ROBOTIC WARFARE IS HERE

FOCUS DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY

- Ragnar Sass

Russia’s war against Ukraine has become a full-scale technological conflict, where 70-80 per cent of casualties are now caused by unmanned aerial drones. After three and a half years, the war has become a nonstop cat-and-mouse game, where every new weapon system offers only a brief twoor three-month advantage before the other side develops countermeasures.

That means the age of robotic warfare is here. We are witnessing its first stage in Ukraine’s skies, on the ground, and at sea. The fastest military-tech development in the world is happening in Ukrainian garages, basements, and factories, where hundreds of small teams are building new-model drones and interceptors.

Many have been working nonstop since February 2022, without weekends or vacations. As soon as a new product is ready, it is deployed to the front line. Soldiers test it the next day, and within 24 hours, combat feedback is sent to developers, starting a new cycle. Some defense-tech teams even hand deliver their products to combat zones and work directly with soldiers on integration and iteration.