War Technologies. How They Are Changing Armies

18.10.2025

Exploring the deep transformation of modern armies under the influence of the war in Ukraine. How Ukraine, by using cheap and innovative technologies, has set a new paradigm for warfare.

Author:
Valentyn Badrak
head of the Center for Army Research,
Conversion and Disarmament Studies

War Technologies. How They Are Changing Armies

Ukraine has set a new paradigm for warfare — the mass deployment of affordable, tech-driven drones, multi-domain solutions, and asymmetric tactics. Civilian drones, improvised explosive devices, autonomous platforms with EW and AI have become the backbone of a new combat logic capable of exhausting complex enemy weapons and blurring the front line. The U.S. introduced the Vectis drone fighter (Lockheed Martin), China unveiled a heavy UAV with a cranked kite design, and Japan launched the SHIELD system to integrate drones across all military branches. South Korea abandoned its aircraft carrier project in favor of combat naval drones (Hyundai Heavy Industries), while Hanwha developed a drone-based version of the Chunmoo system. Turkey tested the Bayraktar TB3 with a hypersonic IHA-122 missile (Roketsan) and began serial production of the jet-powered Kizilelma with a Ukrainian AI-322F engine (Ivchenko-Progress). The UK announced a shift toward an army where 80% of forces are unmanned. New branches are emerging: cyber forces, space forces, and drone-based air defense systems. Instead of heavy equipment — mobile units with precision weapons capable of operating autonomously in a multi-domain environment.

War Technologies. How They Are Changing Armies

Author:Valentyn Badrakhead of the Center for Army Research,Conversion and Disarmament Studies

Read the full article [IN UKRAINIAN]

Author:
Valentyn Badrak
head of the Center for Army Research,
Conversion and Disarmament Studies