Ukrainian AI-powered drones are already selecting their own targets: Experts explain how this is changing the rules of modern warfare
24 June 18:36
ANALYSIS
Ukrainian developers of unmanned technologies have reported the first known instance in which an artificial intelligence system independently carried out a combat mission and made the decision to engage the enemy without the direct involvement of an operator.
Unmanned systems developer Oleksandr Kokhanovskyi said that key tests of autonomous drones took place about two years ago near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar during the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Unlike most modern combat drones, where an operator identifies the target, selects the moment of attack, and controls the drone’s flight, in this case the drones operated completely autonomously for the first time in history.
Experts commented "Komersant Ukrainian" clarify that the drones in question are “Terminators.” At the same time, such technologies are not yet widely used.
Military expert and flight instructor Roman Svitan, in a comment to "Komersant Ukrainian" confirms that the use of artificial intelligence in combat drones has become a natural progression following the emergence of machine vision and automatic guidance systems.
“Artificial intelligence is already in use. The reason is the same: at long ranges, the operator often cannot see the target due to the radio horizon or because of enemy electronic warfare systems that jam the communication channel between the operator and the drone,” Svitan explains.
At the same time, he clarifies that “Terminator” is not a specific type of drone, but rather software that is activated when communication is lost. In this mode, the system independently analyzes the situation and makes decisions regarding target engagement without posing any risk to friendly forces.
“This mode is activated well beyond the point of return to our own positions. The drone uses almost its entire energy reserve to carry out the combat mission, so it is physically unable to return,” he notes.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
Technology is neutralizing Russia’s manpower advantage
Aviation expert Konstantin Kryvolap commented
In wartime, however, technology makes it possible to strike the enemy even when electronic warfare systems interfere with the operator’s work.
According to Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemember Yevgeny Ievlev, call sign “Sheikh,” the emergence of autonomous drones once again confirms Ukraine’s status as one of the world leaders in unmanned technology. He emphasizes that it is precisely the development of unmanned technologies that has helped significantly reduce the impact of Russia’s numerical superiority in personnel.
The military officer stresses that modern warfare increasingly depends not on the number of soldiers, but on technological solutions.
“The world is watching what is happening in Ukraine and seeing which weapons are the most effective. The future of warfare will be determined not by the size of the army, but by the quality of technology,” he is convinced.
Experts believe that, provided there is sufficient support from partners in the fields of microelectronics and software, the widespread deployment of such systems in Ukraine is entirely possible in the near future.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
