Ex-DM Mykhailo Fedorov urges wider adoption of robotic warfare
Western defense contractors must adapt to dynamic and cheap development as autonomous systems prepare to take over the frontlines, former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in an interview with Irish journalist Caolan Robertson on Aug. 17.
Former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Western defense contractors to adapt to the rising prevalence of robotic warfare in a recent interview. He predicted a future where autonomous drones and ground systems will dominate the frontlines, replacing human crews entirely. Fedorov highlighted that drone density has reduced the time to reach the first line from 7 to 12 days, with autonomous drone-to-drone engagements becoming a reality.
He emphasized that Ukraine's defense industry is at the forefront of military technological innovation, becoming the drone capital of the world. Ukraine has already scaled drone production to millions of units per year and intends to produce up to 50,000 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) annually. Fedorov stressed that Western defense contractors should focus on adopting cheap, scalable technologies that can rapidly iterate in response to constant updates.
He noted that while ground robotics cannot wholly replace infantry, their integration into unmanned systems battalions has already reduced frontline personnel casualties by up to 30%.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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