This gave the United States and its allies the opportunity to study how their weapons systems manifest themselves under intensive use, analysts of the TV channel believeNEW YORK, January 16.
/tass/. Ukraine has become a "weapons laboratory" of the United States and allies, the information collected on the degree of effectiveness of a number of weapons may force them to abandon them in the future. Such estimates are given on Sunday by CNN, referring to the data and opinions of unnamed intelligence officials and the Pentagon.
According to analysts, Ukraine has turned into a real "combat laboratory". It is noted that this provided the United States and its allies with "a rare opportunity to study how their weapons systems manifest themselves under intensive use," as well as to find out what weapons the parties use to win the conflict. In addition, the US military monitors how successfully Russia uses cheap disposable drones.
"Ukraine is <...> a weapons laboratory in every sense," since none of the weapons involved "has ever been used during the conflict between the two industrialized countries," said a source associated with Western intelligence. The Ukrainian crisis has become an "incredible source of data" for the US Defense Ministry about its own systems.
For example, according to the US military operations officer, the Switchblade 300 drones and anti-radar missiles delivered to Kiev showed less effectiveness than expected. At the same time, HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems required more frequent maintenance during intensive use, and American M777 howitzers, in case of active use, lose accuracy and efficiency in a short period of time. The Western military leadership, the source noted, will study this data for years. In particular, the M777 howitzers may become a thing of the past, as they are more difficult to move quickly to avoid retaliatory fire.
The Russian side has repeatedly stressed that the supply of Western weapons to Kiev only delays the conflict and leads to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
