Loss exchange ratio
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Loss exchange ratio is a figure of merit in attrition warfare. It is usually relevant to a condition or state of war where one side depletes the resources of another through attrition. Specifically and most often used as a comparator in aerial combat, where it is known as a kill-ratio.
Historical applications
Loss exchange ratio has played a significant role in past wars, especially those that have devolved into stalemate and become wars of attrition. For example, the German objective at the Battle of Verdun (1916) during World War I was not the seizure of any strategic objective, but rather to inflict an LER of 2:1 on the French forces and thereby cripple the French army.[dubious ]
During the
Contemporary employment
It is arguable that the concept of the Loss exchange ratio has become relatively less important in modern Western military doctrine, as some military theories[who?] posit that it is just as militarily effective to disrupt enemy forces and outmaneuver them, thereby reducing their combat effectiveness without necessarily inflicting massive casualties.
See also
- Non-combatant Casualty Value
- Civilian casualty ratio
- Attrition warfare
- Body count
- Casualty estimation
References
- ^ Smedberg, M (2008), Vietnamkrigen: 1880–1980. Historiska Media, p. 88