Ukraine tests mobile ground drones armed with machine guns
Photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces are testing mobile ground drones equipped with automatic weapons (mod.gov.ua)
Units of the Defense Forces have begun testing new strike unmanned ground robotic systems equipped with turrets and assault rifles in combat conditions, reports Ukraine's Ministry of Defense.
These are special robotic turrets with Kalashnikov-system assault rifles, the most widespread small arms in the military. The strike systems were developed based on technical specifications from the Brave1 defense innovation cluster.
The project received grant funding, and it took the developers less than six months to go from the idea to creating a ready prototype. The use of standard Kalashnikov assault rifles makes it possible to reduce production costs and quickly scale up the deployment of strike UGVs at the front.
Photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces are testing mobile ground drones equipped with automatic weapons (mod.gov.ua)
The system is built on a four-wheel chassis with airless tires and is equipped with a protected body. This design makes it resistant to shrapnel, bullets, and punctures and allows it to maneuver in difficult terrain.
The weapon module features a twin turret that allows two assault rifles to be mounted at once. This significantly increases the density of fire during assault and defensive operations against enemy infantry. The turret can be mounted on other wheeled and tracked UGVs.
Several Defense Forces units are already testing these systems in combat conditions. In particular, there are confirmed cases of successful use of the UGVs against enemy ambushes involving "waiting" drones.
Photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces are testing mobile ground drones equipped with automatic weapons (mod.gov.ua)
Since the beginning of 2026, unmanned ground robotic systems have carried out more than 100,000 missions instead of Ukrainian troops on the front line.
Earlier, Turkish defense company FNSS presented a new floating UGV called the U-MAV (Multi-Purpose Modular Unmanned Amphibious Vehicle). On water, the vehicle can reach speeds of up to 7 knots, while its maximum speed on land is up to 70 km/h.
Unmanned ground robotic systems are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the Defense Forces' arsenal. For example, the Protector UGV doubled its payload capacity and received a new type of communications system.
