CNA's Russia Studies Program provides critical analyses to U.S. leaders on Russian military capabilities and the Russian way of war. Program staff include analysts with native fluency in Russian and deep knowledge of operational and strategic issues. CNA’s experience in Russian-language analyses goes all the way back to studies on Soviet naval doctrine in the 1960s. The Russia Studies Program supports U.S leaders with classified and unclassified studies, workshops, conferences and wargames.
With Russia fighting a war on the European continent "under the nuclear shadow," CNA brought together leading experts from both sides of the Atlantic to explore the war's consequences for strategic stability.
Samuel Bendett said, “Certain weapons can be used for a very long time since they fulfill a function that remains unchanged. An AK-47 is almost 70 years old at this point and has changed little. Simple submachine or machine guns have remained unchanged as well, like the M2 Browning still in use."
Samuel Bendett said, “Many of these are small, first-person-view, or FPV, drones — not that different than what people can buy in the commercial market.”
Samuel Bendett said, “Russian soldiers are using Ghoul (Upyr), Ovod, Piranha, Horetnisya, Joker, Gastello, Molniya fixed wing and many other [drones] that don’t get a lot of news or Telegram coverage. Some of these are supplied only to specific units and formations, others are more widespread across the force.”
Samuel Bendett said, ““Mass-scale saturation of front lines would take some time, though Ukrainian military, United 24 and Brave1 are promising fast deliveries given the need for such systems.”
Samuel Bendett explained, “"Presumably [the drone lost las week] has top resources and investments, materials and products, including microelectronics and other key components. The fact that there are so few S-70s means the loss could also slow [Russia’s] development."
Lt. Col. Travis Hord, Planner, J-5, Strategic Plans and Policy, and CNA’s Samuel Bendett discuss developing and implementing new drone capabilities.
Samuel Bendett said, “[These drones] are not that difficult to put together. They’re not that difficult to purchase. It takes just several weeks to learn how to fly them and again, there’s been years’ worth of experience now collected by the Russian military in Ukraine how to use these drones that can be passed down to their allies.”