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Small Unit Tactics and�Lessons Learned in Ukraine

Steve and Wolfgang Hagarty

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Steve Hagarty

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  • USMC Infantry 1972-1975
  • Participated in high level war game exercises at HQ USMC
  • Spent 2 weeks in Ukraine as an observer documenting Western volunteer combat experiences and touring battlefields.
  • Working with Dana Lombardy for a series of books on Ukraine weapons, tactics and Lessons Learned.
  • Board and miniature game designer for WWII and modern tactical level simulations using the OODA Decision Loop game engine.

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Wolfgang Hagarty

  • USMC Signals Intelligence, 2012 – 2017, multiple deployments
  • Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine, Jun 2022- Mar 2024
  • Kharkiv offensive from Balakliya to Kup’yans’k
  • Kherson offensive from Mykolaiv direction
  • Soledar and Bakhmut defense from Oct 2022-Oct 2023
  • Defensive actions in Kharkiv Oblast from Oct 2023-Mar 2024
  • Team Leader – UAS, CUAS, EW, CEW, SIGINT
  • Intelligence Officer - 1st Squadron
  • Set up training pipelines and material for UAS/CUAS and EW/CEW
  • Consulted and tested on a variety of drone & EW equipment

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Disclaimer

We will not be discussing the following outside generality as

the presentation will be about Western volunteer combat.

We will not be discussing:

  • Ukrainian Military Capabilities and Limitations
  • Ukrainian Military Tactics, Training, Procedures
  • Ukrainian Overall Strategic Planning
  • Naming Ukrainian Equipment and use
  • Geopolitics or making predictions on the outcome.

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I am blunt and honest, that may come across as offensive

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Scope

Lessons Learned in these areas:

  • UAS and CUAS Warfare
  • EW and CEW Warfare
  • Infantry Tactics and Trench Warfare

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UAS/Drones

  • Homemade Drones
    • Best cost and use
    • Know what you get
    • Easily adapted to mission
    • Quickly fixed, replaced
  • Commercial Drones
    • Best overall, easy to use
    • Parts available, cost efficient
    • Software tries to kill you
  • Military Drones
    • Overly reliant on technology
    • Poor testing
    • Built without peer enemy in mind
    • “Good initiative, poor judgement”

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UAS Lessons Learned

  • GPS as a “nice to have” not requirement, terrain associate
  • Frequency Flexibility
  • KISS Return to Home
  • KISS Terrain Mapping, Return
  • Maximize user input and planning
  • Build for cost
  • Battery Compliance
  • Live Streaming, CC/FCO
  • Analogue is better
  • Learn to fly with EW/CUAS

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CUAS Lessons Learned

  • Easily manage friend from foe
  • Direct stream CUAS to EW/AA assets
  • Interconnect all assets
  • People are lazy, make it easy
  • Frequency management
  • Fly low, terrain mask
  • Anything is a weapon if used violently
  • Remember shotguns exist

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EW+SIGINT Lessons Learned

  • Cat and mouse, semper gumby
  • Divide advertised range by up to half
  • Ensure end users understand RF
  • Multiple layers, defense in depth
  • Integrate EW with CUAS and SIGINT
  • Directional antennas
  • People are lazy, don’t make it easy
  • Spoof, decoy, misdirect
  • FEAs, or cover your pecker

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Infantry Lessons Learned

  • Shoot first, just shoot
  • Use explosives until the screaming …
  • Corkscrew and …
  • Cool factor only counts at home
  • Security through Obscurity
  • Overwhelming violence of action
  • Swift controlled movements, Teamwork
  • UAS+FS makes the assault
  • If you think you have enough, ya don’t
  • Ammo costs less than you do
  • CCPs/Field Hospitals targeted
  • Geneva “suggestions”, fun grenades
  • Friendly Fire happens

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Medical �Lessons Learned

  • Hydrate or die. Hydrate or die.
  • CasEvac difficult, no Golden Hour
  • The Wounded Can Fight
  • 6 of: TQ, Chest seals, Ace wrap, Gauze
  • Hypothermia, poor TQ kills
    • Keep shit out of pockets
  • Supervise patients
  • Medicinal funhouse, Pain/Anti-Bio
  • Practice, practice, practice
    • Self
    • Buddy
    • EVAC (5km)

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Artillery Fires�Lessons Learned

  • If you think you have enough, ya don’t
  • Precision fires, aren’t (always)
  • Live stream to the guns/StarLink
  • Consistency is key, practice
  • Use drones for FC during assaults
  • Russians concentrate on “Cool”

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(Anecdotal)

Russian dud rounds rate 10%-30%

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Wrap Up &�Questions

  • Western Equipment Testing is Poor
  • Current Equipment Subpar
  • Current Equipment Cost High
  • Current Readiness, Low
  • Force on Force Training should include Failures and FUBAR
  • MLCOA is probably MDCOA
  • Situational Awareness Key
  • Violence of Action Solves Problems

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Western Mind Can’t Comprehend Slavs

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Contact info:

Wolfgang Barron-Hagarty

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Mobile: 650-720-1647

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wolfgang.hagarty@gmail.com

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Linkedin Profile:

https://shorturl.at/XFTty

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