Man-machine teaming prevalent in aerial combat may soon be coming to ground operations with robots greatly increasing the speed of operations as clearing or laying of minefields saving human casualties.
In a report on 17 January, Ukrinform - Ukrainian National News Agency quoting an active combat commander indicated new trends in man machine teaming in ground operations. The Report claimed that in operations of the Defense Forces, up to 70% of tasks can be performed by flying drones and ground platforms. Chief of Staff of the 475th Separate Assault Battalion CODE 9.2 of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Andrii Mishchenko was reported having stated this in an interview with Ukrinform.
In what is more likely reading from sci fi fiction, robots are already capable of carrying out various operations, such as laying mines on roads, destroying enemy forces, and assisting infantry he claimed.
"In assault and defensive operations, 70% of tasks can be performed by robots. This is already a reality," he said. CODE 9.2 unit has repeatedly planned assault operations with extensive use of robots, which can clear areas in a matter of days, allowing infantry to occupy positions the report stated.
Drones could also be used for evacuation tasks, heavy transport, ammunition supply, and even mine-laying. "Currently, engineers mostly handle mine-laying, but we can and will entrust this to robots," he added.
As Mishchenko explained that UAVs will play a significant role in the 475th battalion during assault and defensive operations.
"We believe that the future lies with such units. If a brigade has pilots for strike drones, they will be able to work with ground platforms as well. We must fight with technology, meaning we should do everything possible to replace people on the battlefield with robots," he noted.
The 475th separate assault battalion, with an enhanced UAV component, is part of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and has been actively involved in combat operations in Kharkiv region and Russia’s Kursk region as per the report.
With ground forces operating their own fleet of drones from the tactical to the medium altitude, close air support could also assume new dimensions.
The use of robots would also reduce the heavy casualties in personnel in high intense ground operations.
Reports indicate that the Russian casualties in the War in Ukraine could be as high as 800,000 including killed and wounded while the Ukrainian casualties less than half at 370,000 with both these being representative rather than actual figures thus requiring confirmation.
Meanwhile Ukraine is now fielding the largest army in Europe at less than one million or 980,000. Of Course the Russian army is larger but is seen as an Eurasian rather than an European force.
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