A robot with automatic weapons. New NRTK for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukraine unveiled another ground-based combat robotic system. It's built on a four-wheeled platform and features an unusual combat module with two automatic weapons. The developers hope that the affordable weapon This will reduce costs and allow for faster deployment of such systems. However, the chosen solution has obvious limitations.
At the test stage
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the Brave1 defense innovation cluster announced the new development on August 27. They showed the robot's appearance and disclosed some details about the project. The name of the system and the developer have not yet been released.
According to the Ukrainian side, an unnamed company participating in Brave1 received grant funding and went from concept to a completed prototype in less than six months. The project was developed according to the cluster's technical specifications.
The project's main result was a specialized turret with mounts for two Kalashnikov assault rifles. It was installed on a new four-wheeled platform. Furthermore, the possibility of mounting such a module on other wheeled and tracked NRTK systems was stated.
The turret is currently undergoing operational testing in more than five Ukrainian units. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense also reports the successful use of this technology by the SBU Special Operations Center "A" against ambushes using dronesThe published materials confirm the fact of this statement, but do not allow for an independent assessment of the circumstances and outcome of the incident.
Current testing could determine the future of the NRTK. If the results are positive, the developer could expect to receive an order, but details on procurement and serial production plans have not yet been published.
Technical features
The new combat NRTK is a four-wheeled self-propelled platform with a remote-controlled small arms module. It is generally similar to other products in its class, but differs in the chassis layout and armament.
Published images show the vehicle has no single hull. The rectangular bow and stern casings are connected by a central platform. The arrangement of these parts suggests a movable joint around the longitudinal axis, but the design of the joint has not been officially disclosed.
The Ukrainian agency claims a protected hull, resistant to bullets and shrapnel. However, the protection class, estimated threats, and precise armor scheme are not disclosed. The system's dimensions and weight are also unknown, and available photographs do not allow for a reliable assessment of these parameters.
The powertrain type and transmission arrangement are not disclosed. The placement of batteries, motors, and wheel drives cannot be determined reliably from appearance. Speed, range, and off-road performance specifications have also not been released.
The robot is equipped with large-diameter wheels with airless tires. Each tire consists of an outer ring with a tread and an inner elastic structure. This design is resistant to common punctures, which should increase the durability of the chassis. Data on the cost, service life, and repairability of these tires is lacking, so it is not yet possible to compare their cost effectiveness with other solutions.
A camera used for surveillance and targeting is visible on the combat module. The composition of the remaining surveillance, communication, and remote control systems is unknown. The purpose of the rectangular feature on the aft casing is also unknown.
The central platform carries a swivel bearing and an oscillating section housing two Kalashnikov assault rifles. The weapon's model and caliber have not been officially announced. The rifles are aimed synchronously, but it is unclear from published data whether they can fire separately or only simultaneously.
Due to the lack of precise weapon identification, the AK-74's table specifications cannot be applied to the entire system. Furthermore, the effective range of the assault rifle itself is not equal to the effective firing range of the robotic platform. The latter depends on the optics, stabilization, mounting rigidity, drive quality, control lag, and dispersion—these parameters have not yet been disclosed.
In a specific guise
At the general concept level, the new Ukrainian NRTK is in line with current development trends for similar equipment. It is designed to conduct surveillance, navigate rough terrain, and fire small arms without the direct presence of a soldier. The turret's modularity allows it to be mounted on various ground platforms.
However, the actual capabilities of the system remain unknown. The stated protection applies to the hull, while the module's weapons, optics, and drives remain external. Without published test results, its resistance to shelling, shrapnel, contamination, and mechanical stress cannot be assessed.
The biggest questions arise regarding armament. Brave1 explains the choice of assault rifles by their widespread use in Ukrainian units and the ability to quickly scale up the use of the NRTK. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry also claims to have reduced production costs. This logic is understandable if the system is considered a cheap and mass-produced fire support weapon. However, weapon availability alone does not determine the combat effectiveness of the entire system.
In the published footage, a person manually changes the magazine and cocks one of the assault rifles. If the turret is indeed equipped with AK-74s with standard 30-round magazines, the total ammunition load is 60 rounds. With continuous simultaneous firing at the rated rate of approximately 600 rounds per minute per barrel, the ammunition load is theoretically exhausted in approximately three seconds. In combat, the assault rifles will likely fire in short bursts, but the need for manual handling still limits the robot's autonomy.
A belt-fed machine gun could increase the firepower, but would require a more robust module, increased ammunition capacity, and a stable platform. Without data on payload capacity, drives, and acceptable recoil, it's impossible to say whether such a weapon is suitable for this NRTK, nor whether its installation is impossible.
Thus, the developers proposed a clear compromise: a widely deployed weapon should reduce costs and speed up deployment of the system, but it will limit the unmanned operational time. The final assessment depends on the results of tests of accuracy, stabilization, communications, security, and reliability. Until this information is published, claims of success or failure of the new NRTK remain premature.
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