World News
Ukraine deploys wheeled ground drone equipped with dual Kalashnikov rifles
The low-cost uncrewed ground vehicle developed through the Brave1 tech incubator has entered front-line testing to perform risky infantry missions.
The short version
- Ukrainian defense forces have developed and begun testing a small, four-wheeled uncrewed ground vehicle mounted with two Kalashnikov assault rifles.
- The cheap, scalable mobile turret is designed to perform high-risk infantry tasks and minimize human casualties on the front lines.
- The Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha Group special forces unit has already used the drone in combat to destroy a Russian ambush drone.
- Current combat footage shows the system still relies on a nearby operator to manually rack the bolt and reload ammunition magazines.
Key facts
- A Ukrainian defense manufacturer developed a specialized turret equipped with two Kalashnikov assault rifles mounted on a four-wheeled uncrewed ground vehicle.[Business Insider]
- The project was commissioned by the defense tech incubator Brave1 and took less than six months to develop.[Business Insider]
- The Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha Group special forces deployed the drone in combat to neutralize a Russian ambush drone.[Business Insider]
- More than five Ukrainian military units are currently conducting operational testing of the ground drones.[Business Insider]
- Brave1 selected Kalashnikov rifles because their widespread availability across military units enables rapid scaling.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- Neither the specific defense manufacturer nor the exact designation of the drone has been publicly disclosed.[Business Insider]
Sources
- Ukrainians slapped twin AK rifles on a drone with wheels to make a cheap mobile turretBusiness Insider metered