"Still, there are some academics who believe that the US hasn’t learned anything from the Ukraine War." To which many US politicians no doubt say 'pah academics'.
Trump has been doing all he can to stay as far away as possible from the Ukraine war so it is unlikely to be a career enhancing move to learn anything from it.
On the other hand the US was definitely in the Iraq war .... and Trump Republicans learned nothing from that either so ....
... perhaps there is a financial incentive to focus on ever more complex and ever more expensive weaponry. Whereas Ukraine is focussing on bootstrapping survival.
Personally I'm with the academics - I'd want to learn from Ukraine. As you say most nation's military appear to feel the same way
Very informative Wes and from an IT nerd specilising in Cyber Security (3rd career choice in later life) this was heavy on the detail which I applaud.
The UK and a number of other European nations have taken on board lessons from Ukraine but what I think we should be looking for in the future, as budgets increase, is these very nations following Ukraine's example and establishing seperate unmanned systems Arms of their military. In the UK this specialisation has been incorporated into the Royal Artillery but this adds to their already over-burdened role. In the coming years I would expect, as the British Army increases in size (one hopes), a new Arm is incorporated and hopefully a long term collaboration is developed with the Ukranian military and other European nations as they develop their own equivalent.
Informative and well-written column, Wes. I've learned to expect nothing less. As for Ukraine's "school's in session" collaboration with the West, I hope they are well-rewarded - in funds, equipment and international recognition. Of course, none of that will come from the Trump administration, but perhaps the rest of the world will come through.
Excellent info and even better analysis. You may find practicing law a bit dull. There is the occasional murder self defense case that is both exciting. exhausting and when you win it, rewarding, having saved someone’s life, but that is relatively rare.
My advice is to keep doing exactly what you are doing. You’ll figure out how to do very well. A book, a screenplay etc. Creative talent like yours is in short supply. Law school teaches detailed analysis of random facts to come up with a theory of the case that produces good results for the client. You’ve learned that skill well. Now you might turn that creativity into a novel, like Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Good Hunting 😎
I can’t wait to read it. A book is a tough slog, I wrote a textbook with a co author (a fellow Asst. Professor at the Point) published by Prentice Hall based on our Seminar, “Politics American Style, Race, Environment and Central Cities” we both taught at the Point. It was the first “Relevant” government/history text to be published (1972). The book advance was great, $50k Each, in today’s money.. But it was one of the more difficult things I’ve done in my life. However it was a textbook , not a novel. I think a novel is easier to write because it’s a story , not a structured academic textbook. The trick in a novel is writing with mesmerizing detail with exciting plot lines. One of best at doing that today is
C. J. BOX. His protagonist is a Game Warden in Wyoming but the messes he gets into and out of keep me fascinated. Box works in all sorts of cool techno stuff from advanced hunting rifles used as a human kill system to a helicopter used to find rare earth deposits worth billions on the Wyoming grasslands. His latest is “The Crossroads”, the 20th novel in the Joe Picket series. It kept me up last night to 2am. Had to find out what happened. Box is a definite sleep depriving risk. He says writing a novel is 95% Craft and 5% creativity. Lots of tricks to the trade. If I had the time I’d take that creative writing course I skipped at Georgetown in order to excel at intercollegiate debate. On the other hand debate skills have made my various careers. It’s no time to second guess. But you have the time. Go create that novel.
Yes; Wes should definitely write. His columns are superb of course because of his knowledge, but also because the are superbly entertaining, despite their often morbid, tragic topics. (That is not to trivialize them.) Presentation matters if one wants the attention of an audience. The comic plays at blithe machismo when describing how well weapons work makes stomaching his topics easier to take. That may say more about me than him, yet either way, Wes attracts an audience.
Regarding Ukraine “charging top dollar…” I REALLY hope they are too - they need every penny - but is that how this actually works? Ukraine sends military consultants and … what, charges by the hour? I have no idea how this type of thing gets handled on the international military circuit. Any insights?
Hi Max! There’s two angles here: the gov and the corpo’s (Ukrainian drone manufacturers). Formal gov-to-gov military assistance would be like a bilateral agreement like a memorandum of understanding or a security cooperation framework that structures the exchange at the national level. One government provides a capability, the other provides something of equivalent strategic value in return. And Zelensky has already telegraphed Ukraine’s preferred currency explicitly: PAC-3 missiles.
But for private Ukrainian defense companies, it’s GAME ON! lol
They sell hardware at market rates, negotiate contracts, and operate increasingly like conventional defense contractors.
I owned a Mitsubishi Eclipse as a teenager and I always wondered what my grandfather would think about that. I never met him but he shot down five Zeros over Okinawa in 1945.
Great article…the US is so far behind because of size and lack of investment and outmoded systems. Ukraine kicks ass because they created a new way to get companies to create their own weapons…totally entrepreneurial and less hierarchical. Keep up the good writing!
"Still, there are some academics who believe that the US hasn’t learned anything from the Ukraine War." To which many US politicians no doubt say 'pah academics'.
Trump has been doing all he can to stay as far away as possible from the Ukraine war so it is unlikely to be a career enhancing move to learn anything from it.
On the other hand the US was definitely in the Iraq war .... and Trump Republicans learned nothing from that either so ....
... perhaps there is a financial incentive to focus on ever more complex and ever more expensive weaponry. Whereas Ukraine is focussing on bootstrapping survival.
Personally I'm with the academics - I'd want to learn from Ukraine. As you say most nation's military appear to feel the same way
Very informative Wes and from an IT nerd specilising in Cyber Security (3rd career choice in later life) this was heavy on the detail which I applaud.
The UK and a number of other European nations have taken on board lessons from Ukraine but what I think we should be looking for in the future, as budgets increase, is these very nations following Ukraine's example and establishing seperate unmanned systems Arms of their military. In the UK this specialisation has been incorporated into the Royal Artillery but this adds to their already over-burdened role. In the coming years I would expect, as the British Army increases in size (one hopes), a new Arm is incorporated and hopefully a long term collaboration is developed with the Ukranian military and other European nations as they develop their own equivalent.
Informative and well-written column, Wes. I've learned to expect nothing less. As for Ukraine's "school's in session" collaboration with the West, I hope they are well-rewarded - in funds, equipment and international recognition. Of course, none of that will come from the Trump administration, but perhaps the rest of the world will come through.
Great work Wes
Thanx Amigo!
Excellent info and even better analysis. You may find practicing law a bit dull. There is the occasional murder self defense case that is both exciting. exhausting and when you win it, rewarding, having saved someone’s life, but that is relatively rare.
My advice is to keep doing exactly what you are doing. You’ll figure out how to do very well. A book, a screenplay etc. Creative talent like yours is in short supply. Law school teaches detailed analysis of random facts to come up with a theory of the case that produces good results for the client. You’ve learned that skill well. Now you might turn that creativity into a novel, like Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Good Hunting 😎
Thanks Terrence! You read me right; I would love to write a techno-thriller in the tradition of Tom Clancy.
I can’t wait to read it. A book is a tough slog, I wrote a textbook with a co author (a fellow Asst. Professor at the Point) published by Prentice Hall based on our Seminar, “Politics American Style, Race, Environment and Central Cities” we both taught at the Point. It was the first “Relevant” government/history text to be published (1972). The book advance was great, $50k Each, in today’s money.. But it was one of the more difficult things I’ve done in my life. However it was a textbook , not a novel. I think a novel is easier to write because it’s a story , not a structured academic textbook. The trick in a novel is writing with mesmerizing detail with exciting plot lines. One of best at doing that today is
C. J. BOX. His protagonist is a Game Warden in Wyoming but the messes he gets into and out of keep me fascinated. Box works in all sorts of cool techno stuff from advanced hunting rifles used as a human kill system to a helicopter used to find rare earth deposits worth billions on the Wyoming grasslands. His latest is “The Crossroads”, the 20th novel in the Joe Picket series. It kept me up last night to 2am. Had to find out what happened. Box is a definite sleep depriving risk. He says writing a novel is 95% Craft and 5% creativity. Lots of tricks to the trade. If I had the time I’d take that creative writing course I skipped at Georgetown in order to excel at intercollegiate debate. On the other hand debate skills have made my various careers. It’s no time to second guess. But you have the time. Go create that novel.
Yes; Wes should definitely write. His columns are superb of course because of his knowledge, but also because the are superbly entertaining, despite their often morbid, tragic topics. (That is not to trivialize them.) Presentation matters if one wants the attention of an audience. The comic plays at blithe machismo when describing how well weapons work makes stomaching his topics easier to take. That may say more about me than him, yet either way, Wes attracts an audience.
Best seller coming up
heres hoping that their actions are 100% sucessfull
Regarding Ukraine “charging top dollar…” I REALLY hope they are too - they need every penny - but is that how this actually works? Ukraine sends military consultants and … what, charges by the hour? I have no idea how this type of thing gets handled on the international military circuit. Any insights?
Hi Max! There’s two angles here: the gov and the corpo’s (Ukrainian drone manufacturers). Formal gov-to-gov military assistance would be like a bilateral agreement like a memorandum of understanding or a security cooperation framework that structures the exchange at the national level. One government provides a capability, the other provides something of equivalent strategic value in return. And Zelensky has already telegraphed Ukraine’s preferred currency explicitly: PAC-3 missiles.
But for private Ukrainian defense companies, it’s GAME ON! lol
They sell hardware at market rates, negotiate contracts, and operate increasingly like conventional defense contractors.
Thanks Wes. What do you make of the chances to actually get any PAC-3s? At the rate this Iran campaign is going I fear it seems vanishingly small…
In the meantime the US armed services are buying from Mitsubishi A6M Z... erm sorry...
Mitsubishi is selling PAC3 missiles to the US armed services...
I owned a Mitsubishi Eclipse as a teenager and I always wondered what my grandfather would think about that. I never met him but he shot down five Zeros over Okinawa in 1945.
Maybe the metal in your car came from one of those Zeros? 😉
He would probably have preferred if you owned a Gran Torino... :-)
Great article…the US is so far behind because of size and lack of investment and outmoded systems. Ukraine kicks ass because they created a new way to get companies to create their own weapons…totally entrepreneurial and less hierarchical. Keep up the good writing!
This was the best military post I’ve seen on SubStack. Thanks!
Honestly, I didn't care about military tech before your column. But this is fascinating, and it affects real people.
My fear/ concern is that Ukraine passes on its anti-drone knowledge to, say, the US...who promptly pass it on to Russia.
Hope they don't tell all...🤫
I still can't get my head around Aegis SPY-1 radars being taken out by what's essentially a flying lawnmower with some C4 on it. 🤦♂️