As a former Navy enlisted man and officer, and in a family that had a close relative serve in every war from the Civil War to the War on Terror, I closely follow the impact of world affairs on our military posture.

Ukraine is supported in its war with Russia with vast amounts of military equipment from the U.S. and European countries. This is necessary to prevent Russia from overrunning Ukraine and then threatening NATO countries. A side, but vitally important benefit, is that the utilization of our military equipment in Ukraine enables us to evaluate its performance under battlefield conditions against a potential enemy.

The Ukraine war has revealed that tanks, other vehicles, artillery and troops can be exposed to destruction by inexpensive and readily available drones. This has necessitated revamping some of our forces to incorporate the use of drones in offensive operations and develop defenses against drone attacks. We have learned a lot about the effectiveness of our missile firing systems. Developing systems to counter GPS jamming by the Russians has become a priority for Ukraine and the U.S.

The war has enabled us to evaluate and improve command and control systems, communications, and weapon systems under battlefield conditions, which should prove valuable in any future encounters with a potential enemy. Also, the war is depleting and weakening the Russian military.

Donald Moskowitz

Londonderry, N.H.