2023-06-18 16:56:00
“He who will be master of the air will be master of the world”, wrote at the beginning of the 20th century Clément Ader, a pioneer in aviation, on the principle that freedom of action in the air and control of the skies were a prerequisite for any military action. This was indeed the case in Iraq or Libya, for example, where the air assets of France and its allies gave them a definite advantage for operations. In Ukraine, on the other hand, combat planes and helicopters have been less visible since the start of the invasion…
Air defense has taken over from aircraft
Why didn’t Russia have mastery of the sky? “Did she want it?” », asks General Emmanuel Boiteau, Air Brigadier General and Director of the Center for Aerospace Strategic Studies at the Air and Space Force. Fact, “In Russian strategic grammar, air superiority is not particularly emphasized. And the absence of this concept of air superiority was very costly to him from the start of the operation. » On the attempt to take Hostomel, for example.
However, “We don’t see everything in the images relayed on television. The planes continue to operate”, he nuances. So, “every week you have a few planes and helicopters shot down, and a few hundred drones, the sky plays a role”, specifies General Boiteau. Moreover, “Today, in air defense, which encompasses all means – fighter aircraft, electronic warfare, ground-to-air systems… – there is preponderance of the defensive system over the offensive system at present, and particularly in Ukraine”, he deciphers. And then, nothing is fixed… “The fight for air superiority continues”he says.
Russian tactical and technical weaknesses
Ukraine, precisely, has shown itself to be resilient in terms of air defence. “Obviously the Russians underestimated the Ukrainians in every way”, confirms Major General Pierre-Joseph Givre, director of the Center for Doctrine and Command Education. But the Ukrainians, in terms of air defense in the broad sense of the term, are very well developed. Thanks to their knowledge of how Russians work, “they prepared, concealed their stocks and their ground-to-air defense, among other things, and even deceived”he adds.
At the same time, on the Russian side, an aviation that does not fly at night translates into few tactical flights, few unguided bombs, with the consequence that the planes have to fly low… And therefore an increased vulnerability. “The Russian pilots fell into many ambushes by the Ukrainians”he summarizes.
Same story from General Fabrice Talarico, second in command of ALAT (Light Army Aviation). If further hindsight is needed for in-depth analyzes – “we don’t know everything”he says – the first lesson of this war is that the Russian doctrine is indeed very different from the French. “French-style aérocombat is the maneuver of army helicopters integrated into the land maneuver”, he explains. So, “contact zones will be avoided as much as possible, because that is where the threat is concentrated – missiles, drones, artillery…”, he explains. Another lesson, high intensity combat involves “to intensify joint cooperation”he continues.
“The Russians misused the helicopters”abounds the general of division (2S for second section) Patrick Bréthous, defense adviser to the president of Airbus Helicopters, Bruno Even. “Their aircraft are not made for high intensity combat, in what we now call multi-domain operations”, he says. In other words, they “do not allow them to be engaged in maneuvering modes of action, close to the ground, at night and in bad weather”, he explains. What makes all the strength of Western helicopters…
“At Airbus Helicopters, we will continue to work on a technological differentiation allowing us to be better than the adversary, which involves electric flight controls, stealth, lightness for our devices which allow tactical flight, equipment in 100% night flight, electronic countermeasures, data link which allows command and also, which is new, cooperation with drones”he lists.
Couple drone-helicopter
New indeed, combat helicopters must now deal with the arrival of drones on the battlefields. “The complementarity between drone and helicopter is obvious”, says Patrick Brethous. Thus, if drones take up space in certain operations, “helicopters will always be useful for deep raids, medical evacuation, logistical maneuvers, in the rear, on the fronts”he said.
Bruno Even’s defense adviser is convinced of this. “Helicopters must absolutely be able to coordinate with drones at the very least and, at best, to operate with them”, he assures. Another avenue for the future, “We have already implemented a certain number of automation systems and man-machine interfaces which facilitate the piloting of a helicopter”he adds, and therefore to detach the Captain from pure piloting so that he can devote himself entirely to the mission.
People at the heart of the decision
In fact, the whole issue, in the high intensity warfare and dogfights of tomorrow, where the threat will continue to increase, will be the place of artificial intelligence and humans. “We have to keep the man in the loop”however, decides General Boiteau. “In the event of intensive jamming or cyber attacks on networks, for example, where the fight is fiercest, people will be at the heart of the decision – with their rules of engagement and their agreed level of risk. Human intelligence will therefore be assisted by AI to provide it with additional mass and abilities. »
In this speed race, “AI is essentialadds General Givre. To tactically target the adversary faster than they target us. » This involves, among other things, the capture and exploitation of data, then their transmission to the most efficient effectors. In sum, a “Generalized AI”according to his expression, with, in support, a hybridization of connectivities and an increase in speeds for the image… And to conclude: “The man will stay in the loop to say ‘go’ or ‘no go'”. Because a defeat can often be summed up in two words: too late…
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#Russians #underestimated #Ukrainians
