Adapt or Lose: US Army Watches Ukraine's Drone War

Russia's war in Ukraine keeps proving one point: armies that adapt fast win. A US Army commander says Ukraine's rapid innovation, especially with drones, offers critical lessons for American forces. Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, head of Multi-Domain Command Europe, told Business Insider that the war has "shown us that he or she that adapts, wins." He noted that "the battlefield we've seen in Ukraine is not the same battlefield that we saw in February 2022." Russia has increased defense production. Ukraine, meanwhile, is innovating quickly—learning from the battlefield and changing how it produces weapons based on what it sees. Ukraine's defense relies heavily on large numbers of adaptable uncrewed systems—drones and robots—used in the air, on land, and at sea. Its homegrown drone industry constantly uses battlefield feedback to update its products. The US military is taking notes, including how Ukrainian soldiers 3D print drone parts and build systems for specific missions. Ukraine is also increasingly using AI. Autonomous drones and ground robots now navigate supply routes and reach targets. One uncrewed ground vehicle recently completed nearly a 12-mile supply run on its own—a first under combat conditions, according to the unit. The US military is expanding its own use of autonomy for navigation and data processing. Multi-Domain Command Europe has built an AI system to help soldiers process large amounts of sensor and network data, which officials say could support human decision-making. Air defense is another key lesson. Russian forces have hunted Patriot missile batteries and tried to overwhelm them with drone and missile barrages. Lt. Gen. John Raffery, head of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said air defenders have been "probably the most aggressive community in the Army for learning lessons from Ukraine," focusing on concealment, survivability, protecting assets, and mobility. Not everything applies. Officials say Ukraine's drone innovation came from necessity—a lack of critical capabilities—and will not replace advanced American weapons, aircraft, and naval power.