Ukraine’s Drone Revolution Continues to Accelerate

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported that it has certified more than 140 new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and 33 unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for military use in the first nine months of the year. This compares with the figures for 2023 when around 60 UAVs and nine UGVs were approved.

The figures highlight the strategic importance with which drones are increasingly viewed that is being matched by the intensification of the research and development efforts that are being applied for unmanned systems.

Col. Volodymyr Rochniak, Head of the Main Department of Support for the Lifecycle of Weapons and Military Equipment said, “The significance of UAV systems on the battlefield is increasing rapidly. Ukrainian weapons manufacturers promptly respond to the demands of the front lines. At present, they manufacture an extensive array of UAV systems.”

Rochniak added that the new UAV developments span the whole range of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ (AFU) needs including first person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, bombers, reconnaissance and artillery spotting UAVs.

These include winged airplane-types and rotary wing quadcopters that cover the tactical, operational, and strategic requirements that have been identified by the troops on the ground.

He said that many of the latest approved unmanned vehicles were incorporating new technologies including those that made them resistant to electronic warfare attack, use materials that are transparent to radar, operate with reduced noise levels, are equipped with terminal guidance and self-destruction systems.

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During a video conference with drone unit commanders Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, the AFU Commander-in-Chief was briefed on the operations of the newly created UAV units operating under the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) umbrella by its commander Col. Vadym Sukharevsky.

In a Facebook post Syrsky said he had discussed the latest developments and capabilities of the new UAVs that would soon arrive with combat units.

He said he laid down specific tasks to accelerate the deployment and numbers of unmanned systems in the field, respond to new challenges presented by Russia’s forces and implement advanced technological developments on the battlefield.

Syrsky also congratulated USF troops on their performance in September, during which “we have a positive trend in hitting and destroying enemy targets with attack drones.” He also used the meeting to decorate 147 servicemen from USF units in recognition of their successes in inflicting losses on Russian personnel and equipment.

The demand for new systems continues with the Ministry of Defense’s announcement encouraging manufacturers and designers of unmanned systems (and other weapons and equipment) to contact the Main Department of Support for the Lifecycle of Weapons and Military Equipment via email on: [email protected]