Posted on Jun 2, 2022
Not Built for Purpose: The Russian Military’s Ill-Fated Force Design - War on the Rocks
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War on the Rocks opinion article about structural problems with the Russian military and its invasion of Ukraine. Along with lack of NCOs and weak logistics, flaws also include personnel shortages, lack of job schooling and bad organizational design for units.
Not Built for Purpose: The Russian Military’s Ill-Fated Force Design - War on the Rocks
Posted from warontherocks.com
Russia
50A: Force Development
Organization
Posted >1 y ago
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While I agree with the bad organizational design - I can't help wondered where Russia's modernized air force has been in this conflict. Seems that there is more to it than just poor logistics and structure - perhaps an inability to plan and strategize.
To me that's what sticks out in this conflict. It seems the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) is lacking the institutional capacity to plan, brief and fly complex air operations at scale. All these sorties are being flown out of Russia. There should be zero supply or organizational issues so what gives. My guess is their commanders have very little practical experience in how to plan, brief and coordinate complex air operations involving tens or hundreds of assets in a high-threat air environment as if they knew how to create and execute such a plan it should be a comparatively simple exercise for them to dominate the air space over Ukraine. And that is just air force executing part of it mission. What about conducting modern combined operations like ground support. They have flown thousands of sorties but for the most part the VKS fly sorties in pairs (maybe four) very low and at night. That's about as complex as air operations get.
This makes me question Russia's military leadership as a whole as this would suggest that Russian military top brass don't understand the importance of airpower in combat operations.
Two months in and the Russian air force is still fighting for control of the skies over Ukraine -
While their ground game looks busted its very telling in what we don't see in their air power as well.
To me that's what sticks out in this conflict. It seems the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) is lacking the institutional capacity to plan, brief and fly complex air operations at scale. All these sorties are being flown out of Russia. There should be zero supply or organizational issues so what gives. My guess is their commanders have very little practical experience in how to plan, brief and coordinate complex air operations involving tens or hundreds of assets in a high-threat air environment as if they knew how to create and execute such a plan it should be a comparatively simple exercise for them to dominate the air space over Ukraine. And that is just air force executing part of it mission. What about conducting modern combined operations like ground support. They have flown thousands of sorties but for the most part the VKS fly sorties in pairs (maybe four) very low and at night. That's about as complex as air operations get.
This makes me question Russia's military leadership as a whole as this would suggest that Russian military top brass don't understand the importance of airpower in combat operations.
Two months in and the Russian air force is still fighting for control of the skies over Ukraine -
While their ground game looks busted its very telling in what we don't see in their air power as well.
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LTC Eugene Chu
You bring up good points and pasting Yahoo news story about Russia's struggling air force in its Ukraine invasion. Despite newer planes, Russian air force supposedly still relies on centralized micromanagement instead of tactical flexibility. Air forces also need as much if not more logistical support (e.g. resupply, repair, maintenance, etc.) than ground forces.
Side note: With ongoing western sanctions, Russia may face difficulty with aerial missions later down the road due to lack of parts or reliance on less compatible Chinese parts.
https://news.yahoo.com/why-russias-air-force-failed-to-dominate-ukraine-135016604.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANEvwPuxBTa5FaVwkgtWlgLJUKqrjztsItYifkCVmHN17G6j2zB2nI8IQbXl8kw53lLaQMf0l5Jl6BnBB6XwT2w8kzSEl-X5lVbUdFmP4ylgRti8qakOFzH2uFN3584BO5300J5dIrTU_TJVnpdqT2R2tyqCGO535pgpjOuLw4_O
Side note: With ongoing western sanctions, Russia may face difficulty with aerial missions later down the road due to lack of parts or reliance on less compatible Chinese parts.
https://news.yahoo.com/why-russias-air-force-failed-to-dominate-ukraine-135016604.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANEvwPuxBTa5FaVwkgtWlgLJUKqrjztsItYifkCVmHN17G6j2zB2nI8IQbXl8kw53lLaQMf0l5Jl6BnBB6XwT2w8kzSEl-X5lVbUdFmP4ylgRti8qakOFzH2uFN3584BO5300J5dIrTU_TJVnpdqT2R2tyqCGO535pgpjOuLw4_O
Why Russia's air force failed to dominate Ukraine
Many observers expected Russia's air force to blow away Ukraine's forces in the opening days of the Kremlin's invasion. Ukraine's military would be left completely vulnerable as Russian warplanes could pick off targets at whim. But that hasn’t happened.
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SPC David S.
Well the Yahoo article makes me feel good about my 10,000 foot analysis as well you make a great point. Russia seems to be very limited in its guided munitions (not working) and as this drags on they will be forced into a "dumb" war which may force a change in their initial thinking of trying to save the infrastructure. Even if they eventually win the war it may end up being a pyrrhic victory as Ukraine may be nothing more than a large pile of rubble leaving Russia with a lot of costly rebuilding to do.
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