Deputy SecDef Hicks Says Ukraine to Change Future Wars in Europe and Pacific

By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News  

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told a British think tank that Russia’s war against Ukraine offers a window into future wars – not just in Europe, but in the Indo-Pacific as well. 

   “We’re seeing novel applications of both old and new technologies, some of which will be significant factors in how wars of the future will likely be fought,” Hicks said in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute in London. 

   She said there are several early insights from the war in Ukraine. 

   First, the value of quality intelligence. “Prior to February 22, 2022, few countries expected Russia to further invade Ukraine. We knew better,” Hicks said. “Thankfully we saw the enormous build-up of Russian forces early. We had enough confidence in the indications and warnings, and enough credibility, to disseminate the information and rally our friends and allies.”   

   Next was the ability for militaries to integrate all their elements into a cohesive system: “If you don’t have consistent operational know-how, winning is tough. We saw this clearly in Russia’s early battlefield failures, and it’s still worth noting almost three years later,” she said. 

   Hicks pointed out that Ukraine’s forces had been working with the US and the UK since 2014 and “those efforts paid off early.” 

   She also noted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was wildly optimistic in his own troops’ abilities.