Ever since Russia carried out its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, I’ve been excited about methods to forestall an invasion, whether or not by land, sea or air. In spite of everything, prevention is far higher than treatment.
Clearly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was land, however an invasion of Taiwan (if it occurred) could be primarily a seaborne invasion with presumably an airborne element as nicely.
Some Japanese European international locations are presently contemplating or are within the means of constructing fences alongside their borders with Russia, Kaliningrad and Belarus. Nonetheless, the fences are removed from ample to forestall a navy invasion. All they may do is arrest the immigrants.
How one can Stop a Floor Invasion
For international locations bordering a hostile nation, it might make sense to do the next:
– Dismantle miles of railroads close to the border(s) (since invading armies typically rely closely on railroads for logistics)
– Dig miles of roads close to the border(s)
– Blow up bridges close to the border(s)
– Blow up very important inside bridges. Ukrainian AIUI traitors didn’t blow up the bridges in southern Ukraine, which allowed Russia to take the town of Kherson. Do not take the chance – explode every thing very important bridges. Do not depend on only one particular person to do that activity. Ensure you have foolproof programs in place in order that even if in case you have a traitor (or extra) in your ranks, the bridges will nonetheless be destroyed.
– Create anti-tank ditches (and enhance current pure ditches): these ditches ought to be deep and so extensive that they’re too extensive for navy automobiles carrying bridges to increase (so about 30 meters or extra, I might have thought)
– Create synthetic hills (and enhance current hills): these hills ought to be so excessive and steep that no navy car might cross them.
– Make forests tougher to cross by inserting very giant boulders in them (or creating synthetic boulders)
– Create synthetic swamps/swamps (and improve current swamps/swamps): this might thwart non-amphibious automobiles and even amphibious automobiles may very well be thwarted by underwater vegetation and roots (actual or synthetic), by which the propellers might wrap or get caught on
– Create a 24/7 surveillance system: this may very well be supplied by a wide range of belongings resembling satellites (particularly geostationary), HAPS (Excessive Altitude Pseudo-Satellites), different long-range airships endurance plane, AEW&C plane, ELINT/COMINT plane, ISR UAVs, river patrol boats (manned or unmanned), unmanned floor automobiles (UGVs) with EO/IR cameras, tripwires (bodily or laser), camouflaged CCTV cameras hidden, and many others., and many others.
– Create 24/7 firefighting (complemented by 24/7 monitoring): make sure that all suspect roads and river crossings are coated by 24-hour firefighting /24 and seven/7. This may very well be achieved utilizing a wide range of belongings resembling artillery, mortars, HIMARS/M270, anti-tank missiles, land-launched Brimstones, floating munitions, RCWS, drones firing or dropping munitions, and many others., and many others.
I count on some folks to reply by saying that the Maginot line has failed and the mounted fortifications are “monuments to the stupidity of man ยป.
Effectively, to begin with, the Maginot Line had two massive issues: a) it did not attain the ocean and b) it did not cowl the Ardennes forest. A bucket with holes is not going to maintain water. The place the Maginot line would not have holes nevertheless, AIUI it has held up very nicely.
Second, what I am suggesting isn’t mounted fortifications In any occasion. They’re merely “panorama fenders” (to coin a phrase). They’re designed to considerably gradual an assault and make attacking forces far extra susceptible to firefighting (mixed with 24/7 monitoring). Because of this, a floor invasion would fail fully or its effectiveness could be significantly decreased. In spite of everything, destroying a set fortification is one factor, however how do you defeat an anti-tank ditch or a hill? Bomb a ditch and also you make it deeper. Bomb a hill and what do you get? May take a little bit of the hill, however apart from that not a lot.
The one answer is to make use of earth-moving machines and if the opposing power has 24/7 surveillance and 24/7 fireplace management, this may certainly not be straightforward. In reality, I might count on it to be suicidal.
How one can Stop a Sea Invasion
This chance is especially relevant to Taiwan.
Taiwan might do with lots of the following issues:
– Land-launched cell anti-ship missiles that may fireplace and dart. And particularly fashionable anti-ship missiles like NSM and Kind 12. That stated, Taiwan might do with any system that international locations are keen to offer. Taiwan wants fillers of them. The issue is that many international locations are presently unwilling to offer any sorts of weapons in Taiwan. This should change.
– Weapons to get rid of touchdown craft, so any comparatively quick vary weapons and particularly these that may hit a shifting goal and/or weapons that use explosive ammo.
– Air-launched anti-ship missiles: Taiwanese F-16 AIUIs can fireplace harpoons. I do not know what number of harpoons Taiwan has, however it might take rather a lot of them if China tried an invasion. The first targets of Taiwanese F-16s, except Chinese language fighter jets, would seemingly be Chinese language plane carriers and ships with anti-aircraft functionality. I do not know if Taiwan has any F-16s with EW functionality, but when they do not, it might be good if some may very well be upgraded with that functionality. And/or in the event that they may very well be equipped with Growlers.
– AIP Diesel-Electrical Submarines: These submarines are very quiet and lethal. However once more, western international locations usually are not keen to promote it to Taiwan.
– Sea mines close to potential touchdown websites
– USV and UUV used as water suicide drones
How one can stop an air invasion
Develop a multi-layered IADS (Built-in Air Protection System), which ought to embody:
– Varied radars and different programs to detect plane at totally different ranges and altitudes
– Flak AA & AAA [old-school but still very effective against many types of target]
– Pistols firing burst ammo (e.g. AHEAD, ATOM)
-MANPADS
– SHORADa missile programs
– Brief vary SAM programs
– Mid-range SAM programs
– Lengthy vary SAM programs
The above ought to both fully stop an invasion utilizing plane, or make it disastrous.
As for ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles, that is an entire different difficulty. Most likely a topic for one more article.
