Ukraine Has the Maps: A Revolution in the New Era of Military Equipment Production, Explains CEO
Over 90% of all Russian troop losses on the battlefield are attributed to drones, according to industry experts. This shift in warfare highlights the crucial role of unmanned systems in modern combat.
Today, over 90% of all losses suffered by Russian personnel on the battlefield are caused by drones; in the remaining 10% of cases, where the Kremlin loses its soldiers, drones almost always play at least a supportive role.
Unmanned systems are performing an immense array of tasks – they engage infantry, attack deep industrial targets, evacuate the wounded, and transport bombs, mines, and shells, effectively replacing not only infantry but also artillery, tanks, and more.
Recently, the CEO of Rheinmetall stated that Ukrainians are producing drones like 'housewives.' However, the reality is that a drone costing between $300 and $400 is not even manufactured in a factory that could be destroyed by a tank or an armored vehicle worth millions of dollars.
This is a new reality – warfare must be not only effective but also economical: cheap and scalable to a massive extent. Ukrainian drone manufacturers are rising to this challenge.
Three years ago, no one would have believed that Ukraine could produce 1 million drones a year. Today, producing 4 million is not a problem for manufacturers; some of them have become large factories.
Vladimir Chernyuk is the CEO of one such enterprise – the large cluster 'Iron' – a community of over 100 manufacturers that produce all modern warfare systems, including aerial drones, ground and naval drones, electronic warfare systems, components, and parts.
He is quite young but leads a cluster that produces death for thousands of Russian soldiers every month. He knows how to improve this process. Every day, he makes them more efficient.
In a recent conversation with the Kyiv Post, we discussed how the war has changed over the past years, the role Ukraine plays in this context, and what lessons the West can learn from it.
Kyiv Post: Why is the Ukrainian arsenal unique? What are the characteristics of military equipment production in Ukraine that could be beneficial for other countries?