Iona Cleave: How Ukraine's robot army is a glimpse of future warfare
The 'Zmiy', or 'Snake', is one of dozens of Ukrainian-made robots recently approved for combat that are helping Kyiv replace soldiers with machines.
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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Britain's Bond-style ‘Q' boffins unveil underwater drone to take on Putin's cable-cutters…by blowing them to smithereens
BRITAIN'S top defence brainboxes have unveiled a Bond-style underwater drone designed to stop Putin's cable-cutting saboteurs in their tracks. The super sub can hunt out and destroy sabotage threats lurking on the seabed - by blowing them to smithereens. Advertisement 5 The underwater drone can prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines by disarming or removing threats Credit: UK Gov 5 The high-tech robot has already been trialled Portsmouth's Horsea Island, Portland Harbour, South Wales and Norway Credit: UK Gov 5 The sub targets any potential saboteurs by blowing them to smithereens Credit: UK GOV Developed by the MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), it is armed and ready to protect the UK's vital undersea cables and pipelines. Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Dstl's boffins have added cutting-edge sensors, cameras, and explosive systems to high-tech underwater robot. That way, operators are able to spot unexploded bombs, place charges remotely, and safely neutralise the threat — without risking Royal Navy divers. John, a Dstl explosives engineer, said: 'This technology would be a valuable toolset for keeping our Armed Forces safe whilst providing the public with value for money. Advertisement Read more on Russia 'This unique capability with its sensors, tools and cameras will give operators a real time ability to deal with these underwater hazards in a safe, effective and efficient way.' The underwater drone goes deeper than any diver can, staying down for far longer and working tirelessly. It can be launched from a ship or even a shoreline, sending back sonar and video feeds to operators who remain at a safe distance while disarming explosives or fending off hostile actions. Crucially, it's reusable. Once a threat is neutralised, the drone sub lives to dive another day - cutting costs while keeping seas safe. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The project is also a win for British industry, supporting specialist jobs through partnerships with firms like Alford Technologies, Atlantas Marine, Sonardyne and ECS Special Projects. Trials have already taken place in Portsmouth's Horsea Island, Portland Harbour, South Wales and as far afield as Norway. Putin humiliated as Russian war facility EXPLODES in Ukrainian drone strike The Royal Navy is now developing tactics and techniques to make full use of the new tech. The Ministry of Defence hailed the innovation on social media, calling it a leap forward in protecting sailors and vital undersea cables. Advertisement The new underwater drone arrives amid warnings about Russian undersea activity in UK waters. In April, it was revealed that The sensors, reportedly deployed using Russian oligarchs' luxury yachts, were discovered washed ashore and picked up by Navy minehunter ships. Officials fear the covert operation could be part of a wider 'greyzone' campaign to gather intelligence and target undersea infrastructure. Advertisement Royal Navy and RAF assets were scrambled last November when the Around the same time, RAF fighter jets intercepted a Russian warplane over the North Sea, and unmanned Russian underwater vehicles were also detected near communication cables. 5 The Minehunter HMS Cattistock (R) shadowing Admiral Vladimirsky through the English Channel Credit: SWNS 5 Advertisement One senior source told The Sunday Times: 'It's a bit like the space race. This is a world clouded in secrecy and subterfuge… but there's enough smoke to suggest something is on fire somewhere.' In March, HMS Cattistock and a Wildcat helicopter were sent to HMS Somerset and other Royal Navy units were also deployed multiple times to At least 11 internet cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged in the past 15 months — some suspected to have been dragged by Russian ships — while surface vessels like the Admiral Vladimirskiy have continued probing waters near the UK. Advertisement In response, military chiefs are drawing up Operation Atlantic Bastion — a sweeping new patrol mission using air, land and sea forces to defend UK and Nato interests in the North Atlantic. What is the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory? THE Defence Science and Technology Laboratory — better known as Dstl — is the UK government's secretive hub of military innovation. Based at Porton Down in Wiltshire, it's packed with some of Britain's brightest scientific minds, often likened to James Bond's Q Branch. Part of the Ministry of Defence, Dstl works behind the scenes to give UK Armed Forces a cutting-edge advantage. From cyber warfare and AI to battlefield tech and bio-defence, it develops, tests and fine-tunes everything that keeps British troops one step ahead. Dstl collaborates with industry, universities and international partners, but much of its work remains classified. Its projects aren't just for warfighting — they're designed to save lives, protect national infrastructure, and deliver tech that punches well above its weight on the world stage.
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Russian hackers hit Western firms sending aid to Ukraine, US intelligence says
Hackers working for Russian military intelligence targeted Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine, the US National Security Agency said. The hackers were trying to obtain details about the type of assistance entering Ukraine and, as part of the effort, sought access to the feeds of internet-connected cameras near Ukrainian border crossings, according to the NSA's report on the cyberattack, which was issued late on Wednesday. The cyber campaign sought to penetrate defence, transportation and logistics companies in several Western countries, including the US, as well as ports, airports and rail systems. The report did not specify which types of aid Russia was surveilling, but Ukraine's allies have contributed significant amounts of military and humanitarian assistance since the war began. More than 10,000 internet-connected cameras were targeted, including private devices and public traffic cameras near critical transportation points, such as ports, rail hubs or border crossings. Most were in Ukraine, though some were in Romania, Poland and other eastern or central European countries. Officials did not disclose details of the hackers' success or how long they remained unnoticed. The activity detailed in the report began in 2022, the same year that Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia is expected to continue its efforts to spy on aid shipments, and companies involved in aid logistics or shipments should be on guard, according to the report, which was issued jointly by the NSA, the FBI and security agencies in several allied nations. 'To defend against and mitigate these threats, at-risk entities should anticipate targeting,' the NSA said. Authorities linked the activity to a Russian military intelligence unit dubbed 'Fancy Bear' that is well known for its past campaigns targeting the US and its allies. The hackers used a variety of tactics to gain access, including spear phishing, which involves sending authentic-looking messages to a potential victim that contain links to harmful software or requests for sensitive information. The Russian team also exploited security vulnerabilities in computer devices used at small and in-home offices, networks that often lack the security measures found in larger systems. The hackers did not use particularly innovative techniques, according to Grant Geyer, chief strategy officer at the cybersecurity company Claroty. Nevertheless, the sprawling yet carefully orchestrated effort gives the Russians a 'granular understanding' of the aid sent to Ukraine, he said. 'They have done detailed targeting across the entire supply chain to understand what equipment is moving, when and how — whether it's by aircraft, ship or rail,' Mr Geyer said. Russia could use the information it obtained to hone its war planning, Mr Geyer said, or to plot further cyber or physical attacks on the supply chain to Ukraine. Last autumn, US intelligence officials issued a public bulletin directing American defence companies and suppliers to increase security precautions following several acts of sabotage in Europe that officials have blamed on Russia. The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond requests for comment.
The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Is this the Enigma machine that will defeat West's enemies? War ‘brain' that can predict attacks before they happen-
A MODERN-DAY version of the Enigma machine is being rapidly created by the West to help defeat its enemies - with it already helping Ukraine. The remarkable software is the latest piece of war tech being tested on the frontlines as it aims to predict and repel Russian attacks before they even happen. Advertisement 10 Ukrainians on the frontlines have already been testing out various advanced pieces of technology Credit: EPA 10 A Ukrainian soldier of an artillery unit fires towards Russian positions outside Bakhmut 10 The tech is being used on the battlefield by Ukraine in various different areas of the military Credit: Getty 10 Estonian-based SensusQ's Winning Minds technology is able to digest and process real-time information from warzones into valuable facts and figures with ease. This has proven vital on the battlefield in Ukraine across the past three and a half years on the ground, in the air and at sea. The technology combines decades of military and intelligence experience with a top team of software engineers. The official SensusQ team describe their invention as "the tool they wished they had" available during their own war time experiences. Advertisement read more in Ukraine war Erik Markus Kannike, CSO at SensusQ, told The Sun: "We're unique in the sense that we're focusing more on the kind of smartness behind war. "We're not producing physical drones or weapons systems but what we do is try to bring that intelligence part of fighting into the 21st century. "Many people usually think it's already very high tech and as you see in the Hollywood movies but in fact, it's mostly still pen and paper. "What we see in Ukraine , for example, you have hundreds of drones, if not thousands, currently in the air, all of which are producing information. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun "And you have social media and things from satellites but how do you actually manage all this information and make sense of it?" This is where SensusQ comes in as it is able to automatically process this data and find connections between it all. Saltivka in Kharkiv is the Ukraine's most bombed housing estate. Locals are living through their very own blitz just like in war-time Britain 80 years ago This can then be presented to people in the simplest form possible so it is easily understandable. Erik also revealed that they have already been partnered with various parties in Ukraine since early on in the war. Advertisement These range from military users to even law enforcement. He added: "I can't go into direct detail on what we're doing or who it is with but the end result is the same as we're helping them to make sense of the information that they might miss otherwise." The main goal is always to be more effective, to use your resources more effectively and to save lives Erik Markus Kannike CSO at SensusQ There is also a secure app called Verdandi used by soldiers on the ground who file real-time reports on all wartime activity. Another aspect of SensusQ's technology that sets them apart is how the data is used and shared. Advertisement Whoever is in command of the system - Ukrainian officials for example - control the entire thing. They can program it as they like, deploy it when they want to and the results remain a secret to them only. 10 Bletchley Park cryptographers during WW2 working to crack the Nazi 'enigma' code Credit: Getty 10 A tank is in action during a live fire exercise of Leopard 1A5 crews as part of Ukrainian combat training Advertisement 10 The main goal is to be more effective, to use resources more effectively and to save lives after many countless civilian deaths across the conflict Credit: Getty SensusQ as a company don't receive the data themselves meaning all the results can stay classified. One of the other key areas is the time it takes for the device to collect the data. On a battlefield, the situation can rapidly change day-to-day meaning that a lot of information has to be short term and quickly adjusted. Advertisement This means any system must be able to kick into action fast - and the Winning Minds tech can often be set up within a few hours. We're not producing physical drones or weapons systems but what we do is try to bring that intelligence part of fighting into the 21st century Erik Markus Kannike CSO at SensusQ SensusQ has now even developed a system which involves digital maps which helps with "situational understanding" in conflict zones. "You're able to actually look at long-term patterns and you're able to see who's connected to what," Erik added. "Then, based on this information, you're already able to start predicting. Advertisement "If you are actively fighting, the pace is such that you rarely have the time to actually do detailed analysis and craft future plans but with our system it allows them to actually have that perspective and to present it. "The main goal is always to be more effective, to use your resources more effectively and to save lives." What was the enigma machine? THE Enigma machine was a secret cipher device used by Nazi Germany during World War II to encode and decode secret messages. It was an electromechanical device that utilised a series of rotors and a plugboard to create complex encryptions around what the Nazis had planned. The secrecy of the device made it extremely difficult to decipher what was being talked about without the correct settings to unlock it. The machine played a significant role in military communications for years before it was finally cracked by a clever allied team. In total, there were around a billion possible combinations which were required to use the system. The Brit often credited with solving the war-saving puzzle is Alan Turing. The cracking of the Enigma codes is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in cryptography and intelligence history. SensusQ has been designed to essentially eliminate mistakes in war and ensure that no information obtained ever goes to waste, Erik said. He also spoke on how valuable the Ukraine war has been to help develop the system over the past few years. Advertisement Erik said: "The lessons we've learned from Ukraine, and we are still learning are invaluable. "They've affected a lot of how the system works as there's some things that you cannot imagine. "The pace of innovation in Ukraine is quite incredible so we continuously take those lessons learned and integrate into our software." Could the UK ever use the tech? Erik says the SensusQ software is available to whichever allied nation needs it most at any given time. Advertisement The tech is set to be a major player in the world of combat should a continental conflict ever break out or even a world war. The lessons learnt in Ukraine have already helped out other European states, Erik says. This is because the information collected on the battlefields of Kursk, Donetsk and beyond are already being reflected and passed on to other clients. Erik also noted that the UK in particular would be in a similar position to Ukraine should they go to war with a larger nation such as Russia or even China. Advertisement The world can and SHOULD learn from Ukraine EXPERTS have said the way Ukraine has handled themselves in their gruelling conflict is something other military's can aspire towards. Kyiv has constantly come up with new plans of attack from the use of SensusQ to its ingenuous guerrilla warfare tactics to deplete Vlad's army. Colonel Hamish De Bretton Gordon told The Sun: "They've changed the way we fight, and the use of AI to control multiple thousands of drones at a time is something all us military people are looking at and learning from. "I know that the British army itself is looking at it, to see how they can learn. "How can they fight as effectively as these, in effect, amateurs who have very quickly become a professional. "The ways of fighting and technology always accelerate during warfare, and we've had over three years of it now. "What we must do as a country is make sure we're absolutely up to speed, and are learning and copying all the really good things that Ukraine has done." He said: "The key, as we're seeing both in the UK and in Europe, is we understand that numerically and maybe in terms of equipment, it's hard to compete with whoever our potential adversaries are. "Take Russia , they have a million personnel and quite a large capacity to rejuvenate their equipment and their armoured vehicles etc. "So what needs to happen is that we need to use what we have in a smarter way so choosing what to hit becomes more and more important. "So you have to have what we call decision dominance where you need to understand the enemy better than the enemy understands themselves. Advertisement "And this is what we aim to provide to the entire alliance." 10 Personnel from the RAF and Royal Navy already conduct sophisticated training operations using advanced technology Credit: SWNS 10 A Ukrainian servicewoman uses a VR set to operate an FPV drone in Ukraine Credit: Getty 10 Ukrainian servicemen firing a M109 155mm self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions in Donetsk region Advertisement
