Solutions to win: Unmanned Systems Forces Commander unveils cutting-edge UAVs in military arsenal

Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, announced that Ukraine will soon deploy multi-functional unmanned maritime systems to guard its sea borders.

Sukharevskyi stated this in his interview with ArmyInform.

What is the problem?

Unmanned systems have played a significant role during the hostilities in Ukraine after the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in February 2022.

As a nation facing ongoing war, Ukraine cannot afford to be left behind in the race for innovation. Ukraine must develop its drones and missiles, as they can play a significant role in ensuring the safety and success of its military forces.

One of the primary reasons Ukraine needs to develop its drones is to minimize casualties among service members during hostilities. These advanced technologies allow for effective reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting of enemy positions, reducing the need for ground troops to advance into dangerous areas. This protects the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and improves the overall efficiency of military operations.

What is the solution?

Ukraine plans to deploy versatile unmanned maritime systems to protect its sea borders.

"Multifunctional maritime unmanned systems are something that the world will see very soon, our state will see. They will secure our maritime borders. This is our goal, and we are confidently moving towards it," he said.

As the commander mentioned, Ukraine's research and development process is underway. This involves conducting research, theoretical analysis, and experiments to determine the technical feasibility of developing new equipment within the given timeframe.

In particular, it refers to marine technologies.

He said that the Russian Federation's Black Sea Fleet nearly retreated from Sevastopol today due to the implementation of naval systems.

"It is a world-renowned fact that Ukraine fought a battle at sea without a fleet. Therefore, this is precisely the merit of the new tactics and the strategy of actions at sea," Sukharevskyi said.

The commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces also revealed plans for developing ground robots, which are currently carrying out various tasks on the frontline. He noted that there are several obstacles to overcome in this area.

An institutional testing ground is currently being developed where similar systems, tactics, etc. will be tested.

"We are looking at the years ahead and we are interested in the system's organization for many years," the colonel said.

For reference:

It is worth mentioning that Ukraine, lacking large warships, employed unmanned military boats armed with explosives to target Russian vessels and also launched Storm Shadow and ATACM missiles at naval installations and other military objectives in Crimea.

According to the Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Vice–Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa, Russia's Black Sea Fleet was compelled to move most of its warships out of occupied Crimea. Ukraine reports having destroyed or damaged a total of 27 warships, with five of those losses attributed to sea mine detonations.

During the full-scale war, Ukraine considerably ramped up its production of domestic drones. In particular, it began manufacturing marine drones and established a special fleet.

Not only were Sea Baby naval drones produced in Ukraine, but also Magura V5, which are actively used by fighters of Ukraine's intelligence.

According to Dekhtiarenko, spokesperson of Ukraine's Security Service, these drones have already hit 11 Russian ships:

• missile carrier "Samum,"
• missile carrier "Pavel Derzhavin,"
• SIG tanker,
• amphibious assault ship "Olenegorsky Gornyak,"
• tugboat "Nikolay Moore,"
• latest reconnaissance and hydrographic ship "Vladimir Kozytskyi."

On December 26, 2023, the Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked the large amphibious ship of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation "Novocherkask" in the Feodosia region.

Also, on the night of February 1, Ukrainian scouts destroyed the missile boat "Ivanovets" of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. Its value is approximately 60-70 million dollars.

Also, with Sea Baby's help, Ukraine's Security Service damaged the Crimean Bridge, "which cannot be destroyed." And together with him, the self-confidence of the Russians was finally buried.

In addition to the Security Service, the Main Directorate of Intelligence also uses naval drones against the Russians. Ukraine's intelligence has its own drone – Magura.

As reported, the Russian military industry is trying to close the gap with Ukraine in developing surface maritime attack drones.

In December, it was announced that the Russian Federation's Black Sea Fleet had concealed nearly all of their important ships, including carriers equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, in Novorossiysk.