Frontline Tech: First US Autonomous Vehicles Deployed in Ukraine Conflict

Forterra, a U.S. developer of autonomous vehicles, has revealed the deployment of over 100 of its self-driving All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), known as Lancers, in Ukrainian conflict zones over the past nine months. This significant operation is considered by the company to be the largest deployment of autonomous ground vehicles in combat by any U.S. defense technology firm, marking a crucial step in transforming modern military operations.

The mission, backed by U.S. defense funding, is part of a broader initiative to support Ukrainian resistance against Russian forces by integrating advanced technology. While aerial drones have dominated much of the narrative surrounding the conflict, the prevalence of extensive no-go zones, where surveillance can swiftly lead to lethal attacks from above, has compelled Ukrainian strategists to increasingly seek ground-based autonomous solutions. Sergeant Major Corey Wilkens of the U.S. Army emphasizes the dire vulnerability in such environments, stating, “There's nowhere to hide. You become very, very vulnerable to be able to be attacked by [first-person view drones], other sorts of drones dropping munitions, artillery, mortar, the full range of things that they have.”

Ukrainian forces have been developing their own uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) for logistics, moving supplies, munitions, and evacuating wounded personnel. However, these indigenous UGVs are typically battery-powered and limited to carrying around 250 kilograms. Forterra's Lancer vehicles, built on Polaris ATVs and equipped with a custom sensor and compute stack, offer a more robust solution. They are gas-powered and can transport up to 750 kilograms of cargo, significantly enhancing their versatility and utility on the battlefield. A Ukrainian soldier, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, underscored the importance of the Lancers, calling them “the most important UGV in Ukraine” for logistics and defense, expressing an urgent need for more units.

The initial reception of Western technology by the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been mixed, and Forterra's early offerings were perceived as overly tailored to the high-end requirements of the U.S. Army. However, modifications specifically for the Ukrainian context, such as integrating a Starlink satellite internet antenna, transformed the Lancers into a high-value asset. Since their deployment in Ukraine last October, these vehicles have covered more than 2,500 miles across over 1,100 missions, successfully transporting 777,440 pounds of total weight and completing 52 casualty evacuations. Despite their success, some Lancers have been lost in combat, particularly when bogged down in challenging terrain like deep mud, making them easy targets for Russian forces.

Forterra has gained invaluable insights from this real-world combat deployment, learning critical lessons about electronic warfare, the challenges of remote software updates, maneuvering in extreme conditions, and ensuring vehicle durability. These experiences are positioning the company, which has secured over $500 million in venture funding, more favorably for future national security contracts. The deployment has also highlighted the current limitations of autonomy in combat. Ukrainian soldiers predominantly teleoperate the vehicles in combat zones, partly due to their high value and partly because autonomous systems are not yet fully equipped for the unpredictable realities of war. While Lancers can autonomously navigate diverse terrain, they lack the immediate capability to identify and react appropriately to unexpected enemy threats.

Forterra, with two decades of experience in autonomous vehicle development, is now focused on integrating self-driving car algorithms with newer generative AI software to enable machines to react to their surroundings in a more generalized and adaptable manner. A significant obstacle remains the acquisition of specific combat data, as Scott Sanders, Forterra’s chief growth officer, notes, “There’s a lot of things you have to do that aren’t available in an open source model because they’re not things that humans do, whether that’s figuring out how to navigate a minefield or [operating] a weapon system.” Competitors like Scout AI, Field AI, and Overland AI are also actively developing similar UGV solutions for military applications, addressing comparable challenges.

Despite current limitations, American military experts remain confident in the potential of ground autonomy. Sergeant Major Wilkens affirms, “Ground autonomy is achievable now and we’ve seen it.” Scott Philips, Forterra's Chief Innovation Officer, gained firsthand insights during a visit to a Ukrainian unit's operations center, observing manual processes and identifying opportunities for automation to alleviate pressure on personnel. A key challenge presented by the Ukrainians is the need for more affordable solutions. While Forterra's Lancers are not expensive for their category due to leveraging Polaris' commercial supply chain, they are still considered too valuable for widespread, high-attrition deployment. The Ukrainian soldier articulated this need: “Attrition is just a fact of this battlefield, and we have lost a few at this point, and it hurt, and we need more, and therefore we need them cheaper.”