An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September / October 2026 www.military.ie/magazine A previous article argued the infantry section has already changed – that the military establishment's mindset and processes must follow. That was about aerial drones. This is the next problem, for most military capabilities. Unmanned Ground System (UGS) or ground drones now do the dangerous, heavy, exposed work that used to fall to soldiers: carrying the load, holding the line, crossing the gap and CASEVAC. They are common in Ukraine, at platoon and company level. This article is for everyone who will employ, move, maintain, buy or build UGS – and for the leaders who decide on their widespread adoption. From EOD to the Front Line Movement is now timed exposure: cross open ground and a clock starts; you can be hit within seconds of being seen. The grey zone – fifteen to thirty kilometres either side of the front – is no longer safe for massing or for moving materiel. Aerial drones cause most casualties. So the dangerous enabling tasks (reconnaissance, fire support, supply and recovery) must now be undertaken by UGS wherever possible. UGS are often treated as science fiction. They're not. Ground robots have served since at least the 1940s, most recently in EOD – robots like WHEELBARROW, HOBO, REACHER and RIDDLER proved their worth decades ago. What changed in Ukraine is not the invention of UGS but that they have moved beyond specialist tasks into routine combat at platoon and company level. This is old technology evolving to meet new demands. Ireland has been doing this longer than most. UGS are vehicles – costing upwards of €20,000 and they need motor technician fitters. They do the jobs that used to expose soldiers to fire. Last-mile resupply. Logistics in the grey zone is lethal. UGS run ammunition, water and stores along routes the enemy can watch and strike – no medic is needed if it is hit. Payloads run from tens to hundreds of kilograms. Trucks take UGS to a release point; past that point the risk posed to human drivers is unacceptable. The UGS conducts the 'last-mile' (leg) resupply. On the worst axes in Ukraine, UGS now do 80–90% of resupply and CASEVAC. CASEVAC. A stretcher party is desperately exposed to drones correcting fire and quickly becomes more casualties – the casualty draws a recovery team, the team draws more fire. Many veterans interviewed by the authors were wounded by mortar and FPV drones while stretcher-bearing. A UGS breaks that cycle as a less interesting target. 18 | ARTICLE BY A. BEATTY AND E. O'BRIEN FIGHTING FIGHTING TODAY'S TODAY'S UNMANNED UNMANNED GROUND GROUND SYSTEM-ENABLED SYSTEM-ENABLED BATTLE BATTLE HOBO's last operational mission clearing UNP 27 UNDOF HOBO Battery Change Clearing UNP 85, UNDOF

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