THE INFLUENCE OF EXPERIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR AT SEA ON NAVAL THEORY OF NATO COUNTRIES

Abstract

The article analyzes the publications of experts from NATO member states – the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany – on the lessons of the Russian-Ukrainian war at sea. It is found that the experience of combat operations in the Black Sea is carefully analyzed by Western researchers. Of particular interest is the use of unmanned maritime vehicles for various purposes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Experts point out that thanks to their use, Ukraine, which has virtually no fleet of its own, has managed to significantly limit the activity of the Russian fleet and ensure the functioning of a temporary trade route, the “Ukrainian grain corridor.” In their view, the Ukrainian experience can be useful for other countries that do not have significant budgets for the maintenance of a classical military fleet and need to improve their defense from the sea, including the Baltic states. In addition, maritime drones make warship supply systems vulnerable and threaten ports of embarkation, which in turn will affect the ability of naval forces to conduct more effective operations at sea. At the same time, most military experts from the world's leading countries believe that the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war at sea is not universal and is due to the specifics of the geographical and operational situation in the Black Sea. There are certain restrictions on the use of unmanned maritime vehicles, which means that they cannot be a full-fledged replacement for classical warships.