Main points
- By 2026, it is expected that ground-based robotic systems (GROS) will become a systemic defense for infantry and equipment, which could change the course of battles.
- The Ukrainian army is already using IRCs in Kramatorsk with the integration of turrets and machine guns to automatically counter enemy drones.
Modern warfare is often associated with drones, which have displaced heavy equipment from the battlefield. However, ground-based robotic systems also play an important role on the front, performing various types of tasks: from evacuation to participation in battles.
At the same time, there are many expectations for the IRC in 2026, which can become a systemic protection for both infantry and columns of equipment. This opinion was expressed to Channel 24 by military observer Vasyl Pekhno, emphasizing that now in Ukraine this is not only being talked about, but also implemented.
How will the NRC turn the tide of the fighting in 2026?
The military observer explained that the occupiers are currently using guns and tanks on the front, but they are firing from concealed positions. The Ukrainian military also has similar tactics – the tanks are not operating in a dynamic manner, but from concealed positions.
Meanwhile, weapons manufacturers and the military are suggesting that the technology will still be available this year. This currently seems impossible due to the large number of drones constantly hovering in the air. However, this will become a reality if automated solutions for shooting down drones can be found.
Conventionally, the NRC will move in tandem with the tank and create a kind of dome over it. This will allow for the reincarnation of classic equipment and even the restoration of assault operations in a more protected format,
– he emphasized.
Pehnyo noted that the Ukrainian army is already using robotic ground systems in this way in Kramatorsk. Manufacturers have integrated a turret or machine gun into the NRC, which can be used in automatic mode to counter enemy UAVs. In addition, the NRC can be equipped with electronic warfare systems and even anti-aircraft missile systems.
Interesting! Earlier, an officer of the 2nd battalion “Knights of the Steppe” of the 122nd Obr TrO, Gennady Oliynyk, also drew attention to the progress of technologies in the Ukrainian army. He said that our combat and logistics robots have the ability to operate at a distance of 10-15 kilometers from the line of contact, after which they return back. At the same time, Russian NRCs operate on fiber optics and do not have such an ability.
What tasks are the NRC performing at the front now?
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The NRCs are capable of carrying out the wounded, delivering water, food, and ammunition to positions. Ground robotic complexes are also used for engineering tasks, combat, and special operations.
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The drones also help Ukrainian fighters in bad weather conditions. When it's raining or windy, it's quite difficult to use drones, but reconnaissance can be conducted from the ground – cameras can be installed on the drones and the enemy's progress can be tracked.
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In addition, the complexes can defeat enemy groups. Even if this fails, such tactics allow you to gain time and prepare to destroy the enemy with other means of destruction.