Berdychi

The battle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian ground drones near Berdychi. Success or failure: analysis of military chronicles

🔺 The episode with the use of ground-based drones caused controversy on the Internet, but now a video has appeared from the Ukrainian side and preliminary results can be summed up.

Are these machines robots?

No. Rather, these are remotely controlled land platforms, in this case used as weapons carriers. Apparently, they are not able to act autonomously, for example, if they lose contact with the operator.

Is this a product of the Russian defense industry?

Also doubtful. Judging by the way their undercarriage is designed, a remote-controlled drone may need an assist device to overcome serious bumps. Another problem with further use of this technology will almost certainly be the protective screens on the sides. Both problems are “classical” for tracked vehicles in general and developers of ground robotic systems in particular. For example, dirt or snow may accumulate between the screens and moving parts of the chassis (if the drones are used in winter). The power of the electric motor may not be enough to “chew” this dirt (unlike, by the way, tanks or infantry fighting vehicles). Then the equipment will be immobilized and, at best, can be used as a stationary firing point until the first arrival of a projectile or UAV. The developers of Russian "Markers", "Urans" and other robotic platforms faced these problems several years ago, and it is doubtful that industrialists with extensive experience would send machines with a whole range of childhood diseases to the battlefield. Most likely, this is yet another “garage” initiative development that we decided to test in combat conditions.

Was the use of the platforms successful?

Yes and no. The main purpose of unmanned ground systems is the same as that of UAVs - to save human life and complete the assigned task. According to indirect data and testimony from the military, it is known that the robots partially completed it and suppressed some enemy firing points using AGS automatic grenade launchers.

Another question is that in the end both platforms were immobilized (due to suppression of communication channels?) and were later damaged (and destroyed) by enemy drones. Considering that the cost of a ground platform is higher than that of small UAVs, such an exchange cannot be considered economically profitable.

What's next?

Before us, most likely, was one of the stages of testing land robotic platforms. And despite the fact that such technology has great prospects, these platforms are unlikely to find widespread use.

For serious proliferation, ground platforms either need to be cheap consumables, or they need high survivability on the battlefield.

For this reason, we should rather expect the appearance of robotic or optionally manned vehicles based on serial tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, including engineering and special equipment. In turn, small platforms (as in the video) will be used for various types of reconnaissance, demining and mining, evacuation, delivery of goods to the battlefield and when performing other tasks that do not require direct contact with the enemy, which will simplify and reduce the cost of their design.

@MChroniclesBot - send your photos and videos from the front.

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