UGVs in war — why service and integration decide outcomes

Unmanned ground platforms have moved from "exotic" to essential, setting the pace for logistics, CASEVAC and engineering when service and integration are built into one workflow. Every sortie is a signal to the industry: steady demand for service, training, software, sensors and modules is forming.

This story is based on a column by Mykyta Makushyn, head of Milrem Robotics’ Ukraine office, published on Novyny.LIVE.

From single missions to a process

THeMIS is a modular tracked platform: ammo today, CASEVAC tomorrow, engineering the day after.

"The same platform flexibly changes roles without replacing the base," Makushyn notes. The MIFIK suite adds waypoint nav, follow-me, geofencing, obstacle avoidance and return-to-base — "literally saving minutes, and sometimes lives".

Milrem Robotics: a Ukraine-ready case

The company delivers not just hardware but process: tasking, trials, training, Ukrainian-language tech docs, interface adaptation and service support. That turns deliveries into line-unit use, not "a showpiece in a box."

Scale matters: over 150 THeMIS platforms in a Dutch program with final assembly at VDL Defentec signals a shift to serial deployment.

Why this is critical on Ukraine’s battlefield

Long supply lines, minefields and dense EW call for roboticizing risky, routine runs.

"When a UGV is tied into digital maps, UAVs and sensors, each run becomes part of a common picture," improving safety and tempo.

Bottlenecks → an ecosystem

Continuous ops expose gaps — instructors, repairs, local docs, secure links, C2 adapters.

"Each uneven edge is a business opportunity": mission simulators, GPS-denied visual odometry, middleware, cyber hardening, autonomous docks and mobile charging, field test-and-validation packs.

What convinces units and staffs

• Predictable demand across logistics/CASEVAC/engineering;
• fewer casualties and insurance risks;
• higher tempo with stable supply cycles;
• UDI-backed localization enabling service centers, assembly and R&D;
• kill-web integration;
• transparent TCO for spares and multi-year maintenance planning.

TCO vs ROI — in plain terms

"Total cost of ownership isn’t a sticker price".

Operators/instructors, SLA service, forecastable spares, encrypted comms, digital maps and C2 integration — when localized, "fleet availability rises." If "one link sags," readiness falls even with enough platforms.

Kill-web and open interfaces

Open interfaces accelerate data exchange with UAVs, radars, ground sensors and maps; standardized telemetry shortens C2 hookup time. Demand shifts to DataOps, analytics, training tools and security — "the market needs an ecosystem, not just a chassis."

Localization with UDI is a capital story

Working with UDI shortens supply chains, preserves competencies, anchors longer contracts and speeds the loop from front-line feedback to serial upgrades.

2025–2026: scaling and speed

Moving from "dozens" to "hundreds" of platforms means mass training, regional field repair, stronger software support, hardened links and deeper sensor integration.

"UGVs aren’t a human replacement but a force multiplier" when service, training and integration run as one process.

Ukraine as an experience donor and partner

"We have everything to create a win-win model" after cooperating with manufacturers, universities, and R&D.

"We are supported in Ukraine and internationally... Everything has its time and God's will," Makushyn concludes.

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