U.S Marines participate in an urban assault exercise in Townsville, Australia, July 27, 2021.
Photo:
Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
On paper the Russians have every advantage. A million more soldiers in uniform, more than 10 times the military budget, 10 times the aircraft, six times the tanks. But a much smaller Ukrainian force resolutely repelled Russia’s attack on and around Kyiv and it continues to stymie Russian forces with small infantry units equipped with modern weapons, the latest training, the best intelligence and the courage of troops fighting for freedom.
Most commentators have been surprised, but Ukraine’s successful principles are the same as those in the U.S. Marine Corps’ plan to modernize. The Marines understand something the Kremlin did not: In the face of technological change, the future of warfare won’t be like its past.
Adapting new technologies and tactics faster than our adversaries is essential, which is exactly why the Marines’ Force Design 2030 modernization plan is the most aggressive of any service—except perhaps the Chinese military. The plan addresses everything from personnel to warships. It shifts resources from armor, artillery and manned aircraft to invest in longer-range missiles and unmanned aerial systems, better sensors and surveillance, and the development of new cyber forces.
The loudest opponents of this modernization plan have claimed the Marines will become less lethal, but Ukraine proves the opposite. A platoon of Marines armed with the latest loitering munitions, drones and…