“The place of military robots on the battlefield is not fully understood, so even the military cannot say what the perfect model should be. That is why robots are developed not in closed laboratories and not under the programs of the Ministry of Defense, but in real time, in a continuous dialogue between military and producers.”, – WRITE: mezha.media
Many defense units already use ground robotic complexes (NRCs) – for cargo transportation, evacuation of wounded and even remote use of weapons. And it is the feedback from the front that determines what these machines will be tomorrow. At the same time, companies that respond most quickly to operators’ feedback receive a great competitive advantage in the market.
The head of the robotic system of the battalion “Wolves Da Vinci” of the 59th Brigade of the Armed Forces Alexander Yabchanka says that in his unit there is a separate chat with each NRC manufacturer they use.
“We provide them with the most relevant information regarding the condition of their NRCs, where they are effective, and where they would not be able to improve and what is already done. In fact, manufacturers are conducting research with us, literally live. It is often the case that we are recruiting them from positions, we are talking.”
Battalion “Wolves Da Vinci” near the NRC “Shary”. Alexander Yabchanka front from the leftOne of these manufacturers is TENCORE, which manufactures NRC TERMIT – Universal tracked platform for logistics, evacuation, mines and fire support.
The need to improve the complex is constant: technologies on the front are changing, and what was effective yesterday can be dangerous today.
“We started to make our first NRCs already during a full-scale war. At first the products were very raw, so we had to make changes daily. Next, they started to accumulate changes, for example, 30-35, and we implemented with one update. If you take the first prototype of the HRC Termit and the most recent, and the renders of the same. engineering modules.
NRC TermitAnother manufacturer who promptly adapts their products under the replacement of technological trends – Roboneers company, she creates the NRC “Lynia”, IronClad, Camel, and remotely managed Saber Turel.
Alexander Yabchanka says that when in 2022 they first began to use a saber with a machine gun of 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, the manufacturer combined forces with the creators of the wheel platform “Lyda”. This is how the new company and the new complex “Sharis” appeared.
This NRC is driven from a safe distance, equipped with a camcorder and thermal imaging, can fire up to 2000 m.
Lynus wheel platform and saber turl – Sharis NRCWith every crew used by the Shari NRC, Roboneers maintains a 24 -hour connection and changes to the design.
“If the task concerns the engineering and mechanical part-the implementation is fast. For example, to prepare a box of ammunition to a larger number of ammunition and adapt it to the system to work correctly. If it is a software-for example, writing an additional software module-a longer period of time is needed,”-says the representative.
Tencore has a separate service service that maintains contact 24/7 with all units used by NRC TERMIT.
Improve initiatives are not only from manufacturers – the most active innovations are offered by the military.
“We have received a request from the military to have the function of mine.
NRC TERMIT with Turel “Storm”Sharis developers often come to positions to work together with different scenarios. The company has service centers near the war zone.
“This is done to reduce the logistics shoulder for repair. Also, our products have a modular system. Accordingly, we can quickly send the unit to replace the unit if it fails,” the company representative said.
Testing platform “lynx”Termit developers also They regularly go to the military to see how they operate or repair the equipment in the field.
“Sometimes we go with the updated version of the work and immediately test it on the landfill, showing the military what he can do and what questions to close,” Maxim Vasylchenko notes.
“Wolves Da Vinci” also has a cooperation with the manufacturer of the caterpillar NRC “VPR”, which performs a wide range of tasks – from logistics to intelligence.
The unit fighters appealed to the manufacturer to adapt the platform for transportation of logs used to strengthen positions. This is how a trailer appeared, which can be cured to the base platform. Subsequently, on this trailer, the wounded from the battlefield was successfully evacuated.
NRC “Vepr” with a trailer. Photo: Armyinform“Manufacturers provide us with means, we test them, then we do an analysis of the actions together and they make appropriate design changes. Accordingly, the process of creating and commissioning of the NRC we have reduced the bunch of links. Manufacturers even come to us for landfills to test products in the most close to combat conditions.”
As Maxim Vasylchenko recalls when the first NRC platforms were made – These were ordinary carts on the remote. The military itself integrated a flight controller with FPV, which made it possible to obtain telemetry, location information, etc.
The key to success, Alexander Yabchenko calls not only well -established communication, but also the presence in the unit of his own laboratory and people who bring the products to the functional state and are able to convey the manufacturer’s problems or supply technical language.
“My task is that, if necessary, improve the tool directly in our laboratory near the front. First of all, we help ourselves, bringing the means to the condition we need, and therefore – And the manufacturer who will introduce it in the updated models, ” – sums up Alexander Yabchanka.
The NRC Company Commander 3 OSHBR on the pseudo -Journa says that they also have to convert the equipment independently to perform combat missions.
“Today there is no NRC, ready for combat use,” he explains. “We are modernizing, refining the means, testing, and then passing everything to the manufacturer for improvement.”
This is exactly how the unit began to work with the NRC “Tesla”, which initially, as Zhoryk recalls, was extremely simple:
“The first platform worked in general on the assault panel and was used as a” mule ” – just a carriage for transportation. But now, thanks to constant contact with us, the manufacturer is trying to adapt as much as possible to the realities of war.”
The manufacturer of the six -wheeled carpenter is the company “Technologi”, founded by Mikhail Fanta. He tells that it all started with a conversation with a representative of 3 OSHBR in December 2023. The military provided a clear technical task: a wheeled platform with high clearance (height), good passability, the possibility of fitting in the body of a pickup, weighing, which could be lifted for loading/unloading up to four fighters, loading up to 200 kg and fast -changing battery.
The process of creating NRC “Tesla”The first sample was immediately transferred for testing to the team. Although it did not have all the necessary characteristics – in particular, there was a lack of fast -changing battery – the general decision was appreciated. The team immediately began to improve.
“We have passed several iterations: we simulated, made prototypes of batteries and the concept of replacement. The replacement process was to be simple, fast and intuitive to the military,” the developer explains.
In combat, 3 OSHBRs exposed to a serious load and tests in more difficult conditions than the manufacturer.
“For example, if it is stated that the NRC is carrying 150 kg, they will load 200 and look at what will happen,” – said Michael Fanta.
The changes apply not only to the “toppings” but also to the appearance. One example is the appearance of a folding U-shaped arc above the platform. Previously, the NRC looked like a basket on the wheels, and behind the remote rack was attached to the antenna of the receiver. The military was offered to create a frame that could place cameras, transmitters and start the entire wiring in one place. The developers have taken into account this – and new modifications have received such an arc.
NRC “carpenter” with U-shaped arcBut the development did not stop – combat experience continued to formulate new requirements.
“In the past year, we significantly processed the product in cooperation with the military,” Fanta says. “Instead of old 250 watts, we installed 450 watts with temperature sensors – there was no such problem on the prototype. Open architecture and flexible settings.
The team is now integrating into the platform flight controller and peripheral devices to ensure the compatibility of the product “from the box” with any communication system. The development of its own wheels to increase the patency and the introduction of the dump truck system is also underway – so that the NRC can be unloaded independently on the point.
Every “mature” NRC, which goes to the front today is the result of a dialogue: between a fighter who sees a weak place in the design, and a developer that can change it.
Very often, Ukrainian manufacturers call the tests in real hostilities their key competitive advantage, which will ever make Ukrainian land drones with a successful export product. But few understand what it means in practice.
In fact, it is not the fact that the use of real combat is, but the ability to draw conclusions from their mistakes very quickly, to adapt to technological trends and to remain useful in real life, not just on paper.