will, then the foundations of NATO may shake. With Trump II acting against his allies economically, a military loss that is seen as exsitential, at least by some European elite, may erode NATO and if it remains then weaker than it was before.

Relying on a weapons system to win a war absent strategy is a bankrupt policy that leads to defeat.

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John Day MD's avatar

Thanks Mike, for all of the information on yet another good western tactical weapon that may score hits initially, before Russian AD learn how to see and counter it.

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