Join Mick Ryan, a retired Major General and esteemed military strategist, as he delves into the transformative restructuring of Ukrainian command and control. He stresses the vital need for skilled commanders amid evolving battlefield dynamics. Discover how lessons from the Ukrainian conflict are reshaping European military strategies and the significance of history in understanding military failures and successes. Mick also draws intriguing comparisons with Israeli military operations, highlighting their diverse command strategies.
Die passende Ausgabe “Eine Stunde History” läuft am 17. Februar 2025 auf DLFnova.
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Quick takeaways
The restructuring of Ukrainian command aims to enhance battlefield management and operational effectiveness by forming additional corps, adapting to contemporary warfare complexities.
Successful implementation relies on commanders' training and selection to prevent micro-management, ensuring strategic focus and coherence in command hierarchy.
Deep dives
Restructuring the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Ukrainian President Zelensky announced a restructure of the armed forces, which includes the formation of additional corps. This decision arose from the need to adapt to battlefield pressures and respond to previous directives for modernization given to General Siersky. The restructuring aims to establish a new level of command and control, recognizing that the existing system lacked the necessary divisional structures that Western militaries typically employ. The establishment of corps is intended to provide a more integrated approach to battlefield management while enhancing operational effectiveness.
Benefits of Corps Structure
The core level structure is designed to facilitate better battlefield planning and leadership, allowing for more efficient allocation of resources and support to subordinate units. This organizational change is expected to streamline the flow of commands from the general staff to the brigades, potentially reducing the need for direct tactical interventions from higher command. However, the effectiveness of this structure relies on the ability of core level commanders to avoid micro-managing current operations and instead focus on strategic planning. The corps are not intended to replicate historical NATO structures but to adapt to contemporary warfare's complexities and the specific context of the ongoing conflict.
Challenges in Command and Control
A significant challenge in establishing the corps is ensuring that commanders possess the necessary skills to operate at this higher level of command. Commanding a corps requires a deep understanding of both operational and strategic military considerations, which necessitates robust training and a rigorous selection process for leadership roles. The potential for selection biases or inadequate training could hinder the effective implementation of this new structure, leading to a lack of coherence in command. The Ukrainian military is tasked with overcoming these obstacles while ensuring that personnel are adequately prepared for the complexities involved in high-level operations.
Lessons for Future Military Organizations
The ongoing changes in Ukraine’s military structure may provide valuable insights for other nations grappling with similar challenges in command and control. While every military context has unique requirements, the adaptability and willingness to evolve observed in the Ukrainian forces can serve as a model for others. Military leaders worldwide are encouraged to analyze these developments carefully, filtering lessons learned through their specific operational contexts. This process emphasizes the importance of adaptability and operational flexibility as key components of effective military leadership in modern warfare.
The announcement in February 2025 of a restructuring of Ukrainian command and control went largely unnoticed in the West. It shouldn’t have: the implications are significant. Mick Ryan provides some much-needed illumination and insight into what this means, why it came about, some of the challenges and opportunities that may result, and whether lessons are immediately transferrable. Training and selecting commanders is a critical enabler to making this all work, and Mick recalls some of the syllabus from his time at the USMC School of Advanced Warfighting to give us a flavour of how different the Corps level is from Brigade operations. Mick finishes with a short update on IDF C2 as a comparator.
As well as Mick’s 3 books currently available, he also has a chapter in Steve Leonard and Jon Klug’s new book, “Professionals Talk Logistics”, available from Howgate Publishing. You can also sign up for Mick’s substack so you don’t have to miss out on his weekly Big 5.
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