Ukrainian forces have been praised for the degree to which they have used innovation—technological and tactical—during their ongoing war with Russia. This is particularly true with regard to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. But what has that innovation actually looked like? Is it principally about repurposing equipment, like commercial quadcopters? Or is it more a function of implementation, experimenting with new tactics? And while Russian forces’ own innovation has not been as widely remarked upon, they too have begun to adapt.
So how do the two sides’ innovation efforts compare with one another? What nuances are not typically reflected in media coverage of the war? And what effect has that innovation had on battlefield outcomes? That’s the subject of this episode of the MWI Podcast.
John Amble is joined by Samuel Bendett. He is an adviser at CNA’s Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Center and a member of CNA’s Russia Studies Program. His extensive research experience has focused on Russian defense and technology, as well as unmanned and autonomous military systems.
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Image credit: mil.gov.uk, via Wikimedia Commons