The Cove Podcast The Future of Land Warfare - Dr Jack Watling
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Oct 27, 2024 
Dr Jack Watling, a land warfare analyst and author who wrote The Arms of the Future, shares frontline observations from Ukraine. He discusses the shift from mechanised to informatised warfare. He explores pervasive ISR, AI’s role in filtering sensor data, contested ship-to-shore risks, and how logistics and fires must adapt in high-threat environments.
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Book Written From The Frontline
- Jack wrote much of his book in Ukraine and drafts in vehicles and trains during the conflict's escalation.
- This frontline research made his analysis more empirical but limited academic citation access.
Visibility Changes The Starting Point
- pervasive ISR (thousands of daily UAV orbits) makes traditional hidden-movement tactics obsolete without counter-reconnaissance.
- Commanders must prioritise degrading enemy ISR, deception, and slowing kill-chains before manoeuvre.
Filter Data With Bounded AI Tasks
- Use machine learning to pre-filter huge sensor data into clearly bounded, relevant tracks for human operators.
- Regularly test and vary filters to avoid predictable blind spots that an enemy can exploit.
