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Top 20 world’s strongest militaries – personnel, aircraft, tanks and more; Here’s where India stands

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Army has been wargaming in the Indo-Pacific, preparing for what a future war might look like.</li><li>It faces challenges in navigating and fighting in the vast, geographically diverse region.</li></ul>In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-china-missile-problem-getting-worse-2024-5">future war in the Indo-Pacific</a>, the US Army could find itself navigating vast oceans, scattered islands, and thick jungles just as it did during World War II, and that's forcing the Army to think carefully about what readiness looks like."The ability to train in this terrain is really a critical enabler to enhance and drive our warfighting readiness," US Army Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, commander of the 25th Infantry Division out of Hawaii, told Business Insider. It allows troops to interact with "the tyranny of distance and the geography" in real time.These are two of the biggest issues the Army has to face in the Pacific, a tense region which is home to several adversarial nations, including the Pentagon's "pacing challenge" China.<div type="image" title="A US Army soldier wearing camouflage walks along a dense swarth of green jungle." height="3682" width="5520" msid="114357243" hostid="261" sizebytes="1495116"></div>At the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-lost-arctic-fighting-skills-training-regain-them-alaska-2024-2">Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center</a> exercise in Hawaii earlier this month, the training's biggest iteration yet, over 10,000 personnel from across the joint force and from US international allies and partners wargamed a fight against a top adversary.JPMRC is unique in its scale and goals. Troops also rotate through Alaska in the winter, helping <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-us-army-is-training-soldiers-to-fight-in-arctic-2024-3">soldiers adapt to frigid Arctic temperatures</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-breeding-new-kind-of-arctic-warrior-freezing-alaska-2024-2">warfighting in a truly unforgiving environment</a>.In each case, the training prioritizes preparing the Army to be flexible in its future fighting, as the Pacific, the Pentagon's priority theater, is defined by a range of environments.The drills also allow the Army to work out any issues in its readiness, from how to transport troops across the region to remaining hidden from the enemy and sustaining its forces. "It is really hard to replicate that other than just training here in the region," Evans said.<div type="image" title="An armored military vehicle is parked in green grass with trees in the distance against a blue and cloudy sky." height="4360" width="6540" msid="114357247" hostid="261" sizebytes="1524304"></div>The Army faces various dilemmas when it comes to moving around the region. JPMRC allows personnel to integrate with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-training-to-counter-aggressive-insidious-china-top-general-2024-2">joint partners and international allies</a> to solve those problems, resulting in operations such as a long-range maritime air assault involving around 300 soldiers traveling to seize an airfield 200 miles away in the dead of night or the 11th Airborne Division jumping into Hawaii after flying out of Alaska.Evans called the multinational cooperation one of the most important components of the training, as it allows the Army to work closer with allies, such as Japan and the UK, to improve interoperability at multiple levels, like planning and executing missions and personnel-to-personnel communication.USARPAC's commanding officer, Gen. Charles Flynn, previously told BI that "persistent state of partnering" with allies is "the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-training-to-counter-aggressive-insidious-china-top-general-2024-2">greatest counterweight</a>" against China's "aggressive" and "insidious" behavior.<h2 id="f0121a28-2342-4424-a785-e007514ed672">Meeting challenges</h2>Getting soldiers to where they need to go, especially in an archipelago environment, requires stealthiness. Evans explained that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-soldiers-taking-advantage-of-nighttime-conditions-in-pacific-region-2024-10">nighttime operations remain a top priority for the Army</a>, and JPMRC allows soldiers the opportunity to develop that "perishable skill."<div type="image" title="Four US Army soldiers wearing camouflage walk down a dirt road with thick green jungle on either side of them." height="3789" width="5684" msid="114357241" hostid="261" sizebytes="962124"></div>At night, soldiers "are less observable," Evans said, adding that "nighttime enhances protection" and gives them "the ability to hide amongst the noise."In places like the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/philippines-expects-us-to-intervene-if-china-takes-rusted-warship-2024-9">Philippines</a>, the Army practices moving soldiers and equipment around, studying road networks and the environment to understand how they can be leveraged or constrain operations.JPMRC also lets soldiers test new assets and weapons and adapt to future warfare problems, such as electronic warfare, which has become a major component of the war in Ukraine. Evans said the Army was taking lessons from the conflict, including how to handle the sensor and surveillance threat.<div type="image" title="A US Army soldier wearing face paint and camouflage hides amongst a thick grassy shrub." height="4480" width="6720" msid="114357248" hostid="261" sizebytes="1121100"></div>"We understand that the ability to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-showing-us-troops-fight-hide-in-electromagnetic-spectrum-2024-10">small and undetectable in the electromagnetic spectrum</a> is a task that we have to train more fulsomely on," he noted, "and that our ability to move and shoot and protect has got to be integrated into everything that we do."One of the biggest dilemmas the Army faces in the Pacific is sustainment, or keeping supplies moving, assets ready to go, and vehicles fueled across a challenging environment.It was US Army Gen. John Pershing who said during World War I that "infantry wins battles, logistics wins wars," but in the Pacific, vast swaths of ocean, islands, and other terrain challenges make logistics a headache.<div type="image" title="US Army soldiers wearing camouflage stand in lines with bags of supplies waiting to board a C-17 plane on a tarmac at nighttime." height="4024" width="6048" msid="114357240" hostid="261" sizebytes="929614"></div>"Sustainment is one of the things that we are focusing on in this training because of the disparate nature of the region," Evans explained. "We have to be able to resupply the formations that we have spread out across the Pacific, and we're challenged with the tyranny of distance, and we're challenged, quite frankly, with the geography."The Pacific is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-sends-record-number-of-warplanes-to-fly-around-taiwan-2024-10">predominantly maritime domain</a>. To adapt to that, the Army has focused on how it can take advantage of maritime or air assets to move between islands and how it can maintain its operational tempo."Every time we send a C-17 or we put equipment on a vessel to move as part of this exercise, we are getting a repetition that enhances overall readiness," the general said.

These are the biggest challenges facing the US Army in the Pacific, according to a general readying for the next war

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian army to increase its troop size by 180,000.</li><li>The increase would make Russia's army the second largest in the world, behind only China's.</li></ul>Russian President <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-russia-plans-to-comprehensively-upgrade-its-navy-2024-6">Vladimir Putin</a> wants to grow his country's armed forces, but experts say his ambitions could come at the expense of Russia's economy.On Monday, Putin ordered the army to increase its troops by 180,000, per a decree published by the Kremlin.This will raise the overall number of Russian military personnel to 2.38 million people, with 1.5 million of them being active soldiers.The expansion, which will take effect in December, would give Russia the world's second-largest army, behind only China and ahead of the US and India, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-orders-russian-army-grow-by-180000-soldiers-become-15-million-strong-2024-09-16/">per Reuters</a>, which cited data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.This isn't the first time Putin has sought to expand the army since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian leader ordered an increase of 137,000 troops in August 2022, followed by an increase of 170,000 in December 2023.Nick Reynolds, a land warfare research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said the increase is consistent with Russia's ongoing war planning.In February, Reynolds coauthored a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/russian-military-objectives-and-capacity-ukraine-through-2024">commentary</a> that suggested that 2025 would be a make-or-break year for Russia. Russia believes it can sustain current troop and equipment losses through 2025, with the belief that "victory should be achieved by 2026," they wrote.That's not implausible if Ukraine's Western allies don't keep supporting it, they added. But after 2026, Russia will begin to run out of existing stocks of tanks and armored fighting vehicles and will have to rely on producing new ones.The gear coming off the production line "will still be substantial," Reynolds told BI in an interview on Wednesday. "Just significantly less than they are now."That raises the question of how Russia can resource its even bigger army when it is already stretched."Where are the resources going to come from? How is the recruitment going to work?" Reynolds said, adding: "There are still some serious questions about how they will be equipped."It's also hard to see how the current training pipeline could support the expansion, he said.The increase in the army comes at a perilous time for Russia, which has to balance its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-ukraine-war-moscow-military-spending-inflation-worker-shortage-2024-2">military objectives in Ukraine</a> against the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-growth-recession-labor-worker-shortage-inflation-sanctions-west-2024-9">toll the war is taking on its economy</a>.Russia has "adapted much better than predicted to some of the pressures it's been put under," Reynolds told BI. But despite this, he said, "inflation is through the roof. The cost of living is through the roof."Other experts BI spoke to said that while Putin might still be able to grow Russia's army, it may only add more strain to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-lacks-workers-ukraine-war-labor-crisis-worker-shortage-2023-12">already-stretched Russian labor force</a>.Artem Kochev, an economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, told BI that Russia's labor market would be less affected if military recruitment is done in a targeted fashion."Currently, new recruits can be split into two groups: indebted people with low socio-economic status, and prison convicts," Kochev said. "They either participate in the less productive branches of the economy or are not part of the labor market at all."Russia has recruited so many inmates that it has started to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-shutter-prisons-inmates-ukraine-war-2024-3">shut down some of its prisons</a>, with one local official telling lawmakers in March that some prisons had to be shuttered because of "a one-time large reduction in the number of convicts," per Russian newspaper Kommersant."As long as recruitment stays within those two groups, the impact on the labor market will be limited," Kochev said, but noted that, even then, enlisting new recruits would still pose a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-defense-military-war-spending-drains-resources-other-sectors-2024-1">sizable fiscal burden</a>.In July, Russian media reported that new recruits in Moscow would <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-military-troops-new-recruits-ukraine-bonus-high-death-rate-2024-7">receive a bonus of 1.9 million rubles, or about $22,000</a>, if they signed a contract with the Russian defense ministry.That package is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-sign-up-bonuses-reaching-on-par-with-us-military-2024-7">on par with the bonuses offered by the US military</a> to their recruits, which range from $20,000 to $50,000.And even if money weren't a problem, Russia would still find it difficult to achieve its recruitment goals without hobbling its own economy."Taking another 180,000 people out of the labor force would have a serious impact on the economy," said Benjamin Hilgenstock, a senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics Institute.He added: "The labor market is already extremely tight with the unemployment rate dropping to 2.4% in June, which is basically full employment, and nominal wage growth now above 15% year-over-year."The hunger for more troops has seen Russia turn to an unlikely source — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-forcing-african-migrants-and-students-to-fight-in-ukraine-2024-6">African migrants and students</a>.In June, Bloomberg reported that Russian officials had threatened not to renew the visas of African migrant workers and students if they didn't join the Russian Armed Forces.Jeremy Morris, a global studies professor at Aarhus University, told BI that Russia's economic problems could overshadow its military challenges if left unattended."Authoritarian societies like Russia seem calm and controlled, but destabilization can happen quite abruptly," he said.

Putin is embarking on an aggressive hiring drive to rejuvenate Russia's army. But he can't sustain it, experts say.

For a country struggling to fight brutal poverty, internal conflicts, political instability, and bureaucratic inefficiency, the 1990s was a breath of fresh air. The economy was liberalised, the IT industry started booming, a telecom revolution was underway, a successful nuclear test was conducted, and the emergence of strong regional parties gave voice to the politically weak sections. But on May 3, 1999, as Pakistani intrusion was reported at the Kargil borders, India was on the cusp of losing a decade-long progress to an unprovoked war. Over the next three months, the Indian <keyword id="19903970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="armed-forces" source="keywords">armed forces</keyword> fought with all might not just to defend the borders, but to show to the world that its preference for peace is not a sign of weakness. <keyword id="21429298" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kargil-Vijay-Diwas" source="keywords">Kargil Vijay Diwas</keyword>, commemorated annually on July 26th, stands as a testament to India's indomitable spirit and the unwavering courage of its armed forces. This day marks the culmination of the <keyword id="20143432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kargil-War" source="keywords">Kargil War</keyword>, a conflict that tested the nation's mettle and forged a legacy of heroism. Addressing the 25th celebrations of the Kargil War victory, <keyword id="6354814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-narendra-modi" source="Orion">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> said that the Kargil War win is neither the victory of any government in power nor of any political group, it is the heritage and the victory of 140 crore people of India. <h2>The genesis</h2>Despite signing the Lahore Declaration in February 1999 for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, a covert infiltration by Pakistani troops into the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir in May 1999 triggered a crisis. Disguised as militants, they occupied strategic positions along the Line of Control (LoC), aiming to disrupt the Kashmir-Ladakh link. The <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Army" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Army">Indian Army</keyword>, upon discovering the intrusion from local shepherds, launched Operation Vijay, a counter-offensive to reclaim the occupied heights. <h2>Battling against nature and the enemy</h2>The Kargil War was a gruelling ordeal, fought in the unforgiving Himalayan terrain. Soldiers battled not only the enemy but also the harsh, high-altitude conditions. The covert movement of the Pak army helped them position themselves at strategically advantageous, high-altitude positions. As temperatures plummeted and oxygen levels dwindled, the rugged mountains posed immense logistical challenges to the ground forces. Yet, the Indian Army, driven by patriotism and a relentless determination to protect the nation's sovereignty, pressed on. <h2>Heroes of the Kargil War</h2>The Kargil War produced a pantheon of heroes whose bravery continues to inspire generations. Captain <keyword id="20211435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-batra" source="keywords">Vikram Batra</keyword>, with his iconic battle cry "Yeh Dil Mange More," led his troops to capture Point 4875, a pivotal victory. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, displaying exceptional courage, made the supreme sacrifice while defending his post. These brave soldiers, among many others, epitomized the indomitable spirit of the Indian Army. The Kargil War galvanized the nation. People from all walks of life came together to support the armed forces. The collective outpouring of patriotism and solidarity fueled the soldiers' resolve. Nearly 500 Indian soldiers lost their lives battling the enemy in unforgiving Himalayan terrains. The war also highlighted the sacrifices made by the families of the martyrs, whose courage and resilience were equally inspiring. <h2>A legacy of valour</h2>Kargil <keyword id="21992554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-diwas" source="keywords">Vijay Diwas</keyword> is more than just a commemoration; it is a reaffirmation of India's commitment to peace and security. The sacrifices made by the brave soldiers who fought in the Kargil War will forever be etched in the nation's memory. Their unwavering courage and determination continue to inspire future generations to serve the country with dedication and honour. As India celebrates the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today, it is essential to remember the heroes who laid down their lives for the nation. Their supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten by a country on its path to glory on a global stage. <h2>A continued tragedy</h2>The Kargil War left behind a deadly legacy along with long-term trauma among the local residents and the defence personnel who fought valiantly. As per a TOI report, unexploded bombs scattered across the region continue to pose a significant threat to the local population. In 2023 — 24 years after the tragic war — a total of around 336 such unexploded bombs were reportedly neutralised by the Army. Residents live in constant fear of accidental detonations, especially during construction or excavation work. These incidents have resulted in multiple casualties in the past several years, including the tragic death of a young child. Despite the passage of 25 years, the Army remains actively engaged in defusing these dangerous remnants of war. Even this year, as many as 103 such bombs were defused by the Army. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112016324" title="Ex-army officer runs 160 km, 40 km per day, to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas anniversary" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112031216" title="Families of soldiers pays tribute to soldiers who lost lives in 1999 Kargil War" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

Kargil Vijay Diwas: A tale of valour and sacrifice

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The British Army is now smaller than those of Romania and Bangladesh.</li><li>Its size raises questions about the UK's ability to support NATO, confront Russia, or fight a war.</li></ul>What has happened to the redcoats that defeated Napoleon and helped win an empire that stretched across a quarter of the Earth's surface?The British Army has shrunk to its lowest level since the early 1800s. Years of relentless budget cutbacks have left it with just <a target="_blank" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/30/army-falls-below-73000-first-time-since-napoleonic-area/">73,000 active-duty soldiers</a>. That's a far cry from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-corruption-rocket-force-water-fuel-xi-jinping-purge-scandal-2024-1">Chinese army</a> of 2 million soldiers, Russia's 1.3 million, or the 460,000 active-duty troops of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-armys-new-plan-russia-china-glaring-problem-crs-2024-5">US Army</a>.Britain's Army is now smaller than those of Romania and Bangladesh, and just slightly larger than those of Canada and Armenia. Until now, its <a target="_blank" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81d66740f0b623026996e1/2017-04440.pdf">lowest manpower level</a> over the last two centuries came in 1823, when it had just 72,000 soldiers. But that understates the current problem. Britain's population in 1823 was just over 20 million, versus around 67 million today. Adjusted for population, the British Army of 1823 would have around 225,000 soldiers today.This raises questions about the ability of Britain to support NATO, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-doesnt-want-nato-war-russia-would-lose-quickly-uk-2024-2">confront Russia</a>, or to engage in any major or long-term conflict. "As things stand, the British Army is a one-trick pony," Nicholas Drummond, a British defense expert and former infantry officer, told Business Insider. "It would deploy, fight for a maximum of six months, and then be fully depleted."The British Army has never had it easy. For centuries, it was the poorer cousin of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-navy-ships-breaking-down-britain-struggling-hms-queen-elizabeth-2024-2">Royal Navy</a>, which was seen as the guardian of an island nation and its empire. The writer Rudyard Kipling pointed out in poems like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_tommy.htm">"Tommy"</a> that Britain doesn't support its army until there's a war:For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"But it's "Savior of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;Thus the British Army's muster rolls have fluctuated depending on the world situation, and the perpetual parsimony of His Majesty's Treasury. In 1812, when it fought Napoleon and burned down Washington, DC, it had <a target="_blank" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81d66740f0b623026996e1/2017-04440.pdf">246,000 soldiers</a>. In 1918, it ended the First World War with 3.8 million personnel, and 2.9 million in 1945.In 1989, the British Army had 156,000 soldiers, or more than twice its present size. Like many armies after the end of the Cold War, it was downsized due to a perceived lack of need, difficulties in recruiting soldiers, and the belief that precision-guided weapons meant fewer boots on the ground.However, the shocking casualties and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-learning-ukraine-russia-new-focus-trench-war-training-2024-2">trench warfare in the Ukraine</a> conflict suggest that future wars will be attritional, with victory going to the nations that have the most stamina, industrial might and resources to sustain losses. Yet with just 28,000 Army reservists, Britain lacks manpower to flesh out undermanned units in wartime, or to replace losses. Even the Army's current two combat divisions aren't fully capable."Right now, the British Army cannot generate a single division, let alone two," Drummond said."It simply doesn't have the supporting units needed to sustain it when deployed.""We have no second echelon force to provide a third, reserve division, casualty replacements, or to create the basis of a larger wartime Army."Drummond argues that today, Britain needs two readily deployable mechanized divisions, one using tracked vehicles and a lighter unit on wheels, each of 25,000 troops. "In addition to this, we need training regiments and Army schools, and a regular reserve. Historically this has required 30,000 to 40,000 additional personnel. So the irreducible peacetime strength of the Army is 80,000 to 90,000 soldiers."If money is the root of all evil, then the British armed forces have been sinned against for 35 years. In 1984, the UK's defense spending was 5.5% of GDP. It is currently a bit over 2 percent, with the newly elected Labor government of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-labour-party-back-in-power-rishi-sunak-concede-defeat-2024-7">Prime Minister Keir Starmer</a> pledging to honor the previous Conservative government's to raise the defense budget to 2.5%. This is less than America's 3.5% spent on defense, though it exceeds NATO's goal — which many members have yet to fulfill — of 2% of GDP allocated to the military.It's not just the Army that is struggling. The British armed forces have been cut back to 183,000 personnel, and even then, they can't find enough recruits. A shortage of sailors has forced the Royal Navy to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12928373/Royal-Navy-sailors-forced-decommission-two-warships-new-frigates-wont-unmanned.html">decommission warships</a>, and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/british-raf-gets-f-35s-but-fleet-has-readiness-maintenance-issues-2019-1">Royal Air Force</a> can't attract enough <a target="_blank" href="https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/raf-admits-urgent-need-to-solve-shortage-of-trained-pilots-2083957">pilots</a>.To be fair, the problem is caused by more than stingy government bean-counters. With many nations abolishing conscription, and civilian careers seen as more lucrative, this is not a good time to be a military recruiter anywhere. But as a nation past its imperial glory, Britain has prided itself on punching above its weight. A skeleton army won't help.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

The British Army has shrunk to its smallest size since the Napoleonic wars 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Drones have proven a menace to armored vehicles in Ukraine, including US-provided tanks.</li><li>The US Army is closely watching the drone war and teaching lessons to new soldiers in training.</li></ul>US-made armored vehicles in service with the Ukrainian military are up against an unfamiliar threat on the battlefield, one that they haven't faced in previous wars.Russia and Ukraine employ small drones strapped with explosives as a way to deliver cheap and effective precision strikes on enemy armor, often damaging or destroying them.The US Army is closely watching how US <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bradley-fighting-vehicles-prove-worth-ukraine-short-on-abrams-tanks-2024-7">armored systems</a> delivered to Ukraine — specifically the M1 Abrams tank and M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle — are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-abrams-tanks-keep-drones-away-need-more-protection-commander-2024-7">performing in combat</a> and holding up in this new type of warfare.It's also taking lessons from the conflict and applying them in training, teaching new soldiers how to grasp clearly the threat of small drones. Col. James Modlin, deputy commandant of the Army's Armor School, said that it's "important" for them to be able to understand the prevalence of small unmanned systems on future battlefields and that the fight is changing."It's really just recognizing that it's a threat — that this is something that's out there," he told Business Insider in a conversation this week. "You have to look up, you have to look 360" degrees.<div type="image" title="A Russian armored vehicle is on fire and damaged in a grassy field after it was hit by a Ukrainian drone." height="1534" width="2880" msid="112846965" hostid="261" sizebytes="150402"></div>The Armor School, a component of the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Moore in Georgia, is where US soldiers train on the fundamentals of becoming armored crew members. This means learning about what sort of threats they could face in future operating environments based on the situation unfolding across current battlefields.Paying attention to drone warfare is key when observing the Ukraine war. Modlin said new US soldiers training on Abrams or Bradleys aren't necessarily going to know whether they're facing a reconnaissance or combat drone. What's more important is knowing that it could be a threat either way and being able to relay that knowledge to leadership."There's a lot of unknowns out there," Modlin said, explaining that "for the privates, it's about increasing their situational awareness and their ability to recognize what is in the environment."<h2 id="1f42b776-63fa-4951-9a9e-5523bd50a9a1">New drones, new fight</h2>The US military has long used <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rough-year-us-military-mq-9-reaper-drone-combat-recon-2023-11">larger drones</a> like the MQ-9 Reaper for surveillance and kinetic strikes.But around a decade ago, American forces in the Middle East started to face cheap, commercially available drones in combat, as the Islamic State weaponized these systems by strapping explosives to them and using them in attacks. Small drones also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/drones-in-armenia-azerbaijan-war-raises-doubt-about-tanks-future-2020-11">later played a role</a> in the 2020 conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.<div type="image" title="A soldier climbing down from the front of a M1A1 Abrams tank." height="853" width="1280" msid="112847009" hostid="261" sizebytes="66962"></div>However, drone warfare has soared to new levels in Ukraine. Kyiv and Moscow have used these systems to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-ukrainian-quadcopter-blows-up-russian-robot-rare-drone-combat-2024-4">carry out precision strikes</a> on enemy armor, personnel, fortifications, and even individual soldiers.Both sides have also developed countermeasures to protect their tanks and fighting vehicles from drones, such as welding <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-welding-crude-cages-tanks-last-ditch-defense-effort-2023-7">crude-looking protective screens</a> to the exterior as a last-ditch defensive measure. The screens have become common and have even been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-operation-builds-cage-armor-protect-us-made-abrams-tanks-2024-6">fitted on US-provided armor</a> like the Abrams.Modlin said that Ukraine is a good example of how drones play a role in modern warfare, but the lessons that the Army is teaching its soldiers aren't solely focused on that specific conflict."When we look across all the emerging threat environments, that's a very similar challenge," he said. "The American Army really hasn't had to worry too much about enemy aircraft in an awfully long time — since my grandfather was in uniform.""It's something we've been talking about for a while, but now we're starting to see it play out a little bit more prevalent in conflicts," he added.<div type="image" title="A Bradley fighting vehicle firing from an entrenched position in a forest environment." height="3849" width="5774" msid="112846963" hostid="261" sizebytes="2148368"></div>Indeed, Israeli armored vehicles mobilized for the war in Gaza have been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/10/17/israel-tanks-drone-protection-gaza/">outfitted with anti-drone protective screens</a> that are similar to the ones seen in Ukraine.Teaching US soldiers about the threat of drones to armored vehicles is just one way the Army is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-isnt-ready-drones-potential-biggest-threat-next-battlefield-2024-5">increasingly incorporating anti-drone training</a> across the board. For instance, American service members are also learning how to<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-troops-shoot-balloons-learn-to-defeat-dangerous-drone-threat-2024-3"> track and shoot down small drones</a> with handheld weapons and devices — which is a more mobile approach to the problem.When it comes to armored vehicle operations and combat, though, responding to drone warfare is just one area where the Army is evolving. Modlin said dozens of courses at the Maneuver Center of Excellence have been updated over the past few years based on observations from conflicts overseas.He said the Army is constantly looking to improve its training so that the next generation of leaders can be prepared for large-scale ground operations — something the US hasn't really seen in decades."Competence as an Army professional starts with the understanding of the threat, but it doesn't end there," Modlin said. "So we're paying really close attention to the lessons learned overseas — we're looking at what is happening around the world."

The US Army is telling its soldiers 'you have to look up' as it watches Abrams tanks face new threats in Ukraine

The induction of <keyword id="21291143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-lift-helicopters" source="keywords">heavy-lift helicopters</keyword> and <keyword id="21291142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logistic-drones" source="keywords">logistic drones</keyword>, deployment of all-terrain vehicles and laying of an extensive network of tracks are among a host of measures that have enhanced India's <keyword id="20889609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="combat-prowess" source="keywords">combat prowess</keyword> in Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, officials said on Saturday. As the <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords">Indian Army</keyword> marks the 40th year of its presence on the strategically-significant <keyword id="20282432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Siachen-glacier" source="keywords">Siachen glacier</keyword>, the officials said there have been extensive improvements in the operational capabilities of the force due to the enhancement of infrastructure in the region in the last few years. The Siachen glacier at the height of around 20,000 feet in the Karakoram mountain range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds. Under its "<keyword id="21291144" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Operation-Meghdoot" source="keywords">Operation Meghdoot</keyword>", the Indian Army established its full control over the glacier on April 13, 1984. "The Indian Army's control over the Siachen glacier has not only been a story of unparalleled valour and determination but also an incredible journey of technological advancements and logistical improvements that transformed it from one of the most formidable terrains into a symbol of indomitable spirit and innovation," said an official. The initiatives, especially laid out in the last five years, have made significant strides in improving the living conditions and operational capabilities of the personnel deployed in Siachen, he said on the condition of anonymity. In January last year, Captain Shiva Chauhan from the Army's Corps of Engineers was posted at a frontline post in the Siachen glacier, in the first such operational deployment of a woman Army officer at a key battlefield. The official cited above said there has been a noteworthy improvement in the aspect of mobility in Siachen. "The development of an extensive network of tracks and the introduction of all-terrain vehicles (ATV) have significantly improved mobility across the glacier," he said. Another official said innovations like the DRDO-developed ATV bridges have enabled the Army to overcome natural obstacles, while high-quality "Dyneema" ropes in aerial cableways ensure seamless supply lines to even the most-remote outposts. "The induction of heavy-lift helicopters and logistic drones has vastly improved the supply of essentials to the personnel deployed in posts that are cut off, especially in winters," he said. "The availability of special clothing, mountaineering equipment and advanced rations has enhanced the ability of the soldiers to withstand the harsh conditions of the world's coldest battlefield," the official added. He said gadgets, such as pocket weather trackers, with each soldier provides timely weather updates and warn them about possible avalanches. "Recent initiatives concerning the improvement of connectivity have ensured that the personnel in forward posts in the northern and central glacier regions have access to fresh ration and vegetables instead of tinned ration, an aspect that could not have been imagined a few years ago," the official said. "Fresh ration and vegetables are now a reality for our forward posts, thanks to new logistic initiatives," he added. There has been a focus on improvement in mobile and data connectivity in the region as well. "The introduction of the VSAT technology has revolutionised communication on the glacier, providing the troops with data and internet connectivity," the second official said. "This leap in technology has enhanced real-time situational awareness, telemedicine capabilities and the well-being of our soldiers by keeping them connected with their families," he said. The VSAT or very small aperture terminal is a data-transmission technology. The Army has also been focusing on boosting the medical infrastructure in Siachen. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has established telemedicine nodes that provide critical medical support not only to the troops but also to the local populace and tourists in the Nubra valley. "The medical facilities in Partapur and the base camp boast of some of the best medical and surgical specialists, state-of-the-art HAPO chambers and oxygen generation plants, besides life-support systems. This has ensured that all endeavours are made to save every life in this challenging terrain," said a third official. The HAPO (High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema) chamber is a life-saving device that provides emergency treatment in medical conditions relating to breathlessness and accumulation of fluids in the lungs etc. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-companies-may-hike-tariffs-by-up-to-17-after-the-general-elections-as-per-analysts/articleshow/109240274.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-companies-may-hike-tariffs-by-up-to-17-after-the-general-elections-as-per-analysts/articleshow/109240274.cms" target="_blank">Telecom companies may hike tariffs by up to 17% after the general elections, predict analysts</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-rizta-vs-tvs-iqube-which-family-scooter-should-you-buy/articleshow/109233645.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-rizta-vs-tvs-iqube-which-family-scooter-should-you-buy/articleshow/109233645.cms" target="_blank">Ather Rizta vs TVS iQube – Which family scooter should you buy?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/playstation-5-is-now-available-at-a-discount-of-10000-for-a-limited-period/articleshow/109183034.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/playstation-5-is-now-available-at-a-discount-of-10000-for-a-limited-period/articleshow/109183034.cms" target="_blank">PlayStation 5 is now available at a discount of ₹10,000 for a limited period</a>

Indian Army marks 4 decades of presence in Siachen glacier

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Drone warfare is changing fast and demands battalions of specialists to fully exploit its potential.</li><li>The group would fly support drones to increase the effectiveness of its attack and spy drones.</li></ul>Experience in Ukraine suggests that armies should concentrate drones in special battalions that have the skills pilots to fly them and the programmers to rapidly adapt to constant jamming, according to British defense experts.Ukrainian data shows "the efficiency of [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] operations when conducted by a dedicated formation has risen from 10 percent up to 70 percent for some mission sets," according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/mass-precision-strike-designing-uav-complexes-land-forces">report</a> by the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. The report did not provide any more specifics on the data, other than a footnote that said it was based on Ukrainian General Staff "datasets of mission performance between different formations" that RUSI accessed in Ukraine in February 2024.The RUSI report advocates the creation of "mass precision strike complex" units that launch integrated swarms of drones comprised of different types of reconnaissance and combat UAVs. The concept seems similar to "strike packages" of manned combat jets, which combine attack, escort and electronic warfare planes on a mission. To be clear, the report isn't calling for infantry platoons to be stripped of their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-us-marine-kamikaze-drones-going-to-ukraine-are-powerful-2022-3">backpack-carried drones</a>, which have proven indispensable in Ukraine and the Middle East. But it does argue that for some tasks, such as long-range surveillance and strike, it's more efficient and economical to achieve this through dedicated units."UAVs may be distributed to provide units with situational awareness, but mass precision strike should be managed by a specialist formation," the report concluded. In addition to better mission planning by personnel trained and experienced in drone operations, "experience from contemporary theatres shows that almost all UAV capabilities are highly susceptible to hard counters as the adversary learns how the UAV functions; capabilities must therefore be continuously adapted and their supporting mission data files updated. This requires scarce skills such as UAV design and programming and the accumulation of data centrally."RUSI envisions each drone battalion being equipped with everything needed to conduct a variety of UAV operations. The units would comprise "airframes and their payloads, and the launch crews, command links, planning tools, intelligence support and design teams required to field the capability," wrote RUSI researchers Jack Watling and Justin Bronk.Drone battalions would have five types of UAVs whose capabilities range from spying enemy advances to blasting critical rear sites with explosives. This would include "situational awareness UAVs optimized for tactical reconnaissance; tactical strike UAVs; ISR [reconnaissance] UAVs able to penetrate into operational depth; operational strike UAVs; and platform-launched effects designed specifically to synchronize with and enable other weapons systems."The idea is to have self-contained formations that can identify and destroy targets across the battlefield and beyond. To support friendly ground troops in contact with the enemy, flocks of expendable reconnaissance drones would operate up to 5 miles beyond the enemy front line. They would locate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amid-ukraine-war-us-army-seeking-new-tank-killing-drone-2023-8">targets</a>, such as armored vehicles and infantry trenches, that could be quickly hit by the battalion's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-top-tanks-taken-out-by-cheap-hobby-drones-2023-8">cheap attack drones</a>.Meanwhile, longer-range reconnaissance drones would stalk up to 60 miles into the enemy's rear, searching for artillery pieces, air defense batteries and command posts that could be hit by missiles and other guided weapons. The drone battalion would also launch long-range strike weapons — with a range out to 300 miles — that could destroy fixed sites, such as supply depots, bridges and ammunition dumps. "By offering a persistent threat of precision strike against logistical infrastructure and command and control elements, these capabilities would add significant friction to the enemy's ability to resupply and coordinate forces, and therefore to achieve concentration," the report said. "These capabilities also represent a concern for air and naval forces insofar as they threaten infrastructure and basing."<div type="image" title="ukraine drone" height="1000" width="1500" msid="109838236" hostid="261" sizebytes="59916"></div>To maximize the effectiveness of reconnaissance and strike drones — and to keep them from being knocked down by enemy air defenses — the battalion would also have a variety of support UAVs. This would include long-endurance airborne communications drones to relay datalinks between the combat UAVs and ground operations, electronic warfare drones to jam radars and communications systems, and decoy drones to confuse enemy air defenses.The Ukraine conflict demonstrates how warfare has become a cat-and-mouse game where drones must constantly evolve to survive enemy jamming of their control links. "As of mid-2023, the average period of peak effectiveness for a newly deployed UAV navigation and/ or control system on the battlefield was around two weeks, with degrading effectiveness over four more weeks," the report noted. "Between six and 12 weeks, the adversary would have gathered sufficient data on the waveforms and techniques being used to start effectively jamming and/or spoofing the system across the front."Non-drone units lack the capability to identify and develop the software and communications challenges to respond to enemy countermeasures. "It therefore makes sense to concentrate UAV operation if UAVs are parts of a mass precision strike complex," the report concluded.The issue of whether to concentrate or disperse assets is an old one. Until World War II, tanks were dispersed in small packets among infantry divisions, while aircraft were assigned to the ground forces. But experience proved that tanks were most effective when massed in tank divisions, and aircraft were best assigned to an independent air force that specialized in aerial operations (some still <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=1717df10855529f8276cc8af6ed08ac535f5c82b0c7ef140ed76bf7c411d64ac&amp;postID=663506bb2c3267408d063313&amp;postSlug=armies-need-their-own-drone-air-force-flown-by-specialists-study-says-2024-5&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGrounded-Abolishing-Studies-Conflict-Diplomacy%2Fdp%2F0813165571">question</a> the wisdom of the latter).Drone operations may very well be more efficient in the hands of specialized battalions. But regular units will inevitably want their own drones that are available when needed, rather than having to request support from others. The issue is unlikely to be settled quickly or easily.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

Armies need their own drone air force flown by specialist soldiers, study says 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A federal judge sentenced a former Army service member to prison for running a <keyword id="21391090" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="romance-scam" source="keywords">romance scam</keyword>.</li><li>Romance scams cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022.</li></ul>A <keyword id="43686" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-soldier" source="Orion">US soldier</keyword> will spend more than three years in federal prison for a romance scam in which police say he impersonated military officials. A federal judge sentenced Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, on Friday and ordered him to pay his victims hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/former-army-servicemember-sentenced-prison-money-laundering-romance-scam">according to the Department of Justice</a>. Before his arrest, Frimpong was an active-duty Army service member stationed at Fort Bragg, the department said. Romance scams are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/romance-scams-ai-deepfakes-yahoo-boys-nigeria-fraud-2024-4">one of the biggest in the United States</a>, costing American victims $1.3 billion in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Targets of these scams are often older people who are bilked for their life savings, retirement funds, and inheritances. One of the largest perpetrators of the scams — the Nigeria-based crime group "Yahoo Boys" — is now using AI to create deepfakes for the scams, making them even harder to spot, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/yahoo-boys-real-time-deepfake-scams/">according to Wired</a>. One<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/what-is-deepfake"> quick way to spot a deepfake</a> is to do a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/google-reverse-image-search"> reverse image search</a> and check the true source of an image. Kate Kleinert, a 69-year-old widow, previously told BI that<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/romance-scams-booming-billions-facebook-instagram-pandemic-isolation-online-dating-2023-3"> she lost $39,000</a> to a romance scam. Kleinart said she had lost most of her savings, her late husband's life insurance, pension, and income from Social Security by the time she realized she was being scammed. One of Frimpong's victims had recently divorced after a 25-year marriage, according to court documents. Using the alias "Tom Tanner," Frimpong tricked the victim into sending him at least $100,000 in cashier's checks, which he wired to other coconspirators, court documents say. Authorities accused Frimpong of impersonating "romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas" to gain people's trust. Frimpong then promised romance, earning their confidence with the intention of "fraudulently inducing the victims to provide money or property," the Justice Department said. "<keyword id="13176469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="romance-scammers" source="Orion">Romance scammers</keyword> exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated," US Attorney Michael Easley said. "The fact that an Army service member was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling." An attorney for Frimpong did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.

Romance scam in USA: soldier at Fort Bragg sentenced for running the scam

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Army's new structure responds to drones and guided missiles and artillery.</li><li>But the Army plans to stand up new units at a time its recruiting is struggling.</li></ul>The US Army is reorganizing to fight against major powers like Russia and China, but it lacks the troops and new recruits to carry it out, congressional analysts contend.The 2024 Army Force Structure Transformation would be the Army's fifth major reorganization since 2003. Judging by details laid out in an <a target="_blank" href="https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2024/02/27/091989c9/army-white-paper-army-force-structure-transformation.pdf">Army white paper</a>, the emphasis will be on responding to technological changes in warfare, such as the threat of drones and long-range guided munitions, while trying to economize on scarce manpower.But that may be easier said than done. "It is one thing to establish the authorizations for new and existing units discussed in the Army's white paper, yet another to fill those authorizations with qualified soldiers," warns a new <a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47985">report</a> by the Congressional Research Service, which analyzes issues for Congress.The most striking aspect of the Army's plan is the large number of new units, for counter-drone protection as well as air and missile defense. These units, assigned to corps- and division-level formations, would include four more "indirect fire protection capability" battalions intended to shoot down cruise missiles, rockets, and artillery and mortar shells. In addition, there would be nine counter-small UAS batteries tasked with destroying small drones, and four more Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) battalions to stop manned aircraft, helicopters and drones.These would help flesh out the Army's five Multi-Domain Task Forces, theater-level units with exotic capabilities such as hypersonic missiles, cyberwarfare, jamming, and integrating intelligence data. At the same time, the Army is trying to address a recruiting crisis that has left some units undermanned. The transformation plan would reduce authorized strength — the maximum number of soldiers allowed — from 494,000 to 470,000. The Army currently has about 450,000 active-duty troops. In contrast, the US Army had 770,000 soldiers in the latter stages of the Cold War, when it was structured to counter the Soviet Union."The Army will shrink excess, largely unmanned 'hollow' force structure and build new formations equipped with new capabilities needed for large scale combat operations," the Army white paper explained. This would include 3,000 fewer authorized special operations forces personnel. Some functions will also be consolidated, such as reassigning engineers from brigade combat teams to divisions, which would allow fewer engineer slots.But even with consolidation and a boost to recruitment — including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/01/02/army-to-open-applications-for-new-recruiting-warrant-officer-field/">new warrant officers</a> who specialize in recruiting — the Army may not be able to find enough personnel to fill out its existing units and create new air defense formations. In 2023, the Army came up 10,000 short in its quest for 65,000 new recruits."Given past recruiting shortfalls and preliminary FY2024 recruiting data, it is difficult to predict if the Army will be able rectify its recruiting challenges in the near and long term," CRS said.The Army may also be focusing too much on cutting-edge "soft" technologies rather than old-fashioned kinetic weapons that have proven quite relevant and lethal in the Ukraine war. "The Army white paper appears to address technology-based, non-kinetic space and cyber effects, long-range precision fires, and force protection more than it does conventional close-combat force capabilities, Army Special Operations Forces capabilities, and Security Force Assistance capabilities," said CRS.<div type="image" title="A 5-kilowatt laser sits on a Stryker armored vehicle in 2017." height="1343" width="2000" msid="110033334" hostid="261" sizebytes="209560"></div>The Army is also basing its plans on untried weapons, such as the Long-Range Hypersonic Missile and air defense lasers. "Some units, such as LRHW batteries and Directed Energy (DE) SHORAD units, do not have mature weapons and technologies," CRS warned. Nor does the Army — or Congress — have a good idea of how much the reorganization would cost.Inevitably, there will also be disruptions caused by yet another Army metamorphosis. In 2003, the Army switched from a Cold War force structure of heavy mechanized divisions, to smaller, lighter brigades more suitable for counterinsurgency. Now, the Army has gone full circle as it reconfigures for Cold War-style mechanized conflict against big opponents like Russia and China. At the same time, it must also incorporate new technologies such as drones and long-range artillery, which have demonstrated their power in the Ukraine war.The reorganization does address some of the Army's problems, Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider. "The new units are appropriate for a great power conflict. China and Russia have much stronger air and missile forces than the regional opponents the army has faced for the last generation."Creating units armed with hypersonic missiles also makes sense, especially since Russia and the US withdrew in 2019 from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, signed in 1987 to curb cruise missiles and other medium-range nuclear weapons."The long-range fires are an opportunity that has opened up with the end of the INF," Cancian said. Nonetheless, the reorganization doesn't address the real issue. "The Army's major problem is that it is too small overall to meet all of its likely peacetime and wartime commitments," said Cancian.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

The US Army's new plan to counter Russia and China has a glaring problem, experts say 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fighting in Ukraine has given some of the ex-convicts Russia recruited their swag back.</li><li>These men are granted freedom after surviving their military service.</li></ul>Ex-convicts who fought for Russia in Ukraine are heading home with newfound wealth and swagger, <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/world/europe/russia-convicts-war-murder.html">The New York Times</a> reported on Saturday. Olga Romanova, who heads a Russian NGO focusing on prisoner issues, told The Times that around 15,000 ex-convicts have returned to Russia after fighting in Ukraine. The returning men, who are released without any rehabilitation, often go on to commit crimes once back home. Kirill Titaev, a Russian sociologist at Yale University, told The Times that the wave of "invisible violence" was a "big problem for the society." Experts The Times spoke to said some former prisoners gained confidence after their stints in Ukraine, and see their wartime service as a form of rehabilitation. Fighting in Ukraine has also left them financially well-off, as they were paid a base monthly salary of about $2,000 from The Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organization, per The Times. That is also more than double the average salary of a Russian worker, who makes around $756 a month, Russia's statistics agency said in a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/almost-half-russians-say-salary-does-not-cover-basic-spending-survey-2023-10-23/">survey</a> released in October. Romanova told The Times that even the local police officers are afraid of the returning convicts and their newly-attained veteran status. Russia's <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-losing-about-1000-soldiers-daily-not-stop-mass-attacks-2024-4">reliance on attrition warfare,</a> however, has seen the country <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-recruited-over-100-000-prisoners-to-fight-in-ukraine-report-2023-12">continually drawing on its prison population</a> to boost its military manpower. Wagner first started the practice of recruiting inmates to bolster its ranks, offering the convicts full pardons if they <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prigozhin-russia-tells-ex-con-wagner-fighters-not-rape-free-2023-1">survived a six-month stint in Ukraine</a>. The practice was then <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-copies-wagner-prisoner-recruitment-10000-signed-up-april-uk-2023-5">adopted by Russia's defense ministry</a> in 2023. Sending prisoners to the battlefield, the UK's defense ministry said in May, would allow Russia "<a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1656535955338063873?s=20">to avoid implementing new mandatory mobilization, which would be very unpopular with the Russian public.</a>" The move, however, has not been without controversy. In November, <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sibreal.org/a/vlasti-vypustili-na-svobodu-ubiytsu-4-chelovek-i-lyudoeda-s-sahalina/32696512.html">Russia</a><a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://76.ru/text/criminal/2023/11/21/72933266/"> media</a> reported that <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-frees-2-men-convicted-cannibals-fought-in-ukraine-reports-2023-11">two prisoners who were convicted of murdering and eating their victims</a> had been released after fighting in Ukraine. But even Russia's prison population is a finite resource. A local official told lawmakers last month that some prisons would be shut down due to "<a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-shutter-prisons-inmates-ukraine-war-2024-3">a one-time large reduction in the number of convicts</a>." Russia's need to recruit more troops could put further pressure on its economy. Besides dealing with <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-putin-ukraine-war-moscow-outlook-2024-3">crippling sanctions</a> from the West, Russia has had to grapple with <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-worker-shortage-ukraine-war-military-wages-unemployment-2024-1">severe labor shortages</a>. The <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-short-around-48-million-workers-2023-crunch-persist-izvestia-2023-12-24/">Russian Academy of Science's Institute of Economics</a> said in December that the Russian economy had a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-lacks-workers-ukraine-war-labor-crisis-worker-shortage-2023-12">shortage of around 5 million workers</a>. "Unemployment is 3% and in some regions, it is even lower. This means there are practically no workers left in the economy," Russian Central Bank Governor <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/russias-depleted-workforce-threatening-economic-growth-says-central-bank-2023-11-09/">Elvira Nabiullina</a> told lawmakers in November. "The situation with personnel is really very acute." Representatives for Russia's defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

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