The Russian Deception

Notes

The Armata T-14 heralds a new generation of tank warfare. It is very fast, very maneuverable and very deadly. The weapons systems are as described in the book. The computer is fully capable of making independent decisions based on its interpretation of the situation. The damaged electronic systems that decide to launch a nuclear missile in the book are not at all beyond the realm of believability. The T-14 is a hint of the future in warfare, when humans may become irrelevant on the battlefield and technology will determine the winners and losers.

The sequence in Germany where the team is riding in a car that goes out of control on black ice is based on an actual experience I had many years ago. If it sounds fantastic, I assure you that it can happen exactly as I described it. It's the kind of experience one never forgets.

The NATO alliance was formed in the aftermath of World War II. Originally designed to provide a shield against a potential Russian invasion of Europe, the development of modern missiles, aircraft and technology has made it obsolete. The next war in Europe might begin as it does in this book with tanks figuring prominently in an invasion but it will not end that way. Stalin's tanks are a thing of the past.

The fundamental tenet of any alliance is that members agree to act together for a common purpose. In NATO's case that purpose is the security of the member states. One only needs to look at the current disagreement about how to deal with a resurgent Russia to see how ineffective NATO really is. Populations in the NATO states are deeply divided about committing troops in any situation and public opinion drives the decisions of the politicians. Germany in particular, perhaps the most important NATO European member, is extremely reluctant to take any action against Russia.

Western propaganda about Russia is noticeably contradictory. On the one hand it is aimed at calming those who fear Russian aggression. On the other, it strives to increase our collective level of fear about the Russian menace. NATO decisions publicly announced about Russia are without much substance. The idea that a "fast deployment force" of five thousand men could make a significant difference against a full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine (or anywhere else) is ludicrous. Unless, of course, NATO's commanders have bought into the popular myth about Russian military strength.

The Baltic Fleet is as described in the book. Russia's surface Navy is not competitive with the West. The surface Navy may not be a significant force but we are entering a time when submarines again become important. Accordingly, the Russians are expanding their submarine fleet. The Kremlin is on a crash program to refurbish the military forces of the country. It's a subject surrounded by disinformation. I have seen many articles downplaying Russian military strength, implying that their troops are poorly trained, their planes are falling apart, their missiles are old and inaccurate and so on. In other words, the Russians are all hat and no cattle.

Don't believe it.