US Army vs. Advanced Enemy: New Ground Exercises
Secretary of the Army Kristin Wormuth at the NTC training ground, April 12
The US Army closely monitors the events in Ukraine, collects all available information, analyzes it and draws conclusions. In addition, practical activities are already underway to develop new ideas and solutions. Right now, exercises are underway at the Fort Irvine base, during which the ground forces are trying to fight a developed enemy with broad military and information capabilities.
Actual teachings
According to the American media, a new curious exercise began a few days ago. It is held at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. Two formations of ground forces are involved in the maneuvers. Training battles are held at the Center's training ground in the Mojave Desert.
It is alleged that the exercises are carried out in the wake of the first weeks of the Russian Special Operation in Ukraine. American military experts monitor the fighting on Ukrainian territory, collect various information and track general processes and trends. The legend and scenario of the exercises were compiled taking into account the information collected - and the vision of the situation from the United States.
Training battles began a few days ago. In the first two days they were carried out under the supervision of the Minister of the Army Christine Wormuth. The American press cites her words both about the exercises and about the real events against which they take place. The minister notes that Russian-Ukrainian relations in recent years and current events show the high importance of the information sphere.
The teaching will last two weeks. During this time, it is planned to conduct training battles and work out new methods of attacking the enemy's defenses, which have special capabilities. Apparently, the maneuvers will end with the victory of the American troops and the traditional defeat of the mock enemy - despite all its capabilities and potential.
K. Wormuth and the commander of the advancing 2nd brigade, Colonel Ian Palmer
Conditional Threat
According to the legend of the exercises, conditional battles take place on the territory of an unnamed state, in the fictional city of Ujen. Its role is assigned to the site of the NTC test site with low-rise urban development, infrastructure, transport, etc. This object has already been repeatedly used in various maneuvers and helped to work out work in urban conditions.
The city of Ujen is captured by a mock enemy - the land forces of the fictional state of Denovia. At the same time, part of the civilian population remains in the conditional city. The role of the invaders and local residents is entrusted to the personnel of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, known as the Blackhorse and assigned to the Training Center.
The Denovian garrison consists of 1350 people. and has all the necessary weapons and means. It has infantry and anti-tank weapons, modern communications and electronic warfare systems. In addition, mock invaders and local residents have smartphones and other gadgets - these products should also play a role during the exercises.
American troops, represented by the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, must conduct a ground operation, dislodge the Denovian invaders and take control of Ujen. 4500 people are involved in the events. with infantry and other weapons, armored vehicles and all the capabilities available to the US Army.
In accordance with the plan, the conditional invader has entrenched himself in the city and is ready to defend himself using all his forces and means - weapons, electronic warfare equipment, etc. In addition, the Denovian troops are ready for an information war. They will "manufacture fakes" against US troops and distribute them to mock civilians.
New tasks
In general, the US Army has experience in urban environments, and not only in exercises within the ranges. In this regard, mock battles for the fictional Ujen will differ little from other exercises or real-life events involving the 2nd Brigade. However, the scenario of the current exercise has several important features and provides for interesting innovations.
First of all, the level of equipment and training of the conditional enemy attracts attention. In recent years, the US Army, working through the experience of local conflicts, learned to fight with a weaker enemy. Now the defense is held by the connection of a full-fledged army with a wide choice of weapons and additional means.
In addition, there are additional challenges and threats. The imaginary enemy has and is ready to use electronic warfare equipment that directly threatens the combat capability of the advancing troops. In a conditional city, civilians remain, who are threatened by training battles. At the same time, the enemy organizes "information operations" and will try to turn the inhabitants against the American connection.
Thus, the 2nd Brigade will have to fight with an almost equivalent enemy and in the presence of a number of serious restrictions. All this will complicate its actions, but will allow it to work out current issues, as well as to study modern threats and ways to counter them. As a result of conditional battles in Udzhen, new recommendations of various kinds, tactics, etc., may appear, which will be widely implemented in the troops.
Practical benefits
The scenario and other features of the current exercise at the NTC are curious, but other circumstances are of greatest interest. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the prerequisites for their organization and the potential consequences for the development of the US military. It is noteworthy that both topics are generally disclosed in official statements and press publications.
The official reason for the "battles for Ujen" is the current events in Ukraine. The Pentagon monitors the actions of both sides, draws conclusions and is already beginning to work out various ideas and concepts in practice. It can be assumed that the current events will not be the last of their kind, and not only the 2nd brigade will undergo similar training.
The organizers of the exercises draw parallels with the Russian Special Operation and do it in accordance with the current American agenda. So, "Denovia", by which, obviously, they understand Russia, invaded Ujen and now offends the civilian population, prepares fakes, etc. However, in Ukraine, the opposite situation is observed - in fact, the Ukrainian side, trying to keep the defense, attacks civilian objects and the population, uses dirty propaganda tricks, etc.
In the light of real events, the legend of the exercises looks extremely interesting. It turns out that the Denovians are a kind of Ukrainian army, more trained and equipped than it really is. Accordingly, the 2nd brigade of the US Army in this operation copies the formations of the Russian army. Such an interpretation of the legend also allows us to solve all the problems and work out topical issues. But it should not be published in the American media, because. it does not correspond to the current "correct" views on the problem.
It should be noted that the new exercises are connected not only with the Russian Special Operation - they have a more serious military-political basis. The United States openly calls Russia and China its main potential adversaries, and in recent years has been learning to deal with them under different conditions.
Various exercises are regularly conducted against a relatively developed conditional enemy. On different maneuvers, he is given certain opportunities or even advantages. In the current arrangements, the role of the enemy is assigned to the "Denovian" 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and it is again associated with a more advantageous position.
Experience
Thus, the US Army is closely following the ongoing events and analyzes them with the aim of its own improvement. Some of these activities are carried out at the theoretical level, while others require practical testing in the form of exercises at the training ground. Apparently, the analysis of the Russian Special Operation has passed the research stage and is entering the stage of testing with the involvement of personnel. The first exercises of this kind have already begun and will take about a week more. Apparently, they will end with the victory of the American troops, the liberation of the conditional city and the defeat of the enemy.
What conclusions will be drawn from the results of these maneuvers and how they will affect the further development of the US ground forces is unknown. However, it is clear that the Pentagon intends to study all ongoing events, draw maximum conclusions and prepare for any hypothetical conflicts of the future, and now developed powers with both military and other capabilities are considered as potential adversaries.
Information