Useful Reality Checks
6th June 2023
Unless there’s a war going on, developing new or improved military equipment or weapons is delayed by bureaucrats more concerned about avoiding mistakes than getting the job done. This leads to lots of delays. The Ukraine War has changed that for NATO nations and Russia. While the Ukrainians develop a lot of their own weapons, and always have, they need more and that is what their NATO allies are supplying. With a war going on in Ukraine, it’s easier for the NATO defense procurement officials to say yes. With their nation under attack, Ukrainian developers are coming up with new weapons and equipment as well as upgrades for items they have received from NATO nations. Ukraine can put new or improved systems to the test quickly. Sometimes the Ukrainians don’t tell their NATO allies about new items used or produced in Ukraine because the NATO countries are more likely to publicize that. The Ukrainians are more discreet, realizing that what the Russians don’t know about will hurt them more. At the start of the war the Russians underestimated Ukrainian weapons and military equipment and the Ukrainians’ ability to use it effectively. This continues to supply the Russians with unexpected and unpleasant surprises.