Ukraine is developing artificially intelligent drones that could locate Russian targets from further away and be more resistant to electronic countermeasures in an effort to boost its military capabilities as the war continues.
Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko said kyiv is developing a new system that could autonomously discern, hunt and attack its targets from afar.
This would make drones more difficult to shoot down or jam, he said, and reduce the threat of retaliatory attacks for drone pilots.
‘Our drones should be more effective and guided to the target without any operator.
‘It should be based on visual navigation. We also call it ‘last mile targeting,’ targeting based on the image,” he said. The Telegraph.
It comes less than two months after Britain’s Defense Secretary announced the creation of a drone coalition in which the UK, Latvia and other Western-aligned governments will invest £200 million to provide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). ) military grade to Ukraine.
The package, which makes up around a fifth of Ukraine’s total investment in developing drones for frontline use, will allow the UK to order thousands of FPV drones for Ukraine, many of which will be produced by British manufacturers.
A devastating fire is seen following a Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack on an oil depot in Klintsy, Russia’s Bryansk region.
A pilot practices with a drone at a training ground in the kyiv region on February 29, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Long-range UAV seen moments before crashing into Russian factory in Tatarstan
A Russian plant is the target of a Ukrainian drone attack in Tatarstan, more than 600 miles from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
A Ukrainian military FPV drone pilot during a combat flight with a cumulative load on the front line near Bakhmut.
Unmanned weapons systems have already proven extremely effective in attacking key Russian targets.
Marine drones have sunk several warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and in recent weeks, kyiv has successfully deployed long-range drones to attack infrastructure hundreds of kilometers behind the Russian border.
But drones with artificial intelligence could prove even more lethal, and particularly effective for short- to medium-range attacks against Russian troop, artillery and armor camps on Ukrainian soil or just behind the border.
AI-powered drones can capture and process real-time intelligence obtained from cameras and sensors.
They can interpret visual information, detect and recognize objects, patterns and anomalies and, as a result, can autonomously navigate towards a given target.
Chernohorenko said that these autonomous weapons systems (AWS) it would be launched and guided toward the front line by its human operator, but would then identify its target more than a mile away.
From there, the drone would switch to autopilot, increasing precision and minimizing risk to its human operator.
In theory, AI drones could also work in sync, operating as a hive mind to trap and attack adversaries.
But there are concerns about the fallibility of AI targeting systems. Making life or death decisions without human supervision.
This led the House of Lords Weapons Systems Committee to warn the British government that it must proceed with caution in developing AI drones and urged it to develop an operational definition of “advanced weapons systems.”
A Ukrainian military FPV drone pilot while placing an explosive on an FPV drone on the front line near Bakhmut on October 24, 2023 in Bakhmut.
A Ukrainian FPV (first person view) drone operator trains not far from the front line in the Donetsk region on November 16, 2023.
Consumer drones have been adapted to drop grenades and small bombs on enemy infantry and armored vehicles, to devastating effect.
Ukrainian drone operator demonstrates piloting a long-range UAV
Images of the explosive effect of a Ukrainian drone attack against a Russian tank on the front line
‘The Government must approach the development and use of AI on AWS in a way that is ethical and legal, while providing key strategic and battlefield benefits. “Ambitious, safe and responsible” must be translated into practical implementation”, The report saying.
‘The Committee heard that MoD procurement suffers from a lack of accountability and is overly bureaucratic. Additionally, he heard that the MoD lacks capacity in relation to software and data, both of which are critical to the development of AI. This may require revolutionary change,” he concluded.
Defense sources cited by The Telegraph said the British government would not be involved in the development of advanced autonomous drones for Ukraine.
Last week, Ukrainian officials stated that at least six fighter jets were destroyed and eight more were damaged following a drone attack on several Russian airfields.
Launching one of its biggest nighttime attacks in weeks, Ukraine fired more than 50 drones into Russian territory, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Among the targets was the Engels-2 base in the southern Rostov region, home to Putin’s prized Tu-95 and Tu-22 nuclear bombers.
More than 60 explosions were heard in the Rostov region as Russian air defenses fended off an attack on the Morozovsk military airfield, the scene of the heaviest assault.
More than ten explosions occurred at a military air base in Yeisk, Krasnodar region, local Telegram channels reported.
Ukraine launched a massive drone strike against Russia last week, targeting airfields and destroying at least six fighter jets, kyiv said. Pictured: A man is seen standing next to a burning building after the overnight attacks.
Explosion seen in the distance during Ukrainian drone strikes against Russia
A security source in kyiv told French news agency AFP that an attack on the Morozovsk air base in Russia’s southern Rostov region had destroyed at least six Russian aircraft and “eight others were seriously damaged.” .
“This is an important special operation that will significantly reduce the combat potential of the Russians,” the source said, adding that the attack was carried out by the SBU security service and the army.
About 20 Russian personnel were claimed to have been killed or injured.
Frontline bombers (Su-24, Su-24M and Su-34) are known to be regularly based at the airfield.
They have been used to attack Ukraine during the war.
According to OSINT reports, as of April 4, some 26 Su-34 fighters and three Su-35 fighter jets were stationed at the air base.
It has been reported that the SBU secret service was behind the kamikaze drone attack along with the Ukrainian armed forces.
“The results of the joint special operation are surprising: at least six Russian military aircraft were destroyed and another eight suffered significant damage,” a source told RBC Ukraine.
If confirmed, it would be one of the biggest blows of the war for Vladimir Putin’s air force.
There was no immediate response from Russia and the AFP news agency said it had not been able to verify the claims.
Russia said 44 of the 53 drones were targeting the southern Rostov region, which lies just across the border from Ukraine and hosts several major military sites, including its command headquarters for the offensive.
“During the night and morning of April 5, the kyiv regime attempted to carry out several terrorist drone attacks that were foiled,” the Defense Ministry said.