Boots on the Ground: Modern Land Warfare from Iraq to Ukraine

Australian military consultant Neville (Special Forces in the War on Terror) surveys new and near-future weapons for infantry support and discusses various new developments in tactics and strategy. Case studies of warfare in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Ukraine analyze successes and failures in adapting to new conditions. For example, Ukrainian forces have begun using armed drones in a big way, and their battle to identify targets, destroy them, and collect intelligence has permanently changed expectations of both offense and defense. Neville also discusses the current and future utility of the tank and how they can survive in the changed environment. A section on managing the problem of taxiing personnel to the battle, questions about the future of artillery, and doctrinal discussions on management of dispersed infantry round out the book. Note that the chapter on Syria was written before the fall of the Assad regime, so readers might need more current references.