This Means War Manoeuvre theory is in a coma
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Aug 31, 2023 Professor Tony King, an expert in manoeuvrist theory, provides keen insights into the decline of maneuver warfare in modern conflicts. He stresses the increasingly limited opportunities for its application on today's complex battlefields. The conversation explores how technological advancements have shifted tactics toward positional and attritional warfare, particularly in the Russia-Ukraine war. King's critique highlights the need for military education to adapt, focusing more on effective alternatives rather than strictly adhering to manoeuvrism.
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Maneuver Warfare's Decline
- Modern battlefields with dense sensors and long-range weapons make large-scale maneuver warfare very difficult.
- Positional and attritional warfare currently dominate land combat strategies.
Maneuver's Three Key Conditions
- Effective maneuver requires large-scale physical movement combined with striking enemy combat power and decentralized command.
- Ukraine’s battlefield conditions severely limit meaningful maneuver opportunities or breakthroughs.
Doctrine Versus Reality Shift
- Current doctrine clings to maneuver language but reality favors dispersed small forces leveraging firepower to seize and hold key terrain.
- Warfare is transitioning towards positional firepower-centric operations, away from traditional large-scale armored maneuvers.