When the conflict between Russia and Ukraine erupted in February, thousands of lives, both civilians and armed forces, perished in the clash. The Russian firepower gained momentum in the five-month-long war, making them dominate most of Ukraine’s key and strategically important territories. But one thing that could grab their force without human effort – is a robot.

An opinion piece explained that the Russian ground forces and vehicles had displayed a memorable disinclination to partake in firefights with the Ukrainians, who already have established competence in shootouts, and ground forces utilization of advanced anti-tank weapons systems and deadly crewless aerial vehicles. The Ukrainians have also developed considerable skills in the deployment of armed drones. As a byproduct, the Russians have returned to their tried-and-true tactic, which involves firing “heavy artillery” to wipe out the opposing force on the ground before seizing the territory with their wary troops. At this stage, the Russian army had a significant advantage over its rival in artillery and ammunition.

While it’s true that the artillery intimidation made by the Russian force has been influential in the precedent attacks, this does not preclude the possibility of the Ukrainians employing novel strategies to compensate for the overwhelming weaponry possessed by the Russians.

During the uprisings in Korea and Vietnam, the Chinese, North Vietnamese, and Viet Cong devised the method of attempting to refute American armed killing power and aerial dominance by “infiltrating at night very close to U.S. positions before launching an attack,” the report added. The enemy used this tactic to try to defeat American superiority in both firepower and air superiority. This strategy was referred to as “grabbing them by the belt.” The system was devised to compel their adversaries not to utilize supplementary weapons or call in bombardment in an area perilously close to where they were positioned. With these events, this is where innovations play a massive part in the succession of their attacks. Recent developments in the technology highly suggest an uncrewed vehicle not only safeguards the killing of troops inside but is also proven worth the cost.

A Robot?

In line with the perils induced by the violent military responses of both sides, using unmanned ground vehicles is the key. Robotic systems known as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) can function on land without the presence of a human operator crew aboard. As a result, they find employment in many applications, both in civilian and military settings, notably in circumstances that are hazardous or unpleasant for people and for jobs that are complex, tedious, or carry intolerable hazards.

UGV systems can be created from scratch or based on an existing human-crewed land vehicle such as a Land Rover. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Kits are also offered for transforming crewed vehicles into unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). These kits can give optionally manned capabilities, allowing users to choose whether they want crewed or uncrewed functioning for their vehicles.

Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle at Redstone Arsenal. (Source: See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Power of Autonomous UGVS

Autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) can either be operated independently or remotely using a control station that is either portable or permanently installed. The purpose of autonomous UGVs can be accomplished by the vehicle traveling between predefined locations or by allowing it to roam freely around the area. It may be necessary for UGVs operating in environments that have never been charted before or are in a state of perpetual change to gather information and construct a map of their surroundings utilizing methods including simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). In addition, there is a possibility that artificial intelligence and machine learning will assist them in acclimating to their environment.

Humvee and RSVK-M UGV Rehearsal for the Independence Day military parade in Kyiv, 2021(Source: VoidWanderer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

But what does this power that they have mean? Autonomous vehicles can effectively do complicated jobs such as driving, delivering, and making decisions. They can move from one place to another just by operating them at the start, causing people and products without requiring the active participation of humans at any step in the process. Their roles have varied, from clearing war fields to delivering warheads, weapons, and all in between.