The twenty-first century 's most destructive military conflict has affected the global perception of modem warfare. One lesson is the need for rapid adaptation in wartime. Based on the lessons of commercial technology integration during the Russo-Ukrainian War, what changes need to be made in law, policy, and force development integration processes (such as fielding, manning, training, and doctrine) to accelerate adaption to ensure warfighting lethality and readiness? How can military planners emulate Ukraine's use of cloud computing to maintain data for post conflict use and the continuance of government functions during conflict? The conflict also saw the first use of hypersonic missiles on the battlefield. What lessons can DoW learn from that use, and how should DoW resolve key issues related to hypersonic systems, such as ambiguity, misinterpretation, escalation, and crisis instability?
- Bordeau, Capt. Adam et al, "BBP on Engineering Support to Deployable Combat Wings," SOS AUAR, 3 pgs. and slides, 2025.
- Bordeau addresses this prompt by specifically highlighting how the Ukraine-Russia conflict has demonstrated the outsized impact of rapidly adapting commercial and battlefield technologies, such as drones. To replicate this success and accelerate adaptation, he argues that the Air Force must change its manning and force development processes by establishing a long-term, embedded construct for engineers within Air Task Forces and DCWs rather than relying on short-term pilot programs. By placing engineers at the tactical edge, the Air Force can ensure a continual flow of expertise and foster deliberate collaboration with academia, commercial industry, and research labs, ultimately reducing response times for critical operational needs to hours or days.
- McCaughan, Lt. Col. Ryan, "You Can't Just 'Ukraine' Taiwan: The Imperative to Strengthen Taiwan's Defense Posture," AWC RSS paper, 2025, 18 pgs.
- Thomas, Lt. Col. Kevin T., "Out of Broken Dreams: The Ushering in of Second Drone Age Warfare in Ukraine," AWC SSP, 2025, 46 pgs.