Echoes of 1940: Learning from an Ally at War and Preparing the U.S. for the Next Fight

"A constellation of radio stations sent out beams whose returns revealed the direction, altitude, and approximate numbers of incoming Luftwaffe aircraft during the Battle of Britain. Integrated with human observers and command-and-control stations, the system allowed RAF leaders to deploy their limited squadrons with precision, conserving fuel, protecting pilots, and preserving the nation's survival. As Churchill famously said of the RAF, "never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.""

"Drone warfare in Ukraine today is the chain home radar of our time. Today in Ukraine, that country "owes so much to so few": drone warrior heroes fighting not only for their country, but for all of Europe and democracy. The drone operators and their innovation are helping Ukraine to stay in the war against overwhelming Russian numbers. The U.S. and other NATO allies have provided large weapons systems like HIMARS, ATACMS, Abrams tanks, and F-16s."

Britain's Chain Home radar provided early warning, altitude and numerical estimates of incoming aircraft and integrated with human observers and command-and-control to deploy limited squadrons precisely. That system conserved fuel, protected pilots, and preserved national survival. Drone warfare in Ukraine functions similarly today, with operators and rapid innovation enabling defense against numerically superior Russian forces. NATO and the U.S. have supplied large systems once thought unavailable, while Ukrainian industry and field innovation have altered many battles. The experience generates operational lessons about rapid wartime innovation, learning, and the value of studying frontline adaptations for allied security.

Read at The Cipher Brief