How Russian hybrid warfare changed the Pentagon’s perspective

Are we talking Spectrum Operations. Seems that way since our high tech penetrations were not intended to operate in a non-combat environment, but as a combat multipler. Doing otherwise gives our enemies too much time to prepare and develop conuntermeasures.

I think a big part is that Russia and the U.S. have very different attitudes towards risk in the “less than war” environments. Look at election interference for example. As well Russia has an electronic warfare capability at a tactical level that we currently do not have. Russia demonstrated their Cyber and EW capabilities by being able to completely shut down “everything” used by the Ukrainians for communications.

A big part of the problem is that the U.S. military strategy has been based on the conviction that U.S. troops would face much weaker opponents, such as insurgents, terrorists and pirates- fighting the wars we are currently fighting. As such our combat training programs and priorities in the procurement of weapons have changed accordingly - we need assess designed to support the current missions.

However using Ukraine and Syria as a classroom its clear we need to step up our game as if a big fight broke out we would not have an uncontested cyber domain. I think the biggest take away is in understanding Russia's EW and cyber in terms of non-combat environment vs combat. I think as well Russia's overt military use vs US covert actions to soften a target are as well two divergent mindsets. Russia punches you right in the mouth - use of direct intimidation - where we discretely poison your well - molest from afar.

Interesting article Mark.