These have been among the many different observations that navy specialists made whereas collaborating in a panel dialogue on ‘shaping of modern conflicts with niche technologies: Russia-Ukraine conflict and beyond’ on first day of the Military Literature Festival that kicked off in Chandigarh Saturday.

The MLF, which is in its sixth version, was inaugurated at Sukhna Lake by Punjab Minister for Tourism Anmol Gagan Maan. The pageant is being collectively organised by MLF Association and Western Command of the Army.

Setting the ball rolling, Maj Gen Harvijay Singh (retd) of Corps of Signals, who was additionally the moderator for the panel dialogue, stated the Ukrainians utilizing switchblade drones and kamikaze drones was one of many highlights of the continuing battle.

“Communication systems used in the conflict were integrated with civilian systems and allowed parallel communication lines to operate. By mid-June Ukrainians were delivered HIMAR. Later, in November, the Russians struck back with their own technology and have been hitting targets of infrastructure and energy. But one notable point is that both sides were lacking in electronic warfare capabilities,” he stated.

He added that fuel and coal reserves shall be important even when there’s a gentle winter in Ukraine in coming months. “The Russians were grounded in mud in February. We will have to see if winter pulls them out of the morass,” he stated.

Taking half within the dialogue Maj Gen Rajesh Pushkar, an armoured corps officer who’s at the moment serving as GOC of an Infantry Division in Western Command, opined that battle must be final instrument of state craft. “We need to understand why this war took place. It started in 2014 with irregular fighting taking place between Russians and Ukrainians”.

He added that the Blitzkrieg kind of thrust of the Russians failed within the preliminary days of the particular operation launched by them.

His co-panelist Brig Saurabh Bhatnagar Bengal Sappers, who instructions an Engineer Brigade in Western Command, stated the economic revolutions have formed the contours of the conflicts and wars.

“We are in the fourth industrial revolution as on date. The key technology is the silicon chip — something which has grown in processing power and shrunk in size. Certain magical technologies have come in. Autonomous machines, advanced robotics, 3-D printing… and material making invisibility possible. Synthetic biology is also a reality today. These are no longer in realm of science fiction. We have seen just a glimpse of them in Russo-Ukraine war,” he stated.

On whether or not machines might exchange boots on the bottom, Brig Bhatnagar stated machines are going to take over hazardous duties and roles which can increase moral questions. As know-how turns into cheaper, these could empower non-State actors too, he stated.

Col Ashwini Sharma (retd), who commanded 74 Armoured Regiment, stated, “The wars have changed but the principles of war have not changed. Technology has changed the way we fight. Technology can today help you compress geography and time limit. This current war was started with a air land offensive. The Russians could not sustain momentum and exploit the advantage they had gained initially,” he stated.

The know-how was inducted into the Russia-Ukraine battle by Turkey, NATO and even Iranians, stated Col Sharma, who can be chief editor of South Asia Strategic Review. “The war is going back and forth. Mere technologies cannot win you wars. You need to have a doctrine and then find technologies which can help you achieve that doctrine. The Russian army did not have a clear military aim and which is why they are floundering,” he stated.

Maj Gen Pushkar went on to make clear that Russia didn’t go for a air-land offensive. “They launched a land operation. It was not a failure of military operation. It was a politico-military blunder. Just 60-70 battalion groups entering a country and trying to change regime was a blunder,” he added.

Maj Gen Harvijay interjected that many Russian troops thought the Ukrainian troop motion was an extension of the Belorussian train being undertaken by them and solely after they have been fired upon did they realise that they have been in a battle and began surrendering.

Brig Bhatnagar stated it is vitally tough to say now know-how will lastly form the battlefield. “The real impact of these technologies will be seen in future when these are meshed into tactics. There are certain trends which point us towards the direction where technology is taking us. Supersoldier is not science fiction anymore. China and US have these. Ukrainians have bought off the shelf radio communication interceptors which they used to intercept Russian chatter to great effect,” he stated.

Maj Gen Harvijay raised the query of ethics in utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in battle. Brig Bhatnagar answered that by saying that if the stakes are excessive sufficient, “it will be a very very tempting option” for commanders.

Commenting on use of drones within the ongoing battle, Maj Gen Pushkar stated these have been first utilized by Israelis within the Yom Kippur battle. “In March 2020, the Turks brought in their Beyraktar TB2 drone and stayed out of Air Defence (AD) Range. They destroyed several tanks and vehicles within a span of two hours. In the Armenia-Azerbaijan war, 75 per cent of equipment lost by Armenians was due to Azerbaijan drones,” stated Maj Gen Pushkar .

He added that drones are a really low-cost type of assault. “A drone with a small payload may also trigger nice harm. Russians have been placed on again foot by Ukrainian drone assaults in first part of battle. In second part of the offensive, the Ukrainian drones have been introduced down by Russian AD programs. In Phase 3, the Russians used Iranian drones that are inflicting upto 30 per cent destruction.

Rainbow drone/ mini satellite tv for pc drone, laser programs, birds being skilled in counter drone operations are a few of new developments. Getting out of AD umbrella is against the law. It is a shift in superpower domination. You are listening to of Turkey and Iran on this area. We have to compress the time and go in for these area of interest applied sciences. We have to improve our AD programs. Radar to detect drones. So much is occurring,” he stated.

Col Sharma was of the opinion that India ought to first allow infrastructure after which induct such programs. “It should be organic growth and induction rather than getting swayed with these weapons,” he stated.