Could US Navy & NATO Force in Black Sea Save Ukraine?

Video Above: Helicopter-Fired Navy Laser Weapon Helps Attack & Destroy Sea Mines

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

The danger in Ukraine introduces the prospect of some kind of large-scale land war, should NATO and the US intervene to defend Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion.

Bordering Eastern European NATO countries, Ukraine could easily be accessed by heavy land forces moving into position along the Russian border, and the US and NATO already operate impactful numbers of F-35s on the European continent. There is already a credible and substantial US and NATO force within striking distance of Ukraine.

Black Sea

However, what about the Black Sea? There could easily be an extremely significant, yet easily overlooked or unrecognized Naval dimension to any engagement with Russian in Ukraine. 

Ukraine borders the Black Sea, an area where the US Navy is known to operate frequently. At very least, heavy and precise firepower such as submarine and ship-launched Tomahawks could bring enormous destruction to Russian forces along the Ukrainian border. This is particularly true now, because the new Tactical Tomahawk is able to track and destroy moving targets, a scenario which could make advancing Russian forces vulnerable to an attack from the Sea. 

This seems extremely significant, given that Tomahawks can travel as far as 900 miles to a target. Areas deep within Ukraine and Russia would therefore be vulnerable to cruise missile attack from the ocean.