Contract robots gain combat experience. Can they become heroes in special military operations?

Contract robots gain combat experience. Can they become heroes in special military operations?

The special military operation prompts a re-examination of the use of "omni-soldiers."

Author Alexei Mikhailov

The Russian military is increasing the number of ground combat robots. On April 8, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belayev stated that hundreds of such systems were delivered to the Russian Armed Forces by military-industrial enterprises and volunteer organizations in 2024. This year, the number of robots delivered to the troops will increase significantly.

The defense minister made this statement at a meeting organized jointly by the Russian Ministry of Defense with military-industrial enterprises, as well as private robotic system developers and manufacturers.

The experience of the special military operation indicates that ground robots are extremely necessary. They can perform a wide range of tasks — from transporting ammunition and supplies to the front line to evacuating and searching for wounded personnel.

However, until recently, neither the Russian Ministry of Defense, nor manufacturers, nor developers had a clear understanding of what ground combat robots were or what tasks they should address. Although the special military operation demonstrated the main directions for the development of such systems, many conceptual and technical issues still remain.

It is worth exploring what systems and equipment the Russian army will obtain in the future, what combat robot units will look like, and what tasks they will perform on the battlefield.

In the lead in military robotics:

Before the start of the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces were among the leaders in ground robot technology systems worldwide. The Russian army was equipped with the "Uranium" series of heavy robots. These include demining equipment, remote collapse debris inspection, firefighting systems... Of course, there is also the "Uranium-9" reconnaissance combat robot.

Several medium-sized robotic systems are currently undergoing testing. For example, the "Comrade" robot developed by Kalashnikov Group, as well as the "Marker" and "Nerekheta" robots developed under the participation of the Direct Investment Fund (DIF).

In 2021, the Russian Army formed its first combat robot platoon. This platoon was equipped with "Uranium-9" and "Nerekheta" robots. The "Western-2021" exercise showcased this new unit. Since the start of the special military operation, this platoon has been involved in actual combat. In particular, the "Uranium-9" robot was used in the Kharkiv direction of operations.

The Russian Ministry of Defense considers another promising direction to be the creation of heavy combat robotic systems based on tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles. The "Impact" robot has already undergone trials in the units; it is built on the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle. In addition to pure attack vehicles, this series should also include models for transporting supplies and ammunition, as well as models for evacuating casualties from the battlefield.

A lot of work has been done on creating combat robots based on T-72 and T-90 tanks.

Steel bodies, yet fragile

Meanwhile, the experience of the special military operation shows that large robots are extremely vulnerable on the battlefield. For example, the "Uranium-9" robot is not used for offensive or reconnaissance missions but as an observation post. On one hand, the onboard equipment of the "Uranium-9" performs well. Its electro-optical systems, thermal imagers, and radar can effectively track enemies.

On the other hand, its weapons systems have not functioned at all. Among the various armaments, the machine gun is used most frequently, and sometimes the 30 mm cannon is also used. In fact, anti-tank guided missiles and disposable grenade launchers are rarely used.

Similarly, medium-sized robots like the "Nerekheta" and "Marker" have not played any role on the battlefield. Due to their weight and dimensions, these robots are too fragile and easily detected by the enemy.

At the same time, the initial months of the special military operation indicated that robotic equipment is extremely important. Their primary use is to transport ammunition and supplies to frontline troops. There have also been attempts to evacuate casualties using "steel machines."

Therefore, people are currently manufacturing relatively small robots using simple methods, supported by private companies and enthusiastic citizens. These robots are equipped with fairly primitive control and observation systems.

Usually, such products even lack onboard electro-optical systems. Instead, when operating these "steel machines," a drone is suspended.

Operators control the robots through ordinary radio remote control, based on video transmitted by the drone. It turns out that wired control is extremely inefficient. Cables not only expose the robot's position but also often get tangled and snapped.

Since last autumn, a new direction has been the manufacture of ground "kamikaze" drones. These are also simple robots, but they are equipped with explosives. They are also controlled through video transmitted by drones. However, unlike FPV drones with a first-person view in flight, current ground counterparts have not shown particularly effective results.

On the battlefield, the main problem for all types of ground robots is the extremely low situational awareness of operators. Even the most advanced electro-optical observation systems with thermal imaging channels cannot allow drone operators to clearly understand what is happening around them, especially during combat conflicts.

By taking advantage of this, infantry and crew members of combat vehicles can easily deceive robots and destroy them. And in most cases, operators do not even understand what happened and why their "steel machines" malfunctioned or lost contact forever. Unfortunately, this issue cannot be resolved even in the foreseeable future.

"Kamikaze" drones fail to prove their value

Meanwhile, the Russian Armed Forces are considering the formation of robotic equipment platoons that will be incorporated into battalions, brigades, and divisions of the Russian Army, Airborne Forces, and Naval Infantry.

In these combat units, there will be both aerial drone platoons and ground robot platoons. Ground robots will come in various types. First, specialized transport platforms will appear to deliver ammunition and supplies to frontline troops. There will also be specialized vehicles for evacuating casualties from the battlefield. These "transport vehicles" and "ambulances" will be wheeled or tracked chassis robots with a carrying capacity of several tens of kilograms.

These types of equipment will be visually controlled. Operators usually control them based on video returned by drones. At the same time, the robots will also be equipped with their own electro-optical systems. These systems will help operators locate directly on the terrain and identify obstacles that cannot be seen from the air. In the comprehensive use of electronic warfare means, relying on satellite navigation signals for navigation is clearly ineffective.

Special detachments equipped with heavy robots similar to "Uranium-9" are expected to be included in these platoons. They will perform forward reconnaissance missions. That is, secretly occupy advantageous positions and observe the battlefield through electronic cameras, thermal imagers, and radars. Such equipment will be equipped with simplified light weapons systems, and may also be equipped with anti-tank weapons. The mobility of "reconnaissance robots" will be relatively low. Their main advantages are concealment and accuracy of observation.

In newly formed robotic detachments, heavy robots based on infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and tanks will certainly not initially be included. Whether ground "kamikaze" drones will be equipped remains in doubt. Currently, they have not proven their effectiveness. Of course, medium-sized drones once considered promising are also in this situation.

Currently, the Russian Ministry of Defense is working on the research and testing of new equipment together with military-industrial enterprises and private organizations. However, it is likely that after a comprehensive summary of the experience of the special military operation, the development of ground robots will truly begin.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494840287013945897/

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