Zaluzhny: Unmanned systems are crucial in modern warfare
2 February, 2024 Drones for the Ukrainian military from the Army of Drones. July 2023. Ukraine.
Photo credits: Mykhailo Fedorov The use of technology, including unmanned systems, is crucial in modern warfare. General Valerii Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Ukraine, wrote about this in his article "On the Modern Design of Military Operations in the Russo-Ukrainian War: In the Fight for the Initiative".
According to Zaluzhny, the main reason for the change in the strategy, forms and methods of using troops is the development of weapons and military equipment, especially unmanned systems. He noted that their use has become widespread - drones of various types allow the military to perform a wide range of tasks. "Therefore, unmanned systems, along with other new types of weapons, are perhaps the only tool to get out of positional warfare that is not beneficial for Ukraine in time for numerous reasons," the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Ukraine noted.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Photo from open sources
It should be noted that in addition to increasing the effectiveness of combat operations, unmanned and other advanced technological systems can solve a number of key problems in the organization of combat operations of Ukrainian Defense Forces. "They will increase the number of non-contact combat operations and, as a result, reduce the level of human losses. It will also reduce the degree of involvement of traditional means of destruction, in particular, heavy military equipment, in the performance of combat missions," Zaluzhny said.
However, he believes that there are currently a number of factors that definitely influence the decision to seek new forms of defense force employment. In December, Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk said that the Ukrainian military uses about 70 models of drones for various purposes. Armed Forces of Ukraine also use more than 20 different types of ammunition for drones.
The Ukrainian military received drones as part of the Army of Drones.
November 2023. Photo credits: Mykhailo Fedorov.
In November last year, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries announced that the Ukrainian defense industry has started mass production of drones similar to Iran's Shahed-136.
Bober and UJ-22 drones of Ukrainian production, July 2023. Photo from open sources
According to the Minister, the Ukrainian defense industry has now launched mass production of dozens of kamikaze drones per month.
He noted that these are new drones that have not been publicly presented before.
Ukroboronprom also mastered the production of FPV drones in its facilities to meet the needs of the Ukrainian army.