The war in Ukraine has shown the world that industrialized warfare is back in Europe, and countries are not prepared for the scale of resources and manpower required. The conflict has highlighted the importance of NATO's support, particularly from the US, in helping Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion. The US has provided significant military aid, including intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance assets.
The war has also exposed the weaknesses of Russia's military power, with Russia losing over 1,000 tanks and struggling to replace them. In contrast, Ukraine has been able to capture and repair Russian tanks, making them operational again.
The article highlights France's efforts to modernize its military, particularly through its 20-year Scorpion program, which aims to bring its military up to date with modern technologies. France is focusing on upgrading its light and medium tank forces, as well as its infantry support vehicles, to make them more capable and sustainable in high-intensity conflicts.
The article also notes that the US is struggling to keep up with the demand for military equipment, with hundreds of factories shut down at the end of the Cold War. The US is now facing challenges in ramping up production to meet the needs of a potential war with a near-peer adversary.
Overall, the article concludes that the war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for Western countries to prepare for industrialized warfare and to invest in modernizing their militaries to meet the challenges of the future.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The war in Ukraine has brought industrialized warfare back to Europe for the first time since World War II.
2. Russia and Ukraine are using a large amount of resources and manpower in the conflict.
3. NATO has thrown its weight into the conflict, supporting Ukraine's ability to fight off the Russian invasion.
4. The US has provided significant support to Ukraine, including personal equipment, reconnaissance, and surveillance assets, and intelligence.
5. The average Ukrainian infantryman is now better equipped than their Russian counterpart.
6. Russia has lost over 1,000 tanks in the fighting, with the number spiking during Ukraine's counter-offensive.
7. Ukraine is estimated to be losing 2 tanks a day, while Russia is losing 10 tanks a day.
8. France has a 20-year modernization program called Scorpion, aimed at bringing its military up to date with modern forces and technology.
9. The program includes upgrading France's light and medium tank forces to bring them up to a modern standard of battlefield connectivity.
10. France is focusing on developing data-sharing capabilities, similar to those used by the US, to enhance its military's effectiveness.
11. France is undertaking a series of upgrades to its infantry support vehicles, including the ebrc Jaguar and the vbmr Griffin armored personnel carrier.
12. The Jaguar is a replacement for the 40-year-old amx10 RC and erc90 Saga, and will take on both reconnaissance and fire support roles for infantry forces.
13. The vbmr Griffin will replace the VAB armored personnel carrier, which has been in use since 1976.
14. France plans to buy nearly 2,000 vbmr Griffins to fully replace its fleet of VABs.
15. The US has identified serious deficiencies in its ability to manufacture large amounts of heavy equipment, with hundreds of factories shut down at the end of the Cold War.
16. US tank production currently stands at about 60 vehicles a year, but this number could be ramped up to 20 a month.
17. France and other Western powers are taking a serious look at how to ensure their defense industries can stand up to the challenge of quick and long-term resupply of combat losses.