Kathrine Frich
Military drills usually follow a predictable script.
Powerful western armies run through carefully planned scenarios, demonstrating their advanced tactics and superior firepower.
But a recent training exercise in northern Europe just tore that script to shreds.
A brutal lesson
The Swedish military recently invited Ukrainian soldiers to a major training event. The exercise took place on the strategic Baltic island of Gotland, and the visiting troops were asked to play the role of the enemy.
The result was a total shock to the system. Armed with cheap, off-the-shelf drones, the Ukrainian operators effectively massacred the defending Swedish forces.
“They stopped the training three times to discuss how they could do better. But in real life, they would already be dead,” a 24-year-old Ukrainian pilot named Tarik told the Associated Press.
Old rules fail
The scenario tested how quickly forces could react to an attack on the island’s energy and supply lines. The Swedish commanders relied on classic, textbook military doctrine.
The Ukrainians ignored the textbooks. They swarmed the area with the small, fast FPV (first-person view) drones that dominate the daily fighting back home.
Another Ukrainian pilot, known as Karat, was blunt in his assessment. He told the AP that the Swedish officers showed potential but completely misunderstood the reality of modern combat.
Years behind
The defenders were forced to fight blind, without the massive reconnaissance support they usually expect. It is a terrifying reality that NATO forces rarely practice but Ukrainians face every day.
The local forces did not hide their shock. Andreas Gustaffson from the Swedish army admitted they were totally outclassed.
“They are light years ahead of us when it comes to using drones. We have a lot to learn,” Gustaffson stated.
The gap in capability comes down to how different armies buy their equipment. Western militaries spend years testing and certifying expensive gear to meet strict peacetime standards.
A positive sign
Piotr Szymański, an expert from the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), explained that the Ukrainian operators are fighting a completely different type of war using technology that evolves faster than western supply chains can handle.
Yet Szymański sees the Gotland defeat as a necessary wake-up call for the entire alliance.
“The good signal from these exercises on Gotland is that NATO admits to failure in training. This is a sign of real verification,” Szymański told Wirtualna Polska.
The alliance is already trying to adapt. NATO recently established a Joint Analysis, Training and Education Center (JATEC) in Poland to study exactly these kinds of battlefield lessons.
Sources: Associated Press, Wirtualna Polska, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW)
