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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drones in Ukraine show the way Western militaries are run is 'outdated,' UK warns
The war in Ukraine shows that the way Western militaries are run is outdated, a UK minister warned. Drones evolve so fast that "we have to fundamentally challenge our assumptions," Luke Pollard said. He was speaking at a summit of more than 100 drone companies, military officials, and ministers. The war in Ukraine has shown that the way Western militaries are run is "outdated" because of how fast battlefield tech like drones evolves, a defence minister has warned. Luke Pollard, the UK's armed forces minister, said Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion showed "the way we have run our militaries, the way we have run our defense, is outdated. And that is the case across the NATO alliance." Pollard said that drones had "shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," and the speed of their innovation showed how much faster procurement and innovation have to happen. Drone tech "iterates every two to three weeks on the front line" with a "fundamentally different" model, Pollard said Wednesday, adding, "That means we have to fundamentally challenge our assumptions about how we procure." He said that NATO militaries "build and procure really expensive high-end bits of kit. And it will take you five, 10 years: five years to run a procurement challenge, another 10 years to build it." "If we allow ourselves to be stuck in old-world thinking, we will not be providing the tech that Ukraine needs, we will not be providing the security that we need," Pollard added. Pollard was speaking at the Drone Summit, which brought together drone companies, military officials, and government ministers in Latvia, a NATO member bordering Russia. Drones have played a bigger role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine than in any other conflict in history, and have upended many traditional fighting rules by taking the place of some artillery and infantry. Cheap drones have also destroyed pieces of weaponry that are worth millions, like tanks and air defenses. Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, which operates ground drones, told Business Insider in March: "What was up to date and relevant half a year ago is not up to date and relevant anymore." Pollard was echoing previous warnings that the West needs to change its approach to weaponry to fight an adversary like Russia. Military officials and warfare experts have warned that the West must amass a larger volume of cheaper weaponry and shift its focus away from fewer pieces of more advanced and expensive kit. In January, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte gave a similar warning, saying, "speed is of the essence, not perfection." Officials also questioned the value of some high-value weaponry in the face of drones. US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said earlier this month that the US can't keep developing and buying expensive weaponry that can be destroyed by far cheaper drones. Pollard told the summit that, with drones, there must be a change "that is built into all our procurements that says what we can buy and build and scale faster than we have done before." He said this change would be harder for larger companies, but there needs to be a startup-style culture for companies to "not go along with the guide rails and the rules of the game but to innovate based on what is working." Pollard said that, while a coalition of 18 countries had delivered tens of thousands of drones to Ukraine, the war shows how much more needs to be done. "Big numbers need sustainable supply chains that can scale up when wartime demand requires it. Our industrial bases across Europe, across the globe, must become as agile as the systems we seek to produce with our people as skilled as the operators who deploy them on the frontline of Ukraine," he said. The gathering saw repeated warnings that the West's work is not enough. Ruben Brekelmans, the Netherlands' defense minister, told the summit that, in much of Europe, "We are quite fast at developing drones, but we are not producing drones on a massive scale. And I think that's a step that we need to take." He added Ukraine's allies had to work together to achieve "mass production quite quickly, because Ukraine needs it. We need it as well." Many European countries have warned that they could be attacked next, and supply Ukraine not only to keep Russia's war machine occupied, but to test battlefield tech. Russia still has a large military, and it has kept some of its advanced equipment out of Ukraine and unscathed from the war. Many current and former Western military officials also warn that Russia's war machine is far more spun up than Western ones. "Russia has surpassed us technologically. And more dangerously, it has surpassed us in terms of speed and scale," Valerii Churkin, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, said at the summit. "The enemy moves faster than we do," he added. Churkin urged more collaboration, telling his country's European allies, "Ukraine is not just a recipient of aid. We are your test." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Drones in Ukraine show the way Western militaries are run is 'outdated,' UK warns
The war in Ukraine has shown that the way Western militaries are run is "outdated" because of how fast battlefield tech like drones evolves, a defence minister has warned. Luke Pollard, the UK's armed forces minister, said Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion showed "the way we have run our militaries, the way we have run our defense, is outdated. And that is the case across the NATO alliance." Pollard said that drones had "shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," and the speed of their innovation showed how much faster procurement and innovation have to happen. Drone tech "iterates every two to three weeks on the front line" with a "fundamentally different" model, Pollard said Wednesday, adding, "That means we have to fundamentally challenge our assumptions about how we procure." He said that NATO militaries "build and procure really expensive high-end bits of kit. And it will take you five, 10 years: five years to run a procurement challenge, another 10 years to build it." "If we allow ourselves to be stuck in old-world thinking, we will not be providing the tech that Ukraine needs, we will not be providing the security that we need," Pollard added. Pollard was speaking at the Drone Summit, which brought together drone companies, military officials, and government ministers in Latvia, a NATO member bordering Russia. Drones have played a bigger role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine than in any other conflict in history, and have upended many traditional fighting rules by taking the place of some artillery and infantry. Cheap drones have also , like tanks and air defenses. Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, which operates ground drones, told Business Insider in March: "What was up to date and relevant half a year ago is not up to date and relevant anymore." Pollard was echoing previous warnings that the West needs to change its approach to weaponry to fight an adversary like Russia. Military officials and warfare experts have warned that the West must amass a larger volume of cheaper weaponry and shift its focus away from fewer pieces of more advanced and expensive kit. In January, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte gave a similar warning, saying, "speed is of the essence, not perfection." Officials also questioned the value of some high-value weaponry in the face of drones. US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said earlier this month that the US can't keep developing and buying expensive weaponry that can be destroyed by far cheaper drones. New rules Pollard told the summit that, with drones, there must be a change "that is built into all our procurements that says what we can buy and build and scale faster than we have done before." He said this change would be harder for larger companies, but there needs to be a startup-style culture for companies to "not go along with the guide rails and the rules of the game but to innovate based on what is working." Pollard said that, while a coalition of 18 countries had delivered tens of thousands of drones to Ukraine, the war shows how much more needs to be done. "Big numbers need sustainable supply chains that can scale up when wartime demand requires it. Our industrial bases across Europe, across the globe, must become as agile as the systems we seek to produce with our people as skilled as the operators who deploy them on the frontline of Ukraine," he said. Stark warnings The gathering saw repeated warnings that the West's work is not enough. Ruben Brekelmans, the Netherlands' defense minister, told the summit that, in much of Europe, "We are quite fast at developing drones, but we are not producing drones on a massive scale. And I think that's a step that we need to take." He added Ukraine's allies had to work together to achieve "mass production quite quickly, because Ukraine needs it. We need it as well." Many European countries have warned that they could be attacked next, and supply Ukraine not only to keep Russia's war machine occupied, but to test battlefield tech. Russia still has a large military, and it has kept some of its advanced equipment out of Ukraine and unscathed from the war. Many current and former Western military officials also warn that Russia's war machine is far more spun up than Western ones. "Russia has surpassed us technologically. And more dangerously, it has surpassed us in terms of speed and scale," Valerii Churkin, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, said at the summit. "The enemy moves faster than we do," he added. Churkin urged more collaboration, telling his country's European allies, "Ukraine is not just a recipient of aid. We are your test."
Business Insider
09-05-2025
- Business Insider
Ukrainian soldier says ground robots are great for attacks because they carry far more explosive power than flying drones
Ukrainian soldiers use ground robots to blow up Russian troops and equipment. These carry a far heavier explosive payload than drones that fly. Operators control these uncrewed ground vehicles, or UGVs, remotely. The UGVs can travel close to Russian positions, assuming they're not spotted, and detonate. And Ukraine's soldiers can stay safe and far from the action. They are a lot like flying drones, but the systems pack a greater punch because they don't take flight. Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, told Business Insider that Ukraine's soldiers attach bombs and explosives to ground robots, "turning that system into a kamikaze one." The UGV actions mirror what has been done with aerial drones in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where the flying drones explode and drop grenades. "A crucial difference between aerial and on-the-ground unmanned systems is the mass that they can carry," Yabchanka said. He said Ukraine needs to "always be one step, half a step ahead of the enemy in terms of the powers of destruction." That's where these ground drones come into play. Packing a much bigger punch He said that while the biggest aerial drones can carry mines that weigh 22 pounds each, the smallest ground robots that he works with can take more than 48 pounds. On average, they can carry much more. He said that just a few hours before he spoke with Business Insider, his unit sent a ground robot carrying 66 pounds of explosives into a basement held by Russia, where it eliminated Russian infantry. Ukraine's soldiers work with a host of drone types linked to do a wide range of work. There are small airborne drones for tactical action ranging from recon to strike and larger aerial uncrewed systems used to hit targets inside Russian territory. There are also naval drones that target ships in the Black Sea, and then there are the UGVs, which can deal damage and carry out missions like casualty evac. Yabchanka said the growing ground robot technology allows Ukrainian troops to massively amplify their firepower without having to put more soldiers in harm's way. That's key when they're fighting at a disadvantage against Russia's much larger military army. He said that roughly 80% of Russians killed in battle are killed by uncrewed systems. The other 20% is mostly artillery — at the start of the war, it was the opposite. Aerial drones are responsible for most of the drone kills because of how prolific they are. More ground robots could mean a major firepower boost for Ukrainian forces. "Imagine how much more powerful we could be if we could bring twice as much explosives to the front line as we do now," Yabchanka said. Unlike the quadcopters, this technology isn't widely available to all units yet, but where it is being used, UGVs are evacuating wounded soldiers, firing into Russian positions with mounted weapons, carrying gear, laying mines, exploding inside enemy positions, and spying on the Russians, and more. An uncrewed arms race This is a technology that Russia is developing too. Yabchanka said that the question is: who will do it faster? There's an effort on both sides of the war to advance this technology. The dynamic echoes the drone race that Ukraine and Russia are both currently locked in, with both sides developing new drones and counter-drone measures to defeat the other side's drone tech, as well as rushing to make as many drones as possible. Yabchanka said Ukraine and its partners need to constantly innovate to keep coming out with new ground robot upgrades and improvements to other military technology. It's something that requires consistent innovation, as "what was up to date and relevant half a year ago is not up to date and relevant anymore," he said. He said they are developing so fast that they are getting upgraded on the actual front lines — with soldiers sometimes making tweaks themselves or calling the manufacturer directly to make a request for changes and upgrades to future drones. Calling on Ukraine's partners Yabchanka called for much greater European involvement in making this type of technology, saying that "whatever is required on our end is at your service." Europe, like the US, has given Ukraine billions of dollars in military aid, but Ukraine has increasingly made more and more of its own weaponry as it looks to innovate faster, create weaponry that is designed for a fight with Russia, and overcome shortages in Western aid cause by delays and political debate. Ukraine has become a pioneer in the development of certain types of weaponry, and European leaders and defense ministers have acknowledged that there are lessons Europe's defense industries can learn from Ukraine, particularly on drones, as they warn Russia could attack their countries. Yabchanka said that Europe also has "more resources than Russia," making deepening cooperation a win-win. He urged European industry and leaders to get onboard. "The manufacturers, developers, military personnel all stand ready for cooperation. Just come along; we'll deliver training and whatever else is necessary."
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Ukrainian soldiers are evacuating wounded soldiers with ground robots — but the risks mean it's only done as a last resort
Ukraine is using ground robots to rescue the injured, lay mines, and attack Russian positions. The head of one unit's robotic systems said they can help keep troops safe while evacuating the injured. But he also said it comes with so many risks that they're really only used as a last resort. Soldiers in Ukraine sometimes use ground drones to evacuate their injured comrades, but because doing so is so risky, this approach is really only a last resort, an operator told Business Insider. Ground robots have been used throughout the conflict, but the technology is becoming more prolific. Drones in the sky are replacing certain traditional combat roles, and the uncrewed ground vehicles, UGVs, are doing the same, reducing the number of situations in which soldiers put themselves directly in the line of fire. Ground drones that can evacuate the wounded without putting additional soldiers at risk could be a game changer in a war marked by mass surveillance, relentless drone and artillery strikes, and the intentional targeting of medics. The problem, Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, told BI, is that these drones can put the injured at greater risk, making the army less willing to employ UGVs in this way except as a last resort. When a team of soldiers rushes out to evacuate the wounded, they are always in danger because of the "ginormous number of intelligence drones" in the sky ready to direct Russian fire toward them, Yabchanka said. This risk has pushed Ukraine to develop robotic alternatives, but despite the advantages technology brings, Yabchanka said that they "do not often use robot-based evacuation." With UGV technology still in its infancy, his unit continuously receives new and upgraded drone models, each new system better than the last, but he said they're far from ideal. When a wounded soldier is being transported, the system can sometimes get disconnected because of a fault or Russian jamming, a problem for drone operators. That can actually create "an even worse situation" because the injured serviceman is no longer with any of his comrades, and instead, "they are in the middle of a field." "You have no communication with that person to check how they are," Yabchanka said, explaining that at least before, they were with their brothers and sisters in arms, even if it was dangerous. "Now they turn out to be in the middle of a field and then this system got stuck," he said. That means "we still resort to evacuation with human beings, that's when it's possible. Even though we understand that that might trigger additional danger." Yabchanka said that evacuating a soldier from the front line typically takes at least four soldiers, and it's difficult because the enemy is watching. Drones are constantly buzzing about. There are times when trying to evacuate the soldier "without being seen it is extremely difficult or I would say in some instances impossible," he said. The evacuation team is unlikely to be able to get to the injured person without being seen, and it's very likely that Russia will fire at the injured soldier and the team. "When we cannot evacuate without being seen, we resort to the on-the-ground robotized systems," he said. Ultimately, "in the vast majority of robotized evacuation cases, it is when there is simply no other way." Uncrewed ground vehicles are a newer technology. Unlike aerial platforms, these systems haven't reached all of Ukraine's military yet, but they have helped evacuate soldiers in parts of the front. They could prove crucial as Ukraine's military remains much smaller than Russia's and its soldiers operate without the ability to reliably receive medical care within the life-saving "golden hour" that Western armies have enjoyed for decades. Yabchanka said that his unit uses ground drones for a range of functions, including laying mines, moving equipment, and blowing up Russian positions, not just evacuation. It's a technology that many units aren't using right now or can only employ in a limited capacity, but a host of Ukrainian companies are working on developing it and expanding its use. Some of the companies working in this space include Ukraine's Rovertech, which makes the ZMIY Ground Demining Complex, and FRDM Group, which makes the D-21 ground robotic system. It's a technology space Russia is working in, too, and one that could likely turn into a development and production race, just as it has with aerial drones. Yabchanka said that when it comes to advancing ground drone technology, "the question is not if but when the Russians will do that. So the question is: Who will do it faster?" "We need to scale all these things up quicker than the Russians do," he added. Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in September that he expects "the number of those robot systems will grow, grow immensely in the order of tens." Hlib Kanevskyi, the director of the procurement department at Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said the government plans to supply 15,000 robots for combat use this year. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
29-04-2025
- Business Insider
Ukrainian soldiers are evacuating wounded soldiers with ground robots — but the risks mean it's only done as a last resort
Soldiers in Ukraine sometimes use ground drones to evacuate their injured comrades, but because doing so is so risky, this approach is really only a last resort, an operator told Business Insider. Ground robots have been used throughout the conflict, but the technology is becoming more prolific. Drones in the sky are replacing certain traditional combat roles, and the uncrewed ground vehicles, UGVs, are doing the same, reducing the number of situations in which soldiers put themselves directly in the line of fire. Ground drones that can evacuate the wounded without putting additional soldiers at risk could be a game changer in a war marked by mass surveillance, relentless drone and artillery strikes, and the intentional targeting of medics. The problem, Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, told BI, is that these drones can put the injured at greater risk, making the army less willing to employ UGVs in this way except as a last resort. A last resort When a team of soldiers rushes out to evacuate the wounded, they are always in danger because of the "ginormous number of intelligence drones" in the sky ready to direct Russian fire toward them, Yabchanka said. This risk has pushed Ukraine to develop robotic alternatives, but despite the advantages technology brings, Yabchanka said that they "do not often use robot-based evacuation." With UGV technology still in its infancy, his unit continuously receives new and upgraded drone models, each new system better than the last, but he said they're far from ideal. When a wounded soldier is being transported, the system can sometimes get disconnected because of a fault or Russian jamming, a problem for drone operators. That can actually create "an even worse situation" because the injured serviceman is no longer with any of his comrades, and instead, "they are in the middle of a field." "You have no communication with that person to check how they are," Yabchanka said, explaining that at least before, they were with their brothers and sisters in arms, even if it was dangerous. "Now they turn out to be in the middle of a field and then this system got stuck," he said. That means "we still resort to evacuation with human beings, that's when it's possible. Even though we understand that that might trigger additional danger." Sometimes there's no other choice Yabchanka said that evacuating a soldier from the front line typically takes at least four soldiers, and it's difficult because the enemy is watching. Drones are constantly buzzing about. There are times when trying to evacuate the soldier "without being seen it is extremely difficult or I would say in some instances impossible," he said. The evacuation team is unlikely to be able to get to the injured person without being seen, and it's very likely that Russia will fire at the injured soldier and the team. "When we cannot evacuate without being seen, we resort to the on-the-ground robotized systems," he said. Ultimately, "in the vast majority of robotized evacuation cases, it is when there is simply no other way." Emerging technology Uncrewed ground vehicles are a newer technology. Unlike aerial platforms, these systems haven't reached all of Ukraine's military yet, but they have helped evacuate soldiers in parts of the front. They could prove crucial as Ukraine's military remains much smaller than Russia's and its soldiers operate without the ability to reliably receive medical care within the life-saving "golden hour" that Western armies have enjoyed for decades. Yabchanka said that his unit uses ground drones for a range of functions, including laying mines, moving equipment, and blowing up Russian positions, not just evacuation. It's a technology that many units aren't using right now or can only employ in a limited capacity, but a host of Ukrainian companies are working on developing it and expanding its use. Some of the companies working in this space include Ukraine's Rovertech, which makes the ZMIY Ground Demining Complex, and FRDM Group, which makes the D-21 ground robotic system. It's a technology space Russia is working in, too, and one that could likely turn into a development and production race, just as it has with aerial drones. Yabchanka said that when it comes to advancing ground drone technology, "the question is not if but when the Russians will do that. So the question is: Who will do it faster?" "We need to scale all these things up quicker than the Russians do," he added. Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in September that he expects "the number of those robot systems will grow, grow immensely in the order of tens." Hlib Kanevskyi, the director of the procurement department at Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said the government plans to supply 15,000 robots for combat use this year.
