NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Here's the IC thread:
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11139494#post11139494

Commonwealth of Hydac Ministry of Defense Center for Lessons Learned (CLL)
Official Report on the "Desert War”

The report will discuss the lessons learned and the recommended courses of action to ensure the future viability of Hydacan forces on the modern battlefield.

CONTENTS

Section 1: Ground combat
Section 2: Aerial Combat
Section 3: Paramilitary Forces
Section 4: Recommendations for the Future
Section 5: Conclusion

Section 1: Ground Combat

The Desert War demonstrated a series of distinct flaws in the Hydacan Army's equipment and doctrine. Here we will examine the lessons that can be taken from the war.

Doctrine:
 The Hydacan Army’s divisional model is flawed. The wide operational areas inherent in desert warfare require larger numbers of smaller, autonomous units.
 The divisional model concentrates combat support and combat service support assets at a higher than optimal level.
 The divisional HQ is best served as a coordinating authority for multiple independent brigades.

Equipment:
 The Centaur APC simply lacks the firepower and armor protection needed on the modern battlefield.
 The Ranger light tank is completely outclassed on the modern battlefield and must be replaced immediately.
 The M60A4 tank acquitted itself well in combat, but it lacks the speed and mobility needed in desert combat.
 Towed artillery is unsuited for mechanized desert combat. It lacks the mobility to keep up with rapidly advancing mechanized forces and to avoid potential enemy counterbattery fire.
 The 105mm howitzer lacks the range and destructive power of the bigger 155mm howitzer.
 The M60 based M728 Combat Engineering Vehicle suffers from the same lack of mobility and speed of the standard M60 tank.

Infantry:
 The level of skill demonstrated by our infantry met and exceeding all expectations.
 No major concerns were raised regarding infantry equipment.

Combat Support:
 The standard jeep has shown to lack the armor protection and weapons carrying capability to function in future combat situations.
 The overly centralized nature of combat support units at divisional level was shown to be less than optimal.

Section 2: Aerial Combat

The Hydacan Air Force’s fleet of F-5 Tigers and A-4 Skyhawks were shown to be completely obsolete and totally outclassed in modern warfare. Also, a distinct lack of AWACS and refueling capabilities were quite evident.

In addition, greater ability to provide Close Air Support is quite evident.

Finally, the lack of attack helicopters proved to be a liability when the vast distances and large amounts of mechanized threats present in desert warfare are considered.

Section 3: Paramilitary Forces

The Border Rangers played a vital role in the Desert War as scouts and as a “trip wire” force for our Army. However, several flaws were observed in their organization and equipment.

 The Toyota pick-up truck and Land Rover jeep are acceptable as a patrol vehicle, however they lack the firepower and survivability to serve as a true combat vehicle.
 The Border Rangers lack of aircraft capability, both fixed and rotary wing, was a distinct handicap to their operations.
 There are no major complaints with the personal weapons of the Border Rangers, however their lack of advanced personal body armor, led to numerous preventable deaths.

Section 4: Recommendations for the Future

As a result of the knowledge and experience this conflict has imparted to us we make the following recommendations:

 A complete restructuring of the Army from a division based organization to a brigade based one.
 In this regard we favor the reorganization of Hydacan Army brigades into combined arms combat teams with three maneuver battalions, one artillery battalion, one combat engineer battalion, one air defense company, one cavalry troop, one brigade support battalion, and a brigade headquarters.
 Replace the Centaur Armored Personnel Carrier with a full fledged Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
 Replace the Ranger light tank and M60A4 main battle tank with a new MBT with improvements in firepower, survivability, speed, and mobility.
 Replace towed M119 105mm howitzers with a self propelled 155mm howitzer system.
 Replace the M728 Combat Engineering Vehicle with a new vehicle based on the new MBT chassis.
 Replace the jeep with a bigger vehicle capable of carrying more weaponry and armor.
 Replace the Air Force’s F-5 Tigers and A-4 Skyhawks with a modern multirole aircraft.
 Begin making preparations to develop a midair refueling and AWACS capability.
 Improve CAS capabilities.
 Acquire attack helicopters.
 Acquire a light armored vehicle for the Border Rangers.
 Develop a fixed and rotary wing aircraft capability for the Border Rangers.
 Outfit the Border Rangers with improved personal body armor.

Section 5: Conclusions

The Hydacan military demonstrated great skill and courage under fire, but were handicapped by shortcomings in their equipment and doctrine. We believe the recommendations set forth in this report will correct most of the major flaws in the warfighting capability of the Hydacan military. While these changes will not be quick or inexpensive, they are necessary if Hydac is to retain its ability to wage war on the modern battlefield.


Authors:

Lt. General Mahmoud Hadid, Commander, 1st Division
Colonel Owen Banks, Commander, 1st Mechanized Brigade
Major Ian Shaw, Operations Officer, 1st Fighter Wing
Major Abdul Yasser, Commander, Commander, 1st Border Ranger Battalion

OOC: bump

May i ask what about your navy?

May i ask what about your navy?

Hydac is almost completely landlocked, with only a single river that allows access to the ocean via the port of Basra. As a result we have no navy, merely a harbor patrol unit of the Basra Police Department that saw no action.

would you like me to sell you a few destroyers crusiers or frigates anything.

My Mafia can provide you with various different scout cars, and the Chinese Scout Car is a Land Rover derivative, and the Technical is usually a pickup of some sort with some armouring.

would you like me to sell you a few destroyers crusiers or frigates anything.

Leocardia offers Hydac naval protection for a minimal price. Just $150 billion a year. Leocardian Navy will protect trading ships from pirates and ship robberies. The funding is a reasonable price and will increase economic ties with Leocardia and Hydac. There will be no robberies for your ships, or else we owe you $650 billion!

As we are in the process of completely requipping our 3 "heavy" brigades, and then we have a lengthy upgrade program planned for our air force, out funds are quite limite for the forseeable future.

Commonwealth of Hydac
Ministry of Defense

(OOC:I would offer you some of Toopoxican Organisations finest weapons and vehicles, but seeing as we're bitter IC rivals that might be more of a bad thing than a good.)

(OOC:I would offer you some of Toopoxican Organisations finest weapons and vehicles, but seeing as we're bitter IC rivals that might be more of a bad thing than a good.)

OOC: I'm planing to rearm with some of Clan Smoke Jaguar's ground combat packages. We can start a planning thread for a cold war pretty soon, if you want.

OOC: I'm planing to rearm with some of Clan Smoke Jaguar's ground combat packages. We can start a planning thread for a cold war pretty soon, if you want.

(OOC: I'd like to get a little more familiar with modern weaponary and tactics first, and also test my limits cos despite having been on NS for over a year now (under the guis of several puppets) I've never been in an actual decent war, no offence, I just wasn't in Desert War for long enough to actually make a difference.)

(OOC: I'd like to get a little more familiar with modern weaponary and tactics first, and also test my limits cos despite having been on NS for over a year now (under the guis of several puppets) I've never been in an actual decent war, no offence, I just wasn't in Desert War for long enough to actually make a difference.)

OOC: I'd more than happy to discuss equipment and tactics with you, I've studied the military since I learned to read and I'm planning on joining the army when I graduate college in December. Let's start a new thread though, so this doesn't get cluttered with OOC posts.

OOC: i still have guys in Toopxia, and Hydac still hates me yes?

My Mafia can provide you with various different scout cars, and the Chinese Scout Car is a Land Rover derivative, and the Technical is usually a pickup of some sort with some armouring.
OOC: dude what self repecting goverment will buy stuff frim a mafia. unless it is the name of a major bussness that wont happen

OOC: i still have guys in Toopxia, and Hydac still hates me yes?

OOC: Yes, you were allowed 3,000 troops with no heavy weapons under the terms of the peace agreement.