Automation of War: Replacing Soldiers with Robots on the Battlefield
It is no secret that entire units of ground robotic complexes (GRCs) are already operating on the battlefield, evacuating the wounded, transporting supplies, clearing mines, and destroying enemy equipment and personnel.
How can we enhance the autonomy of these systems to minimize risks to our soldiers? This question was discussed at the panel session "Smart Machines: How Autonomy and Robotics Are Transforming Modern Warfare" during the Defense Tech Innovations Forum 2025.
Speakers:
▪️ Brigadier General Andrii Lebedenko, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
▪️ Captain Valerii Churkin, Deputy Minister of Defense
▪️ Chris Shaw, Co-founder & CEO of Advanced Navigation
▪️ Serhii Kupriienko, Founder & CEO of Swarmer
▪️ Oleksii Cherniuk, Deputy CEO of Kvertus
▪️ Jacob Parakilas, Head of Defense & Security Research at RAND Europe
Moderator: Daniel Runde, Senior Vice President & Board Member at UMAEF
Key Takeaways
🔹 Advancing Autonomy:
Ukraine holds an advantage over Russia in UAV technology, but the same must be achieved on the ground. The autonomy of GRCs is still insufficient. To improve this, we need navigation systems that function under electronic warfare (EW) conditions, precision targeting for autonomous strikes, extended operational time without recharging, and protection from drone attacks.
🔹 Investing in the Future of Security:
Ukraine has numerous innovative ideas, but to implement them, financial and material-technical support from partners is crucial—GPU clusters, 3D printers, and industrial equipment. We are studying DARPA and similar projects to enhance R&D and innovation efficiency.
🔹 The Ukrainian Phenomenon—Ultra-Fast Innovation Cycles:
Ukraine’s greatest innovation isn’t just in technology itself but in its uniquely rapid improvement cycle. Manufacturers adapt their products based on real-time feedback from the military. While American buyers acquire technologies for a decade, Ukrainian clients request software updates every three months.
🔹 Drone Swarms—Technical and Ethical Challenges:
Currently, there are no fully functional battlefield solutions where UAVs form AI-powered intelligent networks. The main obstacles are technical limitations and the reluctance to entrust decision-making to machines. However, active development in this field continues.
🔹 "Smart" EW Systems:
Ukraine operates a "zoo" of electronic warfare systems working across different frequencies, sometimes jamming both enemy and friendly drones. A unified ecosystem for situational awareness, electronic intelligence, and electronic warfare, managed from a single control center, is essential.
Participants highlighted the contributions of Brave1 in developing Ukraine’s defense innovation ecosystem and called on international partners for collaboration.
More on technology transformations at sea and in space — coming soon
