Western weapons have quality but lack quantity.

The conflict in Ukraine highlights the particular importance of weapons reserves if hostilities drag on.

In recent decades, the West has focused on improving the quality of individual weapons rather than the quantity. Some experts say the Western approach to engaging in conflicts is to launch a lightning strike with superior weapons technology.

However, the above military strategy has revealed weaknesses when engaging in prolonged conflicts, as the war in Ukraine is a specific example. "We have not stockpiled weapons for that kind of prolonged conflict, while Russia and China have," former Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan commented, to Business Insider .

Ukrainian soldiers observe the launch of a HIMARS rocket

PHOTO: GLOBAL IMAGES UKRAINE

“Quantity is quality”

In the 20th century, the US realized that it could not match the Soviet Union in terms of mass weapons production, so Washington focused on putting the best technology into each product. Mr. George Barros, a researcher on Russia at the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), commented that with this military doctrine, the US created weapons such as the Abrams tank - which has more firepower and armor than the Soviet T-series tank, which was produced in large numbers.

The Western approach to high-tech weapons has proven effective in a number of conflicts of modern warfare, most notably Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1990-1991.

Noise about the secret weapon 'Mini-Taurus' Ukraine is about to receive from Germany

However, the downside of a quantity-over-quality approach becomes apparent when faced with opponents who have strong military capabilities and can prolong the conflict. During the conflict in Ukraine, Kyiv had to consider at many points whether to use anti-aircraft missiles to intercept Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Each missile launched costs millions of dollars, while shooting down a UAV for only tens of thousands of dollars will not bring strategic benefits. The effectiveness of numbers is also demonstrated when Russia and Ukraine use many UAVs in each attack to overwhelm the opponent's air defense system.

In protracted wars like the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, the ability to sustain resources will be key, Barros said. "The West cannot rely on high-quality weapons alone if it is not an attack that will win immediately. When fighting drags on, factors like who has enough artillery firepower will come into play," he said.

Ukrainian troops fire a BM-21 Grad rocket launcher in Lugansk. This weapon has been in service since 1963.

Balance problem

After the Cold War, Western countries cut their arsenals and NATO defense spending also decreased, while Russia and China's military budgets increased.

The war in Ukraine raises the question of balancing the need to acquire high-tech weapons while maintaining a stockpile of weapons that may be of lower quality but in greater numbers. “To deter Russia or China, the West may have to spend on defense at Cold War levels,” Barros said.

President Zelensky: Ukraine will lose if it loses unity and the US cuts aid

The conflict, combined with the growing demands of the defense industry, has spurred a surge in Western arms production, though war experts and many lawmakers say it is not enough. William Alberque, a military expert at the Stimson Center in the United States, said Western defense production is “worrisome and not fully resolved,” although NATO members are moving in the right direction. In addition, Western manufacturing capacity is also questionable even if countries are willing to pay, compared to manufacturing powerhouses like Moscow and Beijing.

Observers say that the emphasis on quantity does not mean the value of high-tech weapons is reduced. Instead, they can be used in combination and play a strategic role, after a series of cheap weapons are used to wear down the enemy.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vu-khi-phuong-tay-co-chat-nhung-thieu-luong-185241126102455166.htm