NATO’s Crystal Arrow factors in Ukrainian UGV lessons as European interest grows
The Ark-1 UGV by Ark Robotics was used in the exercise as a one-way effector, similar to first-person view drones. (Photo: author)
One goal of NATO’s Exercise Crystal Arrow was to identify the potential uses of uncrewed ground vehicles – as seen on the Ukrainian battlefield – and put platforms into the hands of users.
The Ukraine-Russia war has highlighted the growing importance of uncrewed systems, an argument supported by the rapid procurement and indigenous manufacture of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) by both countries.
Alongside the air war, Ukraine has also turned to uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) for logistics, reconnaissance and casualty evacuation. This move has been most visible with the Milrem Robotics Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) of which more than 150 are expected to be in service before the end of the year.
As well as this platform, rapidly developed, smaller UGVs have been rushed into service by Ukrainian developers, with
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