DONETSK REGION, Ukraine(National times)- On a battlefield swarming with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to nimble, remote-controlled armored vehicles that can perform an array of tasks and spare troops from potentially life-threatening missions. The Ukrainian army is especially eager to deploy what soldiers refer to as \u201crobots on wheels\u201d as it faces a shortage of soldiers in a war that has dragged on for more than 3 \u00bd years. The vehicles look like miniature tanks and can ferry supplies, clear mines and evacuate the wounded or dead. \u201cIt cannot fully replace people,\u201d said the commander of a platoon of the 20th Lyubart Brigade who goes by the call sign Miami and spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military rules. \u201cI would put it this way: A person can go in there, but for a human it\u2019s (sometimes) far too dangerous.\u201d The robotic vehicles are mostly made by Ukrainian companies and range in cost from about $1,000 to as much as $64,000, depending on their size and capabilities. While they have become vital to Ukrainian troops along the 1,000 kilometer (620 mile) front line, such vehicles are not new to warfare. The German army used a remote-controlled miniature tank \u2013 tethered by a wire — called the Goliath in World War II. In recent decades, the U.S., Israel, Britain and China have developed modern versions used for combat engineering and other battlefield roles, according to Ben Barry, a fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But Ukraine\u2019s extensive deployment of these vehicles is noteworthy and could lead to advances, Barry said. Miami joined the army on the first day of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in February 2022. He served as an infantryman and later a drone operator before his latest assignment. His path reflects how the war itself has evolved. \u201cI couldn\u2019t even imagine that I would become a (drone) pilot,\u201d he said. \u201cBut war is progress, and we cannot stand aside.\u201d The robotic vehicles his team deploys are armored and mounted on either wheels or tracks. Painted in military colors, they crawl slowly over rubble or dirt roads, easily navigating terrain that would be difficult \u2013 or too dangerous — for soldiers. \u201cThey arrive in one condition, and we improve them,\u201d Miami said. \u201cWe adapt the controls to work better (in the face of Russia\u2019s) electronic warfare so the connection doesn\u2019t cut off.\u201d Miami\u2019s 10-man team is just starting to incorporate the machines into their missions, mostly using them to deliver food and ammunition to soldiers near the front. Just like remote-controlled, or first-person view, drones, the use of these vehicles will only grow, said a soldier in Miami\u2019s unit who goes by the call sign Akim and spoke on condition of anonymity. \u201cWhen FPV drones first appeared, they weren\u2019t popular, but those who pioneered them, (now) show (the best) results,\u201d said Akim. Before sending a remote-controlled vehicle forward, Akim flies a drone along the planned route to check for obstacles or mines. Operating from a cramped basement near Kostiantynivka, less than 10 kilometers from the front, Akim can hear the muffled thuds of aerial bombs, the sharp cracks of artillery and the buzzing of drones. Kostiantynivka, once home to 67,000 people, is a largely deserted city on a shrinking patch of Ukrainian-held territory just west of Bakhmut. It is nearly encircled on three sides by Russian forces. Apartment blocks are scarred by strikes, smoke still rises from recent bombings, and the roads leading toward nearby Pokrovsk are littered with burned-out cars. The aerial drone allows Akim to scout the city and routes without risking his life. \u201cEvery time a drone or a robot does something, it means one of our fighters doesn\u2019t have to,\u201d Akim said. On top of that, \u201cthe machine doesn\u2019t get tired. It can carry as much as needed.\u201d Akim works in tandem with another soldier operating the robotic vehicle with a joystick. The vehicle has no camera; instead, Akim\u2019s drone feed provides its \u201ceyes.\u201d On one recent mission, the team loaded it with 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of supplies \u2014 ammunition, fuel, water and food \u2014 and sent it several kilometers to drone operators closer to the front. The machine moved forward at about six kilometers per hour, delivered its cargo into a well-hidden position in the forest, and returned to base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bumps along the road
Because robotic vehicles move more slowly than cars or trucks, and usually across open ground, they are an easy target \u2014 and this is one factor slowing their adoption. \u201cThat\u2019s why we haven\u2019t evacuated many wounded (on these vehicles),\u201d said Miami. \u201cSome refuse to leave because it\u2019s dangerous.\u201d There are also cost considerations, with the vehicles his platoon uses averaging roughly 400,000 hryvnias ($9,700). \u201cThat\u2019s not too expensive, but when three or four get destroyed in a week, the total adds up,\u201d Miami said. To make them less vulnerable, Miami and his soldiers have tried welding grill-like cages onto the machines or attaching metallic rollers in front to detect mines. The war provides real-time feedback that is incorporated into newer models being built.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DONETSK REGION, Ukraine(National times)- On a battlefield swarming with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to nimble, remote-controlled armored vehicles that can perform an array of tasks and spare troops from potentially life-threatening missions. The Ukrainian army is especially eager to deploy what soldiers refer to as \u201crobots on wheels\u201d as it faces […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n