Is There a Revolution in Military Affairs in Ukraine?

An assessment of military revolutions, revolutions in military affairs and the influence of the war in Ukraine

Image: @DefenceU on Twitter / X

The war in Ukraine has seen the birth of multiple innovations that have aided both the Ukrainians and Russians in the conduct of their military operations since February 2022. The topic of the ongoing adaptation battle – at the tactical and strategic levels – is one that I have returned to throughout the conflict.

Periodically since 2022, a related question has been posed: is the war in Ukraine a new revolution in military affairs (RMA)? The question was posed in an article for The Hill in July 2022, and in several more recent publications that have largely centered on the use of drones in the war possibly as driving a revolution in military affairs.

Despite the importance of this topic, the issue of whether the war in Ukraine is beginning of a new revolution in military affairs remains understudied. This needs to be redressed because studying Ukraine through the lens of RMA allows for identifying appropriate innovations for investment in military institutions, improving the incentives for innovation in the military and in military procurement systems, and for developing the new doctrines, organisations and training regimes that provide the foundation for absorbing new technologies.