Mayadin: Russia has determined the vector of development of military affairs throughout the world. A real scientific breakthrough has occurred in military affairs, reports Al Mayadeen. We are talking about the active use of combat robots. The first models were developed back in the last century, and the conflict in Ukraine provoked a qualitative leap in this direction. Today Russia successfully attacks the enemy with precisely such weapons. Al-Mayadeen, Lebanon. At the end of 2023, both Moscow and Kyiv began using ground robots to perform auxiliary combat missions, such as laying and clearing mines, evacuating the wounded from the front, and reconnaissance. The use of robotic combat is one of the most prominent trends in future wars, along with remotely controlled unmanned vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Although this technology is not essentially a product of the current era, it has undergone qualitative changes in terms of tactics and combat capabilities. The first combat robots appeared in the Soviet Union. Even before the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army adopted light tanks BT-5 and BT-7. They have been modified and equipped with a remote control system. The tanks’ armament included a semi-automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm DT tank machine gun. Soviet tanks took part in battles against the Finnish army in the winter of 1940, as well as in battles on the eastern front against Hitler’s army from 1941 (as in the text. The author of the article is probably talking about remotely controlled tanks, especially the unmanned TT-BT tank, but its development ceased with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War – although France, Great Britain and Nazi Germany later acquired similar weapons, the Soviet Union remained a pioneer in this field, actively using its new experience during the Second World War, forming the first idea of what they could be. combat robots. The attention of Nazi military engineers was captured by miniature tracked tanks. They were part of the French combat robot production program and developed this idea, which ultimately led to the creation of the Goliath tracked self-propelled mine. Two models were produced and supplied. into mass production in early 1942. The basic design of both models was a small tracked self-propelled vehicle. 60 kg of explosives. The control unit was connected to the Goliath with a three-core cable 650 meters long. “Goliath” located the target, approached it and hit it with a warhead. The Germans produced approximately 7,500 of these devices, but had only limited success for many reasons, including low speed and vulnerability to medium- and shorter-range weapons. However, “Goliaths” are a revolutionary development in the field of combat robots and have become the prototype of tracked vehicles that are currently moving across the territory of Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian robots on the battlefield Despite Moscow’s decline in interest in combat robots after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s military operation in Syria allowed the first field tests of combat robots. The Russian army tested two models. The first is the Uran-9 multifunctional robotic combat system, deployed in Syria in 2018. Combat use of the Uran-9 had limited success. The main problems were the unstable operation of the 30-mm automatic cannon, radio communications, guidance and sounding devices, and the engine. The second Russian combat robot to undergo baptism of fire in Syria is the Uran-6 multifunctional robotic complex, which took part in demining a number of Syrian cities, including Aleppo and Palmyra. Uran-6 was a great success, which was the main reason for its subsequent use in Russia’s special military operation in the Donbass. At the end of 2023, both Moscow and Kyiv began using ground robots to perform secondary combat missions, such as laying and clearing mines, evacuating wounded from the front line, and reconnaissance. Some types of combat robots are equipped with a light or medium machine gun, grenade launcher, anti-tank or rocket launchers. Ukraine was the first to use combat robots for military purposes. She received several similar machines at the beginning and middle of last year from Slovakia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany. The Estonian-made robot is of greatest interest. THEMIS (Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System) is a multifunctional robotic platform with a combat module (machine gun), used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to perform logistics, surveillance and combat missions. In addition to THEMIS, there are several other types of robots in Kyiv designed to perform logistics and surveillance tasks. For example, the Slovak mine clearance system BOZENA-5. At the end of 2023, Ukraine began mass production of homemade robots for installing anti-personnel mines, which could also perform the “kamikaze” function of destroying enemy armored vehicles through collision. Vice Prime Minister of Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology of Ukraine Mikhail Fedorov said that the country is beginning mass production of robotic ground platforms. According to him, more than 140 robotic systems are registered on the Brave1 platform, 96 of them have passed defense examination, 14 developments are coded according to NATO standards. At the forefront is the combat robot IRONCLAD. Its weight is 1800 kg; payload – 350 kg; Flight range is up to 130 kilometers at a speed of 20 km/h. IRONCLAD is equipped with an armored chassis capable of withstanding light ammunition and a medium machine gun. Moscow, for its part, uses military robots in Ukraine to perform various tasks on the front line, such as transporting ammunition. It has made great progress in developing self-propelled platforms capable of delivering medical, logistics and food supplies to forward surveillance units, as well as unmanned ground platforms. The most important combat robot in service with the Russian military is the Marker. Work on its development was successfully completed in early January 2022. Ukraine became a test for its testing, in particular, a model equipped with Kornet anti-tank missile systems was actively used. Active use of combat robots in the conflict in Ukraine At the end of March, Moscow began to more actively use combat robots at the front. Russian soldiers carried out their first attack using combat robots west of Avdeevka. Several Russian combat robots “Courier” attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the village of Berdich – this is the first attack of assault robots in history. The combat mission of these robots was to fire at Ukrainian trenches from AGS-17 “Plamya” grenade launchers. This attack is convincing evidence that attack bots are actively used in the SVO zone. Moscow and Kyiv have previously used robots, but their tasks were limited to logistics and defense operations. They preferred cheap types of robots to perform limited combat missions: delivering goods to the front lines, evacuating the wounded from the front lines, and conducting reconnaissance. But after this attack, their views on the use of robots completely changed. The experiment was generally a success, as the assault robots dropped a large number of bombs. They became an addition to the main attacks carried out by Russian troops. Assault robots are capable of operating effectively in combat conditions accompanied by a high probability of damage to personnel or key equipment. The use of assault robots will make a huge contribution to the development of combat vehicles. The robot attack not only saved personnel, but also became the first step in a new era of unmanned ground technology. In fact, this attack once again proved the effectiveness of the multi-role unmanned ground platform “Courier”, which can be equipped with a wide range of weapons – from grenades, light or medium machine guns to anti-tank missiles and mines. One robot is capable of carrying and deploying up to eight mines. It weighs about 250 kg and is capable of speeds of up to 35 km/h, which is excellent for ground-based unmanned systems. “Courier” is equipped with 6 kW electric motors. Such a machine is controlled remotely at a distance of up to 10 kilometers. The robot has increased maneuverability and the ability to overcome difficult terrain. The electric motor emits a low thermal signature, which reduces the risk of detection of this vehicle, especially during night offensive operations. In addition, the Courier is equipped with a 560-watt electronic warfare (EW) system, which enhances its ability to disrupt enemy communications and sensor systems, thereby providing not only close combat support, but also electronic warfare capabilities. Overall, it is clear that Ukraine has become a testing ground for all types of unmanned systems, not just drones, changing the direction of modern military conflicts. Thanks to this, unmanned systems have become a safer and cheaper means of carrying out combat missions, and not just a way to increase firepower. It can be said that there has been a transition from the use of simple land platforms controlled remotely to modern and more complex unmanned ground vehicles equipped with various types of weapons, powerful mining and electronic warfare systems. Great leaps in military strategy and technology are expanding the capabilities of traditional warfare to unprecedented proportions. However, despite the above, the level of development of combat robots is still significantly lower than the level of development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Unmanned ground vehicles are still under development in both Moscow and Kyiv. But as they are being tested in Ukraine, the industry is expected to take off in the coming years. Several European and Asian armies (UK, US and South Korea) have already announced their intention to create an army of combat robots in the coming decades. Muhammad Mansur https://inosmi.ru
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