Canadian general outlines lessons from war in Ukraine

This view was expressed by Christopher Coates, former commander of Canada’s Joint Operational Command, in an interview with Ukrinform.

“Precision strike existed before this war, but Ukraine has combined precision with scale. Drones have not replaced traditional military power; they have added a new layer to it. And the cycle of innovation is now moving at extraordinary speed: technology, counter-technology, counter-counter-technology - almost in real time” Coates said.

He emphasized that “the key lesson is not simply “buy drones.” What Ukraine demonstrates is how quickly warfare can evolve when technology, adaptation, and mass come together” the general explained.

Coates added that “Western defence systems were largely designed around expensive, low-volume precision weapons. Ukraine is showing that low-cost systems used at mass can create serious strategic problems for those older models. That has implications not only for militaries, but for the entire defence-industrial system in the West,” he concluded.

According to Christopher Coates, during a recent visit to Ukraine, he was “most impressed not by any specific weapons system, but by Ukraine’s ability to adapt commercial technologies to military needs.” “A good example is the DELTA combat system—a digital environment that integrates command, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities,” the general noted.

“Ukraine has developed an extraordinary culture of improvisation and rapid adaptation. That ability to innovate under pressure may be its most important strategic advantage,” the general said.

As reported by Ukrinform, in May, Canada and Latvia conducted joint military exercises during which they learned from the combat experience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the use of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

Photo: Canadian Armed Forces