Military conflicts essence and classification. Modern wars and armed conflicts plan
Chair mobilization training health and disaster medicine
APPROVE
Head Department of MPZ and MK
MD E.A. Stavsky
"___" ________________2014
TUTORIAL
for students by discipline:
"Life Safety".
TOPIC #1.2.3
« Modern wars and armed conflicts.
Discussed at the meeting
Department of MPZ NSMU
«___» ___________ 2014
Protocol No. _____________
Novosibirsk city
Introduction.
War and armed struggle brought catastrophe to many peoples and many states. And there is no other way to avoid defeat than to consistently and purposefully prepare for war and armed struggle.
The geopolitical position of Russia in the next decade will be very complex and vulnerable.
Our country occupies 12.6% of the Earth's land area. Huge wealth is concentrated in its bowels, estimated by experts at about 140 trillion dollars.
The length of the borders is 61,000 km. Many neighboring states have hidden or open territorial claims against Russia. These objective data testify that with the weakening international law, the diminishing role of the UN, the growing dictate of force, Russia in the 21st century will face a difficult struggle to preserve sovereignty, territorial integrity, natural resources, economic potential.
Military threats to us will come not only from large states and military alliances that own modern types of weapons, but also from small states that do not hesitate to make numerous demands to the Russian Federation, backed up by various threats. Taking advantage of the military-political situation that is favorable for them, vigorous efforts are being made to resolve complex domestic and international problems, including with the use of military force.
Definition and classification of wars and armed conflicts.
War- this is an organized armed struggle between states, peoples or classes to achieve their political goals, using conventional weapons, as well as weapons of mass destruction, with the transfer of the state's economy to a military regime and with partial or complete mobilization of the population.
Armed conflict: one of the forms of resolving political, national-ethnic, religious, territorial and other contradictions with the use of means of armed struggle, in which the state (states) participating in hostilities does not go into a special state called war. In an armed conflict, the parties, as a rule, pursue private military-political goals.
An armed conflict may result from the escalation of an armed incident, a border conflict, an armed action and other limited-scale armed clashes, during which the means of armed struggle are used to resolve contradictions.
An armed conflict may be of an international character (with the participation of two or more states) or of an internal character (with the conduct of armed confrontation within the territory of one state).
Modern warfare (armed conflict) can be:
For military-political goals - fair (not contrary to the UN Charter, fundamental norms and principles international law carried out in self-defence by the party subjected to aggression); unfair (contradicting the UN Charter, the fundamental norms and principles of international law, falling under the definition of aggression and the leading party that launched an armed attack);
According to the means used - with the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction; using only conventional means of destruction;
By scale - local, regional, large-scale.
Local war- a war between two or more states, limited by political goals, in which military operations will be conducted, as a rule, within the borders of opposing states and mainly the interests of only these states (territorial, economic, political, and others) are affected.
A local war can be waged by groupings of troops (forces) deployed in the conflict area, with their possible strengthening due to the transfer of additional forces and means from other directions and the partial strategic deployment of the armed forces.
Under certain conditions, local wars can develop into a regional or large-scale war.
regional war- a war involving two or more states (groups of states) of the region by national or coalition armed forces using both conventional and nuclear weapons on the territory limited by the boundaries of one region with the adjacent waters of the oceans, seas, air and outer space, in the course of which the parties will pursue important military-political goals. The conduct of a regional war will require the full deployment of the armed forces and the economy, the high tension of all the forces of the participating states. In the event of participation in it by states possessing nuclear weapons, or their allies, a regional war will be characterized by the threat of transition to the use of nuclear weapons.
Large scale war war between coalitions of states or the largest states of the world community. It can be the result of an escalation of an armed conflict, a local or regional war by involving in them a significant number of states from different regions of the world. In a large-scale war, the parties will pursue radical military-political goals. It will require the mobilization of all available material resources and spiritual forces of the participating states.
Modern Russian military planning, based on a realistic understanding of the current resources and capabilities of the Russian Federation, proceeds from the fact that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with other troops, must be ready to repel an attack and defeat an aggressor, to conduct active operations (both defensive and offensive) in any variant of unleashing and waging wars and armed conflicts in conditions of massive use by the enemy of modern and advanced combat weapons, including weapons of mass destruction of all varieties.
Main features of armed conflicts
Considering the specifics of the armed conflicts of the 1990s. - the beginning of the XXI century, it is necessary to dwell on their common features:
1. Conflicts in the forms and principles of warfare were very different.
2. A significant part of the conflicts was asymmetric in nature, that is, it took place between opponents standing at different stages of development in technical terms, and therefore the qualitative state of their armed forces.
3. All conflicts developed on a relatively limited territory, but with the use of forces and means deployed outside this territory
4. The role of the initial period of an armed conflict or war has increased significantly.
5. The main role in the initial period of the war, of course, was assigned to long-range high-precision weapons operating in conjunction with aviation. However, in the future, the main burden of conducting hostilities fell on the Ground Forces.
Based on the analysis of the most common features of the conflicts of the late XX - early XXI centuries, we can make the following fundamental conclusions regarding the military-political features of the armed struggle at the current stage and in the foreseeable future.
1. The armed forces reaffirm their central role in the implementation of security operations.
The real combat role of paramilitary, paramilitary formations, militias, internal security forces turns out to be significantly less than it was assumed before the outbreak of armed conflicts.
2. The decisive moment for achieving military-political success is the seizure of the strategic initiative in the course of an armed conflict.
Passive conduct of combat operations, counting on "exhaling" the offensive impulse of the enemy, will lead to the loss of controllability of one's own grouping and, subsequently, to the loss of the conflict.
3. A feature of the armed struggle of the future will be that in the course of the war, not only military facilities and troops will be under attack by the enemy, but at the same time the country's economy with all its infrastructure, civilian population and territory. In this regard, there is a need for a highly organized and effective work of the civil defense system, as well as the system of mobilization training and mobilization of the country.
4. Despite the increasing role of the groupings of forces and assets deployed by the time of the threatened period, the presence of a combat-ready reserve and a system for its mobilization and deployment will play a significant role in the outcome of an armed conflict.
5. Combat operations will be characterized by a combination of maneuver operations and positional operations. Reconnaissance and sabotage operations and guerrilla warfare are seen as part of a "normal" war.
6. Undermining the morale of the troops and stimulating unrest, especially in the officer corps, will play a key condition for victory in almost all conflicts.
7. Of great importance for the outcome of armed conflicts will be the availability of strong tools for conducting information and propaganda work among the troops and population of the enemy.
8. The criteria for military victory in armed conflicts will be different, however, the solution of political problems is still of primary importance.
The main feature of the conflicts of the new historical period will be the redistribution of the role of various spheres in armed confrontation. The course and outcome of the armed struggle as a whole will be determined mainly by confrontation in the aerospace sphere and at sea, while land groupings will consolidate the military success achieved and directly ensure the achievement of political goals.
Definition, classification of wars and their characteristics
War is a continuation of the policy of the state or a coalition of states, peoples, nations, classes and individual social groups with the use of means of armed violence to achieve political, economic, military and other goals.
The main goal of the war- the defeat of the "contactless" way of the economic potential of any state, at any distance.
War classification:
Scale (depending on the scope of hostilities and the composition of the belligerent states): world; local; regional
By duration: transient and protracted;
By means of destruction:
With the use of only conventional weapons;
With the use of nuclear weapons.
By tension:
High intensity of hostilities;
Medium intensity of hostilities;
Low intensity of hostilities.
The corresponding types of wars can be defined as follows:
Local war. A war between two or more states, limited by political goals, in which military operations will be conducted, as a rule, within the borders of the opposing states and primarily affect the interests of only these states (territorial, economic, political and other
Under certain conditions, local wars can develop into a regional or large-scale war.
regional war. A war involving two or more states (even groups of states) in a region. It is conducted by national or coalition armed forces using both conventional and nuclear weapons on the territory limited by the boundaries of one region with the adjacent oceans, seas, air and outer space, during which the parties will pursue important military and political goals.
Large scale (world) war. War between coalitions of states or largest states the world community. It can be the result of an escalation of an armed conflict, a local or regional war by involving in them a significant number of states from different regions of the world. In a large-scale war, the parties will pursue radical military-political goals. It will require the mobilization of all available material resources and spiritual forces of the participating states.
Topic No. 6. Local wars and armed conflicts of our time
Lesson number 1. Basic information about local wars and armed conflicts of our time
2. Chronology of the main local wars and armed conflicts of our time, their causes and main features.
1. Essence, nature and classification of local wars and armed conflicts.
In essence, military conflicts are a continuation of politics by means of armed struggle and are a form of resolving interstate or intrastate conflicts with the use of military force. The concept of "military conflict" covers all types of armed confrontation, including large-scale, regional, local wars and armed conflicts. Local wars and armed conflicts differ from large-scale and regional wars in that they pursue relatively limited political goals. This also determines the limited scale of hostilities, the small number of participants, the specific strategy and tactics of local wars and armed conflicts.
At the same time, modern local wars and armed conflicts are of significant scale, are accompanied by heavy losses, and contain a constant threat of their escalation into wars of a larger scale.
Thus, the nature of modern military conflicts is determined by their military-political goals, the means of achieving these goals, and the scale of military operations.
In accordance with this, modern military conflicts can be (Fig. 1):
• for military-political purposes - just (not contradicting the UN Charter, the fundamental norms and principles of international law, carried out in self-defense by the party subjected to aggression); unfair (contradicting the UN Charter, fundamental norms and principles of international law, falling under the definition of aggression and conducted by the party that launched an armed attack);
• according to the means used - with the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction or with the use of only conventional means of destruction;
• by scale - large-scale (world), regional, local wars, armed conflicts.
Rice. 1. Classification of modern military conflicts
Large-scale (world) war - a war between coalitions of states or the largest states of the world community, in which the parties will pursue radical military-political goals. Such a war can be the result of an escalation of an armed conflict, a local, regional war involving a significant number of states from different regions of the world. A large-scale (world) war can be either nuclear or conventional. World wars include, for example, the First World War 1914–1918, World War II 1939–1945
Regional war - a war involving two or more states of the same region, waged by national or coalition armed forces using both conventional and nuclear weapons on the territory of the region with adjacent water areas and in the air (outer) space above it, during which the parties will pursue important military-political goals. Regional wars include, for example, the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967, 1973, 1982.
Local war - a war between two or more states, pursuing limited military-political goals, in which military operations are conducted within the borders of opposing states and which primarily affects the interests of only these states (territorial, economic, political, and others). For example, the war in Korea 1950-1953, the war in Vietnam in 1959-1975, the war of the USA and its allies against Iraq in 1991 and 2003, the war in Afghanistan 1979-1989. and etc.
Armed conflict - an armed clash of a limited scale between states (international armed conflict) or opposing parties within the territory of one state (internal armed conflict). In the course of an armed conflict, economic, national-ethnic, territorial, religious and other contradictions are resolved, as a rule, without the strategic deployment of the Armed Forces. A special form of armed conflict is a border conflict.
Armed conflicts include, for example, the Indo-Pakistani armed conflict, numerous armed conflicts that took place in the early 90s of the twentieth century. within the territory of former USSR, armed conflict between Israel and Lebanon in 2006, etc.
Armed conflict is characterized by:
• high involvement in it and vulnerability of the local population;
• the use of irregular armed formations;
• wide use of sabotage and terrorist methods;
• the complexity of the moral and psychological environment in which the troops operate;
• forced diversion of significant forces and means to ensure the security of movement routes, areas and locations of troops (forces);
• the danger of transformation into a local or regional, large-scale (if it is an international armed conflict) or civil (if it is an internal armed conflict) war.
Joint (multi-departmental) groupings of troops (forces) and command and control bodies may be created to solve problems in an internal armed conflict.
The classification of armed conflicts can also be carried out according to the scope of hostilities and their intensity (Fig. 2).
Rice. 2. Classification of armed conflicts according to the scope of hostilities and their intensity
According to the scope of hostilities, armed conflicts can be limited, medium and large scale.
Armed conflicts of a limited scale include those that cover up to 25% of the territory and in which up to 25% of the armed forces and military formations of the warring parties participate.
In medium-scale armed conflicts, the coverage of the territory and the degree of participation of armed forces and military formations by military operations ranges from 25 to 50%.
Large-scale armed conflicts include those that cover more than half of the territory and in which more than half of the opposing armed forces and military formations participate.
Armed conflicts can also be classified according to the degree (level) of the intensity of the course of hostilities.
Intensity is understood as the degree to which the size of the armed forces is used in combat operations per unit of time. As a unit of time, one can take a three-month period of training of the Armed Forces (a period sufficient for mobilization and preparation for the start of a conflict), and in the course of hostilities - their real time frame.
The first level is armed conflicts of low intensity (slow). They may be due to the relative equality of the opposing sides, the physical impossibility of defeating the enemy, the partial resolution of contradictions by political means, and other circumstances. This level is characterized by episodic combat operations in the form of raids, raids, sabotage and terrorist actions with subsequent withdrawal, often to the territory of neighboring countries or to hard-to-reach areas. In armed conflicts of low intensity, up to 25% of the armed forces of at least one of the parties participate in hostilities or are directly preparing for participation.
Armed conflicts of medium intensity are characterized by a combination of the political orientations of the opposing sides, primarily on the military resolution of contradictions by defeating the enemy, and by the presence of forces sufficient to conduct active combat operations. In this case, from 25 to 50% of the armed forces of at least one of the parties participate in hostilities or are directly preparing for participation.
Armed conflicts of high intensity are marked by a combination of decisive political attitudes of the opposing sides solely on the military resolution of contradictions by defeating the enemy and the presence of sufficient forces at least one of the parties to achieve this goal. The degree of participation in the conflict of high intensity of the Armed Forces of one of the parties is not less than 50%.
The intensity of an armed conflict can also be determined by the number of victims over a certain period of time, because an increase in intensity inevitably leads to an increase in losses in manpower and equipment.
2. Chronology of the main local wars and armed conflicts of our time, their causes and main features.
In total, more than 200 armed conflicts and about 20 regional and local wars of varying intensity took place in the period after the Second World War.
The most significant of them were: the Korean War of 1950-1953, the Vietnam War of 1959-1975, the wars in the Middle East between Israel and the Arab states in 1967, 1973, 1982, the Soviet-Afghan war of 1979-1989 ., war in the Persian Gulf zone 1991, 2003, war in Yugoslavia 1999
Korean War 1950–1953
The Korean War was unleashed South Korea with the help of the United States in order to eliminate the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) (album of schemes, scheme 62). By the summer of 1950, South Korea had prepared more than 100,000 troops equipped with American weapons for aggression. An offensive group consisting of 8 divisions was created. They were ready to be supported by 4 American divisions, over 800 aircraft and about 300 ships of the US 7th Fleet stationed in Japan.
On June 25, 1950, South Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel and invaded the territory of the DPRK. Korean people's army(KPA), having repelled the blows of the enemy, on the same day went over to the offensive. On the third day of the war, the US air force and navy began to attack airfields, North Korean industrial facilities, army communications, and troops on the battlefield.
Transfer to Korea and Japan of parts of the 8th american army began on July 1, 1950, and already on July 5 they entered the battle against the KPA.
In the course of successful operations, the KPA occupied a significant part of the territory of South Korea, surrounded the American-South Korean grouping in the Busan region and pressed it to the sea.
However, on September 16, 1950, the troops of the 8th US Army (14 divisions, 2 brigades, up to 500 tanks, over 1600 guns and mortars, more than 1000 aircraft) went on the offensive and, together with the 10th US Corps, which landed in Inchon, captured Seoul, trying to encircle the main forces of the KPA. However, the KPA command managed to withdraw most troops to the north. U.S.-South Korean troops captured Pyongyang on October 23 using a large superiority in forces. On the east coast, by the end of November 1950, American troops managed to reach the Korean-Chinese border.
The enemy's further advance was halted by the stubborn defense of the KPA troops, supplemented by blows from partisans operating behind enemy lines. The government of the PRC took the side of the DPRK, as a result of which, in October 1950, the KPA and units of the Chinese army dealt a powerful blow to the aggressors on the western sector of the front .
As a result of successful KPA operations, by July 1951 the front had stabilized along the line of the 38th parallel, and the belligerents began peace negotiations.
It should be noted that for the first time in this war were applied helicopters
, supersonic aviation
, has been widely used INCENSIBLE WEAPONS - a weapon whose damaging effect is based on the use of military incendiary substances. Incendiary weapons are used to destroy personnel (located openly and in shelters), destroy equipment, materiel, buildings, crops and forests, as well as to create fires in the area military operations.", 170, 600, "Definition");"> incendiary
, CHEMICAL WEAPONS - weapons of mass destruction, the action of which is based on the toxic properties of poisonous substances (S), and the means of their use: shells, rockets, mines, aerial bombs, VAPs (pouring aviation devices).", 170, 600, "Definition") ;"> chemical
, BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS are pathogenic microorganisms or their spores, viruses, bacterial toxins, infected animals, as well as their means of delivery (missiles, guided missiles, automatic balloons, aviation) intended for mass destruction of enemy manpower, farm animals, agricultural crops, as well as damage to certain types of military materials and equipment.", 170, 600, "Definition"); "> biological
weapon.
The American command repeatedly disrupted negotiations and started again fighting, but was not successful. The active actions of the KPA troops, as well as the support of the DPRK by the USSR and China, led to the signing of a ceasefire agreement on July 27, 1953.
It should be noted that during October-December 1952, a conflict was brewing in the combat area and the world was on the verge of a new world war. The fact is that the United States planned to strike at the USSR with the forces of the 7th Fleet, during which they were supposed to bombard the base Soviet fleet in Vladivostok. Together with the 7th Fleet, the US ground forces were to invade the territory of Northern Manchuria, Soviet Siberia and Mongolia. However, having learned about the counter plans of the USSR (the redeployment of 9 to 12 airborne divisions and at least two armies to the conflict area; bringing the Pacific Fleet and the forces of the Amur Flotilla to full combat readiness; accelerating work on the creation of ICBMs), the US government decided by December to the withdrawal of the 7th Fleet from the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as the redeployment of aircraft carriers from airfields in South Korea atomic bombs.
The total official losses of the parties amounted to: in the DPRK - about 2 million killed and wounded, in China - 600 thousand people, in the USA - 157.5 thousand killed and wounded and 20 thousand prisoners, the USSR, according to various sources, lost from 200 to 500 people.
Thus, the war in Korea was fought on a limited theater of operations, it was a local war. In the course of the war, both sides used the forms and methods of armed struggle developed during the Second World War. At the beginning of the war, the combat operations of the parties were of a maneuvering nature, then - positional. Both sides carried out both attack and defense.
The formations of the KPA and the DPRK in the conditions of mountainous and wooded terrain often received offensive zones, which included only one road, along which their battle formation was deployed. As a result, the divisions did not have attached flanks, the gaps between the flanks reached 15–20 km. The battle order of formations was built in one or two echelons. The width of the penetration section of the divisions was up to 3 km or more. During the offensive, the formations fought along the roads with part of the forces, and the main forces sought to reach the flanks and rear of the defending enemy grouping.
Defense at the beginning of the war was carried out on a wide front on the principle of holding tactically important objects. At the end of the war, the troops began to build a defense in depth on a solid front. New elements of the military art of the KPA and the DPRK in defense:
• widespread use of tunnels, the system of which was linked to the tiered arrangement of trenches;
• Creation of corridors in the anti-tank defense located along the valleys and roads ("fire bags") in echelon to the entire tactical depth, in which the enemy tanks that had broken through were destroyed by flank fire;
• widespread use of small arms to fight enemy aircraft and the involvement of shooters-hunters for enemy aircraft;
• in order to prevent losses from enemy air strikes and artillery fire, the troops actively fought at night, for which night assault groups were created.
Military art American and South Korean troops in the Korean War was based on the experience of the Second World War. The main focus was on the surprise of the attack, the massive use of aviation and naval forces to gain superiority in the air and at sea, with further switching of aviation and naval forces to support ground forces.
As a rule, joint forces carried out offensive operations in the presence of a significant superiority in forces and means. The offensive was preceded by aviation and artillery preparation. The blows were delivered to the entire depth of the defense formation, after which the infantry and tanks rushed to the attack.
Defense throughout the war, due to the mountainous nature of the terrain, was created in the form of separate strongholds. At the final stage of the war, the American army had to create a deep, multi-lane positional defense.
For the first time in the war, jet aircraft were widely used, and helicopters were used for landings and other auxiliary tasks. The American command often used "scorched earth" tactics, using napalm and other incendiary means, as well as bacteriological and chemical weapons.
Vietnam War (1959–1975).
After the first Indochinese war for the preservation of the French colonies in this region (1945–1954), which ended in the defeat of France, according to the Geneva and 1954 agreements on Indochina, Vietnam was divided into two parts, on the territory of which independent states were subsequently proclaimed. states with different political systems: in the north, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with the capital Hanoi and the Republic of Vietnam with the capital Saigon - in the south (album of schemes, scheme 63
).
At the end of 1958, the Saigon regime, using US military and economic assistance, created an armed force (about 350,000) and, under the leadership of American military advisers, launched wide-ranging punitive expeditions into South Vietnam.
Since 1959, the Vietnamese people launched a guerrilla struggle, and by the end of 1960, the Vietnamese people's army had liberated most of the territory of South Vietnam.
In August 1964, the United States entered the war, provoking the Tonkin Incident (the invasion of American warships into the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin as a result of the alleged shelling of the destroyer Meldox). The DRV was subjected to aerial bombardment and shelling from the ships of the US 7th Fleet. Since 1965, large contingents of American troops began to operate in Vietnam (for example, in 1968 - over 540 thousand people, excluding the forces of the fleet and strategic aviation), as well as individual combat units of South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand (total about 75 thousand people). In April 1965, the command of the US Army in Vietnam was created.
The aggressors used barbaric weapons (napalm, chemical and biological weapons) against the civilian population, carrying out "scorched earth tactics", using, first of all, aircraft of the Air Force and the Navy.
From the beginning of 1968, the patriotic forces of South Vietnam launched a general offensive and forced the US-Saigon troops to go over to the strategic defense. The air war against Vietnam also did not produce the expected results. The air defense system of Vietnam, created with the help of the USSR, made it possible to successfully fight American aircraft. The war took on protracted forms with heavy losses on both sides.
As a result, the United States suffered the largest political and military defeat in its history. According to American data, the total losses amounted to about 360 thousand people, 9 thousand aircraft and helicopters, and many other military equipment. The losses of the population and the army of North and South Vietnam have not yet been reliably established, but they were disproportionately large.
In 1969, the Republic of South Vietnam was formed on the territory of South Vietnam.
The defeat in the war and the demands of the world community forced the United States on January 27, 1973 to sign the Paris Agreement on Vietnam. However, even after the signing of the Paris Agreement, the United States continued to supply weapons to the Saigon regime, and 20,000 American military advisers remained in the puppet army. In 1975, the defeat of the Saigon army was finally completed and the regime of South Vietnam was liquidated, and in 1976 the single state- Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Wars in the Middle East between Israel and the Arab states.
In November 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution "On the establishment on the territory of Palestine of two independent states - Arab and Jewish", and on May 14, 1948, the formation of the state of Israel was proclaimed. Following this, on the night of May 15, 1948, the first Arab-Israeli war began, which was fought between Israel, supported by the United States and Great Britain, and a group of Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Yemen), supported by the USSR. These and subsequent wars were based on the territorial claims of both sides.
As a result of aggressive actions, already in the first war, Israel captured almost half of the territory of Palestine, intended for the Arab state (about 6.7 thousand km 2 was captured, about 900,000 Arabs were expelled). The war ended in 1949 with the signing of an agreement establishing a demilitarized zone.
The second ("six-day") Arab-Israeli war began on June 5, 1967 with a surprise Israeli attack on Egypt, Syria and Jordan. In the very first hours of the war, Israel managed to disable most of the aviation of these states and seize the strategic initiative (album of schemes, scheme 64
).
During the 6 days of the war, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula on the Egyptian front, and the Golan Heights and the western province of Jordan on the Syrian front. However, the Arab states, relying on the help of the USSR and other socialist states, restored their military potential. Further operations of the Israeli Armed Forces slowed down. The war ended on June 12, 1967 with an agreement reached between the belligerents through the mediation of the USA and the USSR. As a result, Israel withdrew its troops from the areas west of the Suez Canal, but retained the occupied territories in the Sinai Peninsula (the peninsula was finally returned to Egypt only in 1982) and in Western Syria.
The third Arab-Israeli war of 1973 was fought between Israel, supported by the US and Great Britain, and a group of Arab states (Egypt, Syria) supported by the USSR. It began on October 6, 1973 with the attack of Egypt and Syria on Israel.
At the same time, at the beginning, the Egyptian Armed Forces managed to force the Suez Canal and liberate a significant part of the Sinai Peninsula. Syria captured the Golan Heights, but later Israel seized the strategic initiative. As a result of the powerful counterattacks undertaken, he managed to defeat the Egyptian army at first, force the Suez Canal and, having seized bridgeheads on the western coast, create a threat to Cairo. Then, shifting efforts to the northern front, push back the Syrian troops, retake the Golan Heights and create a threat to Damascus.
The war was terminated in accordance with the decision of the UN Security Council and as a result of the diplomatic efforts of the USSR and the USA on October 22, 1973, Israel withdrew its troops from part of the occupied territories. A zone occupied by the UN Emergency Armed Forces has been formed between the warring states.
In the development of military art following the results of the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967, 1973. the following main points can be noted.
Compared to the defense during the Korean War, the defense became more stable and active due to its saturation with tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery. It could be both continuous and focal. An example of a positional defense in depth is the Barleva Line, built by the Israelis in the early 1970s along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal.
The Suez Canal was a complex natural obstacle (width 150-200 m, depth - 12-15 m), along which a system of underground storage facilities (capacity 200 tons each) was created with a flammable mixture, which was planned to flood the surface of the water in case the enemy tried to force the water barrier.
The defense of the Israeli troops consisted of two lanes with a total depth of 30–50 km. The first lane had two positions and was occupied by infantry brigades. They had a battle order in two echelons and defended along the front up to 16 km.
The leading edge of the first position, the depth of which reached 2–3 km, passed directly along the steep banks of the canal and an embankment up to 20 m high. and ATGMs. The density of anti-tank weapons in the tank-prone areas was 10-12 tanks and 4-3 anti-tank guns per 1 km of the front.
The second position of the first line of defense was 12–15 km from the canal. Its strongholds covered the roads to the mountain passes, along which the second line of defense passed. It was intended for the location of operational reserves.
The practice of moving Israeli troops to the defensive during an unsuccessful offensive had features of mobile defense. In this case, they retreated to the nearest dominant heights and quickly created all-round defenses on them in the form of platoon and company strongholds. The strongholds were based on combat posts dispersed along the front and echeloned in depth. Helicopter landing sites were equipped near the strongholds, to which cargo was delivered. This practice allowed us to gain time and ensure the pulling up of reserves.
The important role of anti-tank defense organization was confirmed. It included the pre-emptive destruction of enemy tanks by artillery and aviation fire at maximum range; complex use of anti-tank weapons - cannon artillery, Anti-tank guided missile - a guided missile designed to destroy tanks and other armored targets. The former name of the ATGM is "anti-tank guided missile". Part of the anti-tank missile system (ATGM).", 140, 600, "Definition");"> ATGM
, tanks, combat helicopters. The practice of creating "anti-tank bags" has been developed. For this, tank units (up to a battalion) were allocated, reinforced ATGM. They took up defenses in tank-hazardous directions in such a way that the advancing enemy tanks first came under fire from tanks in the trenches, and then, after trying to bypass the ambush, under the fire of camouflaged ATGMs. Combat helicopters completed the destruction. As a result of this technique, one of the Egyptian tank brigades in 1973 was drawn into a similar "bag" and lost 80 tanks.
In the offensive, such a new form of creating a shock group as operational-tactical groups was developed. They included armored and infantry brigades, field artillery divisions and engineering troops. Combining various types of troops in one battle formation ensured their close interaction, the ability to develop an offensive at a high pace and solve a wide range of tasks in isolation from the main forces.
An important role in the implementation of the maneuver was assigned to small raid groups of tanks (numbering from a platoon to a company), reinforced by motorized infantry and ATGM units on armored personnel carriers.
With the development of success, forward detachments, tactical airborne assault forces and special sabotage groups were widely used.
in the Arab-Israeli war of 1973. such new means of armed struggle as combat helicopters with anti-tank guided missiles were used; self-propelled artillery; Tactical ballistic missiles- a type of rocket weapon; designed to hit targets directly in the field of military operations. Tactical missiles, as a rule, have a relatively short range and are designed to destroy targets such as fortified enemy positions, troop concentrations, military equipment, and the like.", 140, 600, "Definition");"> tactical ballistic missiles
; A man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) is an anti-aircraft missile system designed to be transported and fired by one person. Due to their small size, MANPADS are easily camouflaged and mobile.", 100, 600, "Definition");"> portable air defense systems
; anti-tank missiles; funds Electronic warfare (EW) - - a set of measures and actions of troops (forces) coordinated in terms of goals, tasks, place and time to identify radio-electronic means (RES) and control systems for enemy troops (forces) and weapons, their destruction by all types of weapons or capture ( incapacitation) and electronic countermeasures (REP), as well as electronic protection (REZ) of their radio-electronic facilities and command and control systems for troops and weapons, as well as electronic information support and countermeasures technical means enemy reconnaissance; type of combat support.", 180, 650, "Definition");"> electronic warfare
; aviation guided missiles.
The 1982 Lebanon War was fought by US-backed Israel against Lebanon and Syria. It began with an Israeli attack on the southern regions of Lebanon in order to destroy the combat detachments for the liberation of Palestine. As a result, the Israeli armed forces managed to capture a significant part of Lebanese territory and blockade the Lebanese capital of Beirut. In a critical situation, Syria sent its troops to Lebanon. As a result of the unfolding battles in the northeastern part of the country, the front stabilized. The war ended with an agreement reached with the participation of the US and the USSR.
The armed conflict between Israel and Lebanon in 2006 was the second Lebanese in a row and the eighth in a series of Israeli-Arab wars and conflicts.
The peculiarity of this armed conflict was that Israel did not formulate clear political goals that it had to achieve as a result of military operations. At first, it was stated that they were being carried out only to release two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah militants, then it was announced that it was necessary to reduce the military threat from this group, to move deep into Lebanese territory and establish a demilitarized zone and other tasks.
The strategic plan was to force large religious communities in that country to oppose Hezbollah by bombing Lebanese targets (military groupings, roads, fuel depots, Beirut airport, etc.). It should be noted that such a scenario of conducting military operations (with the decisive role of the Air Force in the war) is characteristic of virtually all LVVK with the participation of the United States after the Second World War.
However, the stubborn resistance of the Hezbollah units, combined with political pressure from Muslim countries, forced Israel to make changes to the course of the operation. In particular, to move on to ground combat operations, to which Israeli army was not ready (lack of reliable intelligence, untrained personnel of the Armed Forces to act in conditions guerrilla war, weak protection of armored vehicles and personnel, unsatisfactory logistic support and etc.).
In turn, the Hezbollah group was well prepared for the war, which is confirmed by the following facts:
• the south of Lebanon was divided into 6 zones, which were divided into sectors coinciding with the territory of various villages, and the entire territory of the alleged hostilities was equipped in engineering terms (bunkers, tunnels, secret passages);
• For air strikes on Israel, missiles with launch ranges of 50-100 km were used, which are impossible to fight with existing air defense systems (air defense systems in Israeli service are designed to intercept missiles when they are launched from a range of at least 400 km);
• The militants used modern means of control and communication (PC, mobile radio, listening equipment);
• The nature of the combat operations of the militant units against the Israeli troops was extremely covert (the so-called "garage" tactics of delivering strikes were used).
The truce between Israel and Lebanon reached by August 15, 2006 stopped the bloodshed, and UN peacekeeping forces were brought into the conflict area.
Operation Cast Lead, which began by Israel on December 29, 2008 and lasted 22 days, included an air phase (until January 4, 2009) and a ground phase. The Israeli Air Force, in addition to manned aircraft, widely used Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - an aircraft without a crew on board.", 40, 600, "Definition"); "> UAV
of various ranges, GBU-39 concrete-piercing bombs, which pierced the concrete ceilings of tunnels and underground structures militants up to 90 cm deep, as well as phosphorus bombs. During the ground phase of the operation, the Israeli troops encountered the same difficulties as in 2006: the lack of well-established interaction between the branches of the armed forces (“friendly fire”), well-organized guerrilla actions of militants (the number of detachments did not exceed 50 people, within created underground infrastructure, not the traditional maneuver of forces and means, but the maneuver of combat crews was widely used, which made it possible to launch missiles at Israel up to last day armed conflict, etc.).
Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989).
In 1978, a coup d'etat took place in Afghanistan under the leadership of the Democratic Party of this country with the support of the USSR.
The revolutionary council took a course towards building socialism, using the experience of internal transformations of the USSR in Central Asia. Such a drastic change in traditions and way of life caused a protest among the local population. The Muslim clergy also opposed the innovations (for 4 thousand inhabitants in Afghanistan, on average, there is 1 mosque and 660
mullah).
In opposition to the revolutionary government, with the support of professional Pakistani officers and specialists from Western states (primarily the United States), the National Front for the Liberation of Afghanistan was formed, which began preparing uprisings in Kandahar, Jalalabad, Herat, Khost (album of schemes, scheme 65). In the spring of 1979, members of this organization made several attempts to penetrate Afghan territory from Pakistan.
Thus, in Afghanistan, the interests of not only the two internal groups clashed, but also the interests of the USSR and the USA. On December 12, 1979, the revolutionary government of Afghanistan, which was rapidly losing strength and authority, turned to the USSR with a request to station the garrisons of the Soviet Armed Forces in the north of the country and take control of the roads.
Transfer Soviet troops began on December 25, 1979. The military transport aviation of the USSR Armed Forces made 340 flights to deliver troops and equipment to their destination.
Soviet troops began advancing in the direction of the largest cities of Afghanistan: Kandahar, Herat, Kabul, Kunduz on December 29, 1979. In addition to escorting cargo columns, together with Afghan troops, Soviet units engaged in battle with opposition groups and prevented the delivery of ammunition and weapons from the territory of Iran and Pakistan .
Winter 1980–1981 the armed opposition changed the tactics of direct confrontation to partisan. The targets of terrorist acts were vital industrial enterprises and facilities, groupings of government and Soviet troops.
In 1986, the leadership of Afghanistan launched a program of national reconciliation. Representatives of the DRA entered into negotiations with the opposition. All the fighters who left the ranks of the opposition were amnestied, and the refugees began to return to their homeland. Influential politicians agreed with the idea of forming a government from representatives of various political parties.
At the end of 1988 - beginning of 1989. Negotiations were held on the end of hostilities and the organization of a coalition government. The Soviet representatives testified their readiness to peacefully settle the situation in Afghanistan. Part of this commitment was the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country, which was completed by February 15, 1989.
During this war, about 14 thousand people were killed. Soviet soldiers, more than 35 thousand were injured, over 300 were missing. The total number of troops sent to Afghanistan exceeded 80 thousand people.
Gulf War 1990–1991 (Operation Desert Storm).
In early 1990, Iraq's economic interests came into sharp conflict with the interests of other countries in the Persian Gulf. The need for significant sums of money for the development of the economy forced the Iraqi government to come out in favor of raising prices for oil produced in the region. However, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia openly spoke out against such a solution to Iraq's financial problems. In response, the President of Iraq, S. X. Usain, decided to achieve his goal in the only possible way, as it seemed to him, - by war.
Initially, on July 18, 1990, Iraq brought charges against Kuwait for appropriating the Rumaila oil field, which belongs to Iraq's sphere of influence (scheme album, scheme 66). In compensation, Kuwait had to pay 2.4 billion dollars, as well as to forgive the debt in the amount of 10 billion dollars provided to Iraq during its armed clash with Iran.
Without reaching a mutual agreement on the controversial issue, on August 2, 1990, the Iraqi armed forces invaded Kuwaiti territory. Western countries quickly reacted to the occupation of Kuwait, and already on August 10, American troops launched Operation Desert Shield. In order to prevent possible Iraqi aggression against Saudi Arabia and the advance of the Iraqi army in a southerly direction, they undertook the landing of troops in the Persian Gulf.
Initially, the UN did not approve of the actions of the allies, but on November 29, 1990, the UN Security Council still allowed the use of any means, including military ones, to force the Iraqi president to withdraw troops from Kuwait. The ultimatum presented to Iraq indicated the deadline for the withdrawal of troops - January 15, 1991.
The United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf formed an anti-Iraqi coalition, which by the beginning of 1991 included 28 countries (about 600,000 soldiers and officers, 2,000 combat aircraft, more than 4,000 tanks, and 3,700 artillery pieces and mortars). The Allied naval forces included 100 warships, including 6 multi-purpose American aircraft carriers, 2 battleships (Missouri and Wisconsin), submarines carrying A cruise missile is an unmanned aerial vehicle of a single launch, the flight path of which is determined by the aerodynamic lift of the wing, engine thrust and gravity", 140, 600, "Definition"); "> cruise missiles
sea-based (SLCM) "Tomahawk".
According to various sources, the Iraqi armed forces numbered from 750 to 900 thousand soldiers and officers,
from 7.5 to 8 thousand guns and mortars, more than 700 combat aircraft and 5 thousand tanks. In addition, S. Hussein's army was armed with 500 ground-to-ground operational-tactical missiles (OTRs).
The command of the allied forces, quite accurately aware of the number of enemy armed forces, in the upcoming operation had high hopes for numerical and qualitative superiority in aviation, navy, electronic warfare and WTO. According to leading military experts, such a balance of forces should have reduced losses in the multinational allied forces during the operation on land.
When planning military operations, the coalition command had to take into account two more important factors: the possibility of Iraq trying to draw Israel into the armed conflict, which could lead to Jordan and some other Arab countries speaking out on the Iraqi side, as well as the possibility of Iraq using chemical weapons.
Since on January 15, 1991, the conditions of the ultimatum from Iraq were never fulfilled, on January 17 at 00 GMT (3 hours Baghdad time), the areas where the Iraqi troops were located were subjected to massive air ( Massed air strike (MAU) - a simultaneous strike by all or most of the forces of an aviation association in a limited area with the aim of decisively defeating troops (objects) in a short time.", 40, 600, "Definition"); "> UIA
) and massive air-missile (MRAU) strikes as part of the air-offensive operation (VNO) conducted by the coalition forces. Air Force and Navy aircraft from the US, UK, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait bombed southern territories Iraq and part of the Iraqi armed forces in Kuwait. The raid was accompanied by rocket fire from US ships and submarines at Iraqi air defense systems, as well as the city of Basra, near which the elite units of the guard were stationed.
S. Hussein.
The UNO of the Multinational Force (MNF) ended on the third day. Despite the fact that massive air strikes turned out to be quite effective, they did not allow us to solve all the tasks.
In the future, selective air strikes continued until favorable conditions were created for a ground operation. Aircraft of the multinational forces made up to 2,500 sorties per day.
As early as January 18, the Iraqi armed forces began launching retaliatory OTR missile strikes on the territories of Israel and Saudi Arabia. For example, for the period from January 18 to 23, about 130 launches were made, the effectiveness of which turned out to be insignificant due to the low technical readiness of these missiles and the countermeasures of the American Patriot air defense systems, which were used for the first time in combat conditions in the interests of solving the problem of anti-missile defense (ABM) in combat conditions.
In mid-February 1991, the government of S. Hussein announced its readiness to withdraw troops from the occupied Kuwait territory, but, despite this statement, the command of the joint forces launched a ground operation, the purpose of which was to encircle and destroy the Iraqi group in Kuwait.
The ground operation to liberate Kuwait, which began on February 24, 1991, lasted only 4 days and ended with the complete defeat of the Iraqi troops.
During the hostilities, Iraq almost completely exhausted its economic and military capabilities, and the UN Security Council resolutions regarding the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from the occupied territories were implemented.
Operation Desert Storm was the largest armed conflict since World War II. The loss of the Iraqi side amounted to about 70 thousand people killed and wounded, 65 thousand prisoners and 30 thousand missing. In addition, S. Hussein's army lost 360 aircraft, 2700 tanks, 5 warships, 25 boats and about 40 OTP launchers.
Losses in the ranks of the Allied forces turned out to be much smaller: 795 people were killed, less than 70 aircraft, 28 helicopters and a small amount of armored vehicles.
The most important feature of Operation Desert Storm was the use of the latest types of high-precision weapons (cruise missiles, guided aircraft munitions, reconnaissance and strike systems, etc.), satellite reconnaissance, navigation and communications systems, aircraft made using Stealth technology, as well as the use in the new conditions of such forms of combat use of troops as an air-offensive operation, massed air and massed air-missile strikes.
The growing role of weapons in the course of combat allowed some military experts to start talking about the emergence of a new type of "technogenic" war, the prototype of which was Operation Desert Storm.
War in Yugoslavia 1999
The reason for the war was the collapse of the Yugoslav state by mid-1992, caused by a conflict between federal republics and various ethnic groups, as well as attempts to revise the existing borders between the republics (album of schemes, scheme 67). For example, in 1991-1998. there were 543 clashes between Albanian militants and Serbian police, 75% of which took place in five months of the last 1998. To stop the wave of violence against the Serbs in the province of Kosovo, Belgrade sent police units and military units numbering about 30 thousand people there, which ultimately predetermined the intervention of the NATO member states, who demanded to stop the actions of the Serbian forces under the threat of bombing Belgrade. Serbian troops were withdrawn from the region and Albanian militants re-occupied a significant part of Kosovo and Metohija. The forcible expulsion of the Serbs from these territories began.
Despite this, in March 1999, in violation of the UN Charter, the NATO bloc launched a military operation against Yugoslavia, called "Resolute Force". At the first stage of this operation, 460 combat aircraft were used, and by the end of the operation their number had increased by more than 2.5 times. The composition of the NATO ground grouping was brought to 10 thousand people with heavy armored vehicles and operational-tactical missiles in service. Within a month from the beginning of the operation, the NATO naval grouping was increased to 50 ships equipped with sea-based cruise missiles and 100 carrier-based aircraft, and then increased several times more (for carrier-based aviation - 4 times). In total, 927 carrier-based aircraft and 55 ships, including 4 aircraft carriers, participated in the NATO operation. NATO troops were served by a group of space assets providing reconnaissance, communications, and navigation (NAVSTAR system).
By the beginning of the NATO aggression, the Yugoslav Armed Forces numbered 90 thousand people, as well as about 16 thousand people of the police and security forces. The Yugoslav army had up to 200 combat aircraft, about 150 anti-aircraft systems of obsolete types, and, consequently, with limited combat capabilities for the destruction of modern air attack weapons (AOS).
Operation "Decisive Force" began with the VNO (2 days), during which 2 MRAUs were inflicted.
NATO used 1,200-1,500 sea- and air-based cruise missiles to attack 900 targets in the Yugoslav economy (for comparison, about 300 in Iraq). During the first stage of the operation, these funds destroyed the oil industry of Yugoslavia, 50% of the ammunition industry, 40% of the tank and automobile industries, 40% of oil storage facilities, and 100% of strategic bridges across the Danube. Aviation performed from 600 to 800 sorties per day. In total, 38,000 sorties were made during the operation, more than 20,000 bombs and guided missiles were dropped. 37,000 uranium projectiles were also used, as a result of which 23 tons of depleted uranium-238 were sprayed over Yugoslavia.
An important component of the aggression was the information war, which included a powerful impact on the information systems of Yugoslavia in order to destroy information sources and undermine the combat command and control system, as well as information isolation not only of the troops, but also of the population. The destruction of television and radio centers cleared information space for broadcasting stations of European countries and the USA.
According to NATO, the bloc lost 5 aircraft, 16 unmanned aircraft in the operation. aircraft and 2 helicopters. According to the Yugoslav side, 61 aircraft, 238 cruise missiles, 30 unmanned aerial vehicles and 7 helicopters were shot down.
Yugoslavia in the first days of the war lost a significant part of its aviation and air defense systems (up to 70% of the air defense system). The rest of the air defense forces and means were preserved due to the fact that the country's leadership refused to conduct an air defensive operation, conducting only guerrilla operations.
As a result of NATO bombings, more than 2,000 civilians were killed, more than 7,000 people were injured, more than 750 thousand residents of Yugoslavia became refugees, without necessary conditions life left 2.5 million people. The total material damage from NATO aggression amounted to over $100 billion.
On June 10, 1999, hostilities against Yugoslavia were suspended. The Yugoslav leadership agreed to withdraw all military and police forces from Kosovo and Metohija, and already on June 11, NATO rapid reaction forces entered the territory of the province. However, this did not stop inter-ethnic violence. In the year after the end of NATO aggression, more than 1,000 people were killed in the region, more than 200,000 Serbs and Montenegrins and 150,000 representatives of other ethnic groups were expelled, about 100 churches and monasteries were burned or damaged.
In 2002, the NATO Prague Summit was held, which legalized any operations of the alliance outside the territories of its member countries "wherever it is required", without the consent of the UN.
Thus, when analyzing the NATO war against Yugoslavia in 1999, three main aspects can be distinguished. From a military-political point of view, it opened the era of open military-force diktat (without coordination with the world community) by the US and NATO in relation to other countries.
From a military-strategic point of view, the US and NATO have practically implemented the concept of "air war" put forward by the Italian military theorist General Douai back in the 1920s. According to this concept, in order to force the enemy to surrender, it is enough to destroy the most important military, state and economic facilities on his territory by inflicting massive air strikes on them. The goals of the war in Yugoslavia were achieved without the participation of ground troops, but only through an air offensive operation that lasted 79 days.
Finally, from a military-technical point of view, this war became a continuation of a new, so-called "non-contact" type of warfare, demonstrated back in the Persian Gulf in 1991. Character traits such wars - the overwhelming military-technical and information superiority of the attacking side, its massive use of unmanned reconnaissance and destruction weapons and long-range weapons, the systematic and selective destruction of the most important objects throughout the enemy's territory to force him to capitulate.
2003 Gulf War
The reasons for the war were, first of all, economic - the struggle for possession of the richest Iraqi oil and gas fields (Iraq ranks 4th in the world in terms of explored reserves of these resources). At the same time, the United States, as the reason for the invasion, imposed on the media the idea that Iraq possessed stocks of weapons of mass destruction, which could threaten the world community.
The total strength of the ground grouping of the US armed forces in the area of destination for the invasion of Iraq amounted to more than 145 thousand people, including: ground forces - 55 thousand people, marines - 65 thousand people, air force - 25 thousand people. More than 420 carrier-based aircraft and 540 ground grouping aircraft were concentrated in the crisis zone, including 41 US Air Force strategic bombers (B-1B, B-52) and 20 B-2A bombers made using stealth technology. The number of strategic reconnaissance aircraft of the US, British and French air forces amounted to more than 20, and AWACS, Gistars, Hawkeye radar reconnaissance aircraft - up to 30.
The created groupings of troops (forces) of the multinational forces were covered from air strikes by 40 air defense systems ("Patriot", "Improved Hawk", "Shain-2").
The grouping of the US Navy and its allies in the crisis zone consisted of 115 warships, including 29 carriers of sea-based cruise missiles (nuclear submarines - 11, surface ships - 18), with about 750 SLCM units. Three carrier strike groups of the US Navy were created in the Persian Gulf, led by the aircraft carriers Lincoln, Constellation, Kitty Hawk, with more than 200 carrier-based aircraft and one British Navy aircraft carrier strike group with 16 combat aircraft.
The timing of the transfer of one division with standard weapons and military equipment(WME) from the continental United States and its deployment in Kuwait amounted to up to 40 days, without full-time weapons and military equipment - up to 20 days. At the same time, it took up to 25 days to load weapons and military equipment on ships and cross by sea, and to unload and bring weapons to combat use- up to 15 days.
All formations of US and allied ground forces were consolidated into two operational groups - "South" and "West". They were created in operational areas based on the analysis of intelligence data on the expected opposition from the Iraqi troops and on the basis of the possibilities for the coalition to use the territories of states bordering Iraq.
During March 20, the United States and Great Britain launched massive air strikes and strikes with sea-based cruise missiles against the most important objects in Iraq, and on March 21, 2003 at 05.40, coalition troops entered Iraq simultaneously from the south, north and west.
The ground phase of the operation of the armed forces of the United States and its allies against Iraq, in terms of the number of troops involved in it, the duration of hostilities and the spatial scope, has become the largest in the last decade. More than 112 thousand people of the Ground Forces and marines United States, UK, Australia and Poland. The duration of active hostilities, carried out simultaneously on a territory with a total area of more than 150 thousand km 2, was 25 days (March 20 - April 14, 2003).
The attack on Baghdad by the group of ground forces was carried out in two operational directions: from the territories of Kuwait (the direction of the main attack) and Jordan (the other direction).
The losses of the allied coalition in the 2003 war were (according to the American side): aircraft - 5 (USA - 4, UK - 1); helicopters - 8 destroyed and 5 damaged (USA - 6 destroyed and 5 damaged, UK - 2 destroyed); BLA-2 (USA - 1, UK - 1)
During the four weeks of operation in Iraq, the coalition forces lost 156 people killed: 125 Americans (36 of them - as a result of accidents) and 31 Britons (16 of them - as a result of accidents).
During the war, the Iraqi Armed Forces were defeated (there are no official data on losses), and there are also heavy losses among the civilian population.
After the completion of the conquest of Iraq and the end of large-scale hostilities involving regular troops, the US and its allies were faced with well-organized Iraqi guerrilla operations, which continue to this day with heavy losses for the coalition forces.
The main features of the operation against Iraq in 2003.
1. National groupings of ground forces and the coalition grouping as a whole were created on the principle of a joint operational formation. They included formations, units and subunits of the Ground Forces, other types and branches of the US troops and their allies (light infantry, mechanized, armored, airborne, air assault, special forces, etc.).
2. The appointment of the control body of the grouping was carried out regardless of the number of formations subordinate to it participating in the operation. Thus, the grouping of American ground forces was controlled from the joint command post (CP) of the 5th Army Corps (AC), despite the fact that the operation involved mainly forces and assets from the 18th Airborne Corps.
3. The main feature of the ground offensive was that it began simultaneously with the air offensive operation coalition forces. At the same time, traditional fire training was not carried out. This became possible due to the timely and high-quality intelligence support of the operation and the good knowledge of the command of the coalition forces about the defense system, the state and activities of the enemy troops.
4. In general, the ground forces were characterized by a high rate of advance - active combat operations to seize Iraqi territory were completed in 25 days. At the same time, the coalition troops covered a distance exceeding 600 km from the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border to the city of Tikrit.
The high pace of the offensive at the beginning of the operation is explained by the method of action chosen by the American troops: to approach Baghdad as close as possible through the desert terrain, without getting involved in protracted battles.
5. The calculation of the Americans was based on the suddenness of the actions of their formations, which have high tactical mobility, and on the forced need for enemy troops to conduct positional defense.
6. In the course of the ground operation, differences in methods of action and facts of incompatibility of communication and command and control systems (weapons) both between the formations of the US Armed Forces and between homogeneous formations of the US and British Armed Forces were revealed. This is confirmed by the cases of fire destruction of own forces and means noted in the course of hostilities. So, on March 21, 2003, a US Cobra helicopter knocked out its Abrams tank, on March 23, a British Tornado fighter-bomber was shot down by an American Patriot air defense system, and on April 4, one US soldier was killed and several more were injured, hitting under fire from an American F-15 E fighter.
Thus, an analysis of the military conflicts that took place after the Second World War allows us to highlight their main common features:
1. The coalition nature of armed clashes. For example, formations, units and divisions of another 15 states took part in the war in Korea (1950-1953) under the UN flag along with the United States and South Korea. In military operations against Israel in 1973, along with the armed forces of Egypt and Syria, the troops of other Arab states participated. And for the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991, twenty states sent their military formations to the MNF, and in total 34 countries were part of the anti-Iraq coalition. Taking into account the governments that officially supported S. Hussein, the total number of states directly or indirectly involved in the war in the Persian Gulf zone exceeded 4 dozen. For comparison, only 38 states took part in World War 1.
2. Widespread use of indirect, non-contact and other (including non-traditional) forms and methods of action, long-range fire and electronic destruction;
3. Active information confrontation, disorientation public opinion in individual states and the world community as a whole.
4. The desire of the parties to disorganize the system of state and military administration.
5. The use of the latest highly efficient, including those based on new physical principles (ONFP), weapons systems and military equipment. For example, in the war in Korea, jet aircraft and helicopters were used for the first time, in Vietnam - anti-aircraft guided missiles, in the Middle East - combat helicopters with ATGMs, in the Persian Gulf - new models of the WTO, the Patriot air defense system, space reconnaissance systems, etc.
6. Maneuvering actions of troops (forces) in various directions with the wide use of airmobile forces, landing forces and special forces.
7. The defeat of troops (forces), rear facilities, economy, communications throughout the territory.
8. Preferential conduct of air campaigns and operations.
9. Catastrophic consequences in the event of damage (destruction) of energy enterprises (primarily nuclear), chemical and other hazardous industries, infrastructure, communications, life support facilities.
10. High probability of involvement of new states in the war, escalation of armed struggle, expansion of the scale and range of means used, including the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction.
Already during the war in Korea in 1950, the Americans planned the use of atomic bombs. In 1973, in Israel, according to the American magazine Time, they were brought from the nuclear center in Dimona and beyond
78 hours hastily collected in a secret underground tunnel 13 atomic bombs. Before the start of active hostilities against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the commander of the US armed forces in the Middle East, General Schwarzkopf, requested authorization to detonate a nuclear device over Iraqi territory to disable enemy electronic equipment.
In the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the aggressors used bacteriological and chemical weapons; napalm was used in Korea, Vietnam, Algeria and Egypt, etc.
All these examples show that humanity is not guaranteed against the danger of a local (regional) war escalating into a large-scale (world) war.
11. Participation in the war along with regular, irregular armed formations.
Task for independent work :
1. Study the material of lesson No. 1 of topic No. 6.2. Start preparing for workshop number 6.
3. Supplement the information in lesson No. 1 of topic No. 6 workbook(form - summary).
4. Fill in part 1 of the conceptual table "Military conflicts of our time."
Although the modern world is quite civilized, war between states and within their borders remains one of the main methods of solving political problems. Despite the presence of international organizations and protector states, armed conflicts are not uncommon in African countries and in the East. Some states are in a state of constant sluggish armed confrontation. This nature of modern wars and armed conflicts is increasingly found in states where an ethnically diverse population is forced to live within a common border.
Types of wars depending on the scale of the conflict
Due to globalization, the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts is gradually changing. All members of a military-political or economic bloc can be drawn into an active power conflict. And today there are three most high-tech armies. These are Chinese troops: a hypothetical active war between two representatives of this list will automatically be of a large-scale nature. This means that it will take place over a large area without the formation of a united confrontation front.
The second, fundamentally different type of war is a local armed conflict. It either arises between two or more countries within their borders, or takes place within the framework of one state. Armies of states, but not military blocs, participate in such a confrontation. It is distinguished by a small number of participants and assumes the presence of a front.
The nature of the fighting
The nature of modern wars and armed conflicts can be briefly presented in the form of pairs: active or sluggish, positional or generalized, interstate or civil, conventional or illegitimate... An active war is accompanied by maintaining the front or conducting sabotage activities, supporting constant hostilities.
A low-level war is often accompanied by the absence of significant clashes between the opposing armies, while priority is given to sabotage activities or the rare use of remote attack means. Slow conflicts are often local and can continue even permanently in the absence of hostilities.
Such a situation is possible in regions with insufficiently formed statehood, which has neither the legitimate right nor the authority to initiate the conclusion of peace. The result of such a confrontation is the emergence of a local "hot" spot, which often requires the presence of a foreign peacekeeping contingent.
Conventional and illegitimate wars
This classification of the nature of modern wars implies their division depending on the observance of human rights and international agreements regarding the use of weapons. For example, conflicts involving terrorist organizations or self-proclaimed states that directly destroy or cause infrastructural harm to existing countries will be called illegitimate. Such are the conflicts with the use of prohibited weapons.
Military blocs can be formed against the participants in such conflicts by "global arbiters" in order to destroy organizations and armies whose tactics of warfare are contrary to international norms and conventions. However, this does not mean that conventional wars are ardently supported.
Conventional warfare simply does not violate international rules, and the opposing sides use authorized weapons and provide assistance to the wounded of their enemy. Convention wars are aimed at preserving the civilized image of warfare, which is designed to save the maximum number of human lives.
precision weapons
Due to the peculiarities technical equipment large armies, priority in the conflicts in which they were involved is given to a global disarming strike. This type of warfare involves the comprehensive and simultaneous neutralization of known enemy military facilities. The concept involves the use of high-precision weapons designed to hit only military targets, providing maximum protection for the civilian population.
Distance Wars
An important feature of the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts is the maximum increase in the distance between the opposing armies in order to carry out remote attacks. They must be carried out with the maximum use of ammunition delivery vehicles and the minimum involvement of human resources. Priority is given to the means of warfare that ensure the safety of the soldier of his army. However, as the main military means, those are used that ensure the infliction of maximum damage to enemy troops. Artillery, navy, aviation, nuclear weapons should be cited as an example.
The ideological background of wars
In such a broad concept as the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts, OBZh as a field of knowledge highlights ideological training. This is the name of a system of values and knowledge that is natural for a certain nationality or artificially cultivated. It is aimed either at creation, or it brings up the goal of destroying its ideological opponents. A prime example is a direct follower of Christianity - radical Islamism.
In the Middle Ages, Christianity, as a very aggressive religion, led to numerous wars, including with the adherents of Islam. The latter were forced to defend their states and wealth during the Crusades. At the same time, Islam as a system of knowledge and as a religion was formed against aggressive Christianity. Since that moment, wars have taken on a character not only as a means of achieving advantages in geopolitics, but also as a measure to protect one's value system.
Religious and ideological wars
Strictly speaking, after the formation of various ideologies, power confrontations began to take on a religious character. Such is the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts, some of which, as in the inhumane Middle Ages, pursue the goal of seizing territories or wealth under favorable pretexts. Religion as an ideology is a powerful system of values that delineates a clear boundary between people. Then, in the understanding of opponents, the enemy is really an enemy that has no points of contact.
The Importance of Ideology in Modern Warfare
Having such an attitude, the soldier is more cruel, because he understands how far he is from his opponent in understanding even elementary things. It is much easier to fight armed with such beliefs, and the effectiveness of an ideologically prepared army is much higher. This also means that modern wars often arise not only because of the desire to gain geopolitical advantages, but also because of national and ideological differences. In psychology, this is called armed with which a soldier can forget about indulgence for the vanquished and about international conventions adopted to reduce casualties during wars.
Definition of an aggressor
The main paradox in the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts is the definition of an aggressor. Since in the context of globalization many countries are present in economic or political blocs, the warring parties may have a number of allies and indirect opponents. At the same time, one of the most important tasks of an ally is to support a friendly state, regardless of its correctness. This leads to international problems, some of which are provoked by distortions of reality.
Both frankly negative aspects and positive ones can be distorted. Such crises in international relations they also threaten war to those states that did not participate in armed confrontation before the fulfillment of allied obligations. This is one of the paradoxical features of the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts. The content of the literature on geopolitics directly confirms such conclusions. Examples are easy to find in the military conflicts in Syria and Ukraine.
Prospects for the use of nuclear weapons
The hypothetical nature of modern wars and armed conflicts of the Russian Federation suggests the possible use of nuclear weapons. Their use can be justified by the UN Security Council both in relation to the Russian Federation and against other states. Such a development of events is possible for the reason that nuclear weapons are highly effective as a means of preemption and disarmament. Likewise, nuclear weapons, like WMD, have no disadvantages in terms of long-term damage to the environment. That is, in the case of the use of nuclear weapons in a certain territory, the defeat occurs due to the blast wave, but not due to radioactivity.
The nuclear reaction stops immediately after and therefore the area will not be contaminated radioactive substances. And unlike local wars, confrontations at the global level are of a different nature. In modern military conflicts, the main approaches are reduced to the maximum protection of the civilian population of the warring parties. This is one of the main pretexts by which the use of nuclear weapons to disarm an illegitimate adversary can be justified in global wars.
Prospects for the use of other weapons of mass destruction
Chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in global war, as analysts suggest, will not be applied. It can be used by the warring parties within the framework of local conflicts. But armed confrontation on a global scale, in which small states are involved, can also lead to the use of chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction by poorly equipped armies.
The army of the Russian Federation, China and NATO are parties to international conventions and have abandoned chemical and biological weapons. Moreover, the use of such weapons does not fully fit into the concept of a global disarming strike. But within the framework of local wars, and especially in the case of the emergence of terrorist organizations, such an outcome should be expected from non-governmental armies not burdened by international treaties and conventions. The use of chemical or biological weapons harms both armies.
Prevention of hostilities
The best war is the one that fails. It is strange, but such utopian ideals are possible even in conditions of constant "sabre-rattling" of weapons, which is often seen in the politics of Russia, NATO, and China. They often conduct demonstration exercises and improve their weapons. And as part of identifying the nature of modern wars and armed conflicts, the presentation of military means and achievements should be considered in the context of demonstrating one's own
This tactic allows you to show your army and thereby prevent an active attack by a potentially enemy state. For a similar purpose, nuclear weapons are stored today. It is quite obvious that its stock in the world is excessive, but developed countries contain it in large quantities for the purpose of the so-called nuclear deterrence.
This is one of the war prevention tactics that requires the possessor of WMD to have common sense and a desire to resolve conflicts through diplomacy. This also confirms that the modern concept of warfare comes down to building up combat power. This is necessary in order to achieve victory with minimal consequences for your army and your own state. However, this applies to defensive wars, and in the conditions of a civilized world, the predominance in military power is not a sign of aggression - this is one of the tactics for preventing wars.
Based on the characteristics of the subjects, the following types of wars and military conflicts can be distinguished:
1. Interstate wars and military conflicts, in which states are the subjects of confrontation.
2. Intrastate wars and military conflicts, the subjects of which are the ruling regimes on the one hand, and anti-government groups (civil, religious, ethnic, racial) on the other.
3. Wars and military conflicts between states on the one hand and national liberation movements on the other.
A number of wars and military conflicts may have signs of two or three types considered. These are the so-called complex wars and military conflicts.
In terms of the scope of hostilities relative to the global scale, wars can be global, regional and local, and military conflicts can be regional and local. World wars are known for their scale. It is proposed to classify regional wars and military conflicts as those in which two or more states directly participate, and hostilities are limited to the framework of one geographical region. The category of local, respectively, includes wars and military conflicts occurring within the boundaries of one state.
In terms of the scope of hostilities relative to regional scales, regional and local military conflicts can be limited, medium and large scale.
Military conflicts of a limited scale are proposed to include those that cover up to 25% of the territory and in which up to 25% of the armed forces and military formations of the warring parties participate.
In medium-scale military conflicts, the coverage of military operations of the territory is from 25 to 50% and from 25 to 50% of the armed forces and military formations participate.
Large-scale conflicts include those that cover more than half of the country's territory and in which more than half of the armed forces and military formations participate.
Wars and military conflicts can also be classified according to the degree (level) of the intensity of the course of hostilities. Intensity is understood as the degree of use of the armed forces in combat operations per unit of time. It is proposed to take a three-month period as a unit of time. Based on the experience of modern wars and military conflicts, as well as the time required for mobilization and preparation for conducting military operations, this time is quite enough so that from the moment a decision is made to conduct hostilities, they can begin.
The intensity has many levels. In the interest of simplifying the assessment process, three main, most typical levels of intensity are proposed. The first level is wars and military conflicts of low intensity (sluggish). They may be due to the significant inequality of the opposing sides, the impossibility of defeating the enemy, the partial resolution of contradictions by political means, and other circumstances. This level is characterized by episodic combat operations in the form of raids, raids, sabotage and terrorist actions with subsequent withdrawal, often to the territory of neighboring countries or to hard-to-reach areas.
Wars and military conflicts of medium intensity are characterized by a combination of political attitudes of the opposing sides, primarily on the military resolution of contradictions by defeating the enemy, and the presence of forces sufficient to conduct active hostilities.
High-intensity wars and military conflicts are marked by a combination of decisive political attitudes of the opposing sides solely on the military resolution of contradictions by defeating the enemy and the presence of forces on one of the sides to achieve this goal. to participate up to 25% of the number of at least one of the parties within three months; at medium intensity - from 25 to 50%; at high intensity - over 50%.
RB and MZ 2012