Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

Remote warfare is a phenomenon that has been significantly manifested over the course of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In this new type of modern warfare, military remote systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), are becoming increasingly relevant. One of the key prerequisites for the flawless use of remote systems is trust in them. Despite the rapid development of such systems, there is still a lack of empirical research examining operators' trust in these systems, resulting in limited evidence on this phenomenon. This article presents the key findings of the study aiming at identifying the main factors that shape soldiers’ trust in UAV systems in the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LAF).

The paper examines the role of Polish artillery in a multi-domain battlefield. It uses literature and doctrinal analysis to assess how integration across land, air, sea, space, cyber, and cognitive domains affects artillery effectiveness. Findings show that artillery is increasingly dependent on interoperability, information flow, and systemic resilience. The study highlights new threats and opportunities, including A2/AD development. It concludes that multi-domain integration, rather than firepower alone, determines future combat effectiveness.

The paper presents the Virtual Reality (VR) - Augmented Reality (AR) Simulator Kit designed for Call for Fire (CFF) training within the framework of fire support. It describes the system’s modular architecture, the use of mixed reality, voice control, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based analysis of standardized CFF communication. Pilot validation confirmed the technical functionality of the solution, as well as its ability to objectively assess procedural correctness and monitor reaction time and error rates. Its main contribution lies in linking immersive training with the broader context of fire support command and control. The originality of the paper consists in integrating VR/AR, AI, and analytical evaluation into a single training ecosystem.

This paper analyzes one-way attack UAV saturation and air defense adaptation using open-source attack data recorded by Shahed-136/131 UAVs in Ukraine. Descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and non-parametric tests indicate rapid growth in UAV volume, partial saturation effects, and a clear distinction between kinetic destruction and broader neutralization. The study contributes a measurable counter-UAS assessment model that links attack volume, defensive performance, and small-state air defense planning.

This paper examines how uncrewed platforms and contemporary sensor suites may extend engineer reconnaissance of water obstacles in support of river-crossing planning. The paper combines a structured review of Czech doctrinal practice and candidate sensor-platform combinations with a field experiment carried out on a selected section of the River Svratka, using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), UAV-borne ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) control points. The combined evaluation indicates that LiDAR is highly effective for bank geometry and approach assessment, whereas GPR can complement it by indicating the longitudinal bed profile and sediment interfaces, albeit with greater interpretative uncertainty.