Ukraine is the first in the world to systematically use combat swarms of drones with AI elements

Ukraine became the first country in the world to use artificial intelligence to coordinate drone swarms on the battlefield. This innovative technology is a harbinger of future warfare, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Such decisions are the next stage in the development of drone warfare. They allow tens or even thousands of drones to be used simultaneously to break through the defenses of an enemy target — both large cities and individual objects.

During most of last year, the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted swarm attacks on the front line. This has not been publicly reported before, but analysts say it is the first example of regular use of such systems in combat. It is a combination of two key trends in modern warfare — drones and artificial intelligence. At the same time, the use of AI on the battlefield raises a number of ethical questions. In particular, there are fears that algorithms may influence decisions regarding the lives of combatants and civilians.

The software, created by the start-up Swarmer, allows groups of drones to independently determine which of them will attack first, as well as to change the plan if, for example, one of the devices runs out of battery.

“You set the target and the drones do the rest. They work together, they adapt”, explains CEO of the company Serhii Kuprienko:

For the first time, the Ukrainian military used Swarmer technology about a year ago to install mines. Subsequently, it began to be used to defeat the enemy, his equipment and infrastructure facilities. Usually the software is used for three drones, but there have been operations with eight and even testing with 25 drones.

A typical scenario looks like this: a reconnaissance drone detects enemy positions, after which two others, equipped with bombs, strike. The operator determines the search area and gives the command to attack after identifying the target, while the reconnaissance drone plots the route and the strike vehicles are directed to the object.

Three people participate in such missions – a planner, an operator and a navigator. Without the technology, the swarm would have to involve nine people, so thanks to the innovation, the staff can perform other tasks.

“The US, China, France, Russia and South Korea are among the countries developing swarm technology. But analysts said they did not know about its regular use in combat until they heard about the operations in Ukraine. The US has been researching the technology since at least 2016, when it launched more than 100 small drones from three fighter jets, the report said.