Ground Robotics in Modern Combat

The automation of military vehicles and systems has long been a feature of warfare, but the emergence and development of ground robotics are revolutionising modern combat. Since their deployment in conflicts such as in Afghanistan and Iraq, ground robots have evolved into increasingly capable and autonomous entities integrated into military operations (Rosenberg, 2024). Fuelled by recent conflicts such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Russia-Ukraine War, which have highlighted the significant impact of military robotics on the battlefield, interest in the further development of this field continues. The development of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) has proceeded slowly, with ongoing challenges and questions surrounding their integration into military operations and ground forces (Gosselin-Malo, 2023). This paper aims to outline the advancements in ground robotics, explore the rationale for their increased proliferation in warfare, outline potential challenges in their widespread integration, and briefly analyse the deployment of such ordnance in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War.

Comments Off on Ground Robotics in Modern Combat

Implications of the Polish Land Forces Modernisation

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ alignment with Russia, Poland went on a shopping spree and returned with 1.000 K2 tanks and 672 K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korea (Dmitruk, 2022). Earlier, Poland ordered 336 M1 Abrams tanks and requested 500 HIMARS and eight Patriot batteries in the United States (Tiles, 2022). Although most contracts have yet to be approved, the announcements signal Poland’s military ambitions of becoming the foremost land army in Europe. The numbers are reminiscent of Western Germany during the Cold War. As a frontline state, Western Germany fielded over 2.000 Leopard 2 tanks and several thousand Leopard 1 tanks. Besides the sheer numbers, the choice of suppliers is equally noteworthy. What does this paradigm shift tell us and how could it affect the European security landscape and the defence industry?

Comments Off on Implications of the Polish Land Forces Modernisation

THEIA Programme Spearheads UK Army’s Digitalisation Effort

In March 2021, the UK Government published its much-anticipated policy paper “Global Britain in a Competitive Age: The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy”. The publication of the policy paper resulted in a significant development for the UK Army’s ongoing digitalisation effort, namely the launch of project THEIA. Project THEIA, which is not an acronym but rather a reference to a figure in Greek mythology, seeks to create a change in the Army’s (digital) culture and behaviour

Comments Off on THEIA Programme Spearheads UK Army’s Digitalisation Effort

New Developments in Cloud Initiatives in Land Forces – Advantages and Challenges

We have entered a modern era of warfare, where the battlefield is no longer exclusively physical but also digital. Information is vital to national security. In this context, the storage and process of data become crucial to guarantee mission success (Department of Defense, 2018). An effective ally to do so is represented by cloud technologies that empower the military infrastructures. Cloud technologies or services are defined as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction” (Mell & Grance, 2011). Cloud services are an information technology model that allows information and resources to be available via the Internet (Al-Gharibi, 2019). As a consequence, reliance on the traditional IT model is reduced.

Comments Off on New Developments in Cloud Initiatives in Land Forces – Advantages and Challenges

Entering the Age of Tanks: The Evolution of Tanks in Land Forces

The tank’s earliest predecessors can be traced back to horse-drawn war chariots of the 2nd millennium BCE in the Middle East and, later, to the protected vehicles of the Middle Ages in Europe. Both ideas fused in the 14th and 15th centuries when Guido da Vigevano and Leonardo da Vinci developed battle cars. However, more practical forms emerged in early 20th century England with the first self-propelled armoured vehicle— an armoured steam traction engine— and the first motor vehicle mounted with a machine gun. The operational push to develop such vehicles arose from the vulnerability of horse-drawn carriages in the infantry, which were needed to improve the mobility of the heavy machine guns that dominated battlefields.

Comments Off on Entering the Age of Tanks: The Evolution of Tanks in Land Forces