Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

Unmanned ground systems are increasingly appearing in contemporary operations; however, their practical utility varies depending on the task, operating environment and mode of control. Based on a targeted literature review, a comparison of findings from Syria, Gaza and Ukraine, and a structured expert consultation, this article assesses the main roles of UGV/UGS and their limitations. The findings indicate that UGV/UGS are currently most suitable for support, engineer, reconnaissance, logistics and evacuation tasks. Direct combat employment remains promising, but is constrained by C2, EW, mobility, endurance, operator workload and tactical integration.