Military Lessons For The Modern Era

On February 24, Russia’s special military operation (as described by President Vladimir Putin himself) completed four years but the world has barely taken notice since it is now focused on understanding what the US military would do in Iran.

There may be uncertainty and unpredictability on the future course of war including its possible cessation, there is no such thing as regards the air and air defence aspects which the four year war has left for professionals to study and reflect upon for decades to come.

Here is revisiting some of these and what each means in the Indian context. The lessons from the war in Ukraine are far reaching and important for militaries across the world.

Two quick questions immediately come to mind: Did the second mightiest air force of the world fail to achieve a favorable air situation against a much smaller force in the initial months and years of the war; something which the Israelis achieved 48 hours against Iran. What explains this paradox? And two, the initial blitzkrieg by Russian forces following the pre-emptive strikes paid heavily for a volley of tactical mistakes from air defence point of view.

What are those mistakes and what are the lessons for the Indian military from this conflict?

Lt Gen VK Saxena (Retd), a former DG of Army Air Defence, now a strategic analyst, is in conversation with Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale. Tune in for more.