While Russia’s May 9th Victory Day parade in Moscow was conspicuously short on military equipment, Ukraine’s Independence Day parade took military equipment to a whole new level. Offering a glimpse of military parades to come, the August 24th parade consisted entirely of uncrewed systems.
A diverse display of uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), driving in tight formation, led parade through Kyiv’s streets. Meanwhile quadcopter and fixed wing drones were joined by interceptor drones in the skies. A mixed flotilla of surface drones (USVs – uncrewed surface vessels) dashed along the river.
Several Combat Proven Surface Drones
The USVs included several different models from multiple manufacturers, and serving with different branches of the armed forces. Prominently, Magura V7 USVs displayed the Sea Dragon air defense system. Magura was the original Ukrainian USV with the original V1 prototype tested in the summer of 2022. The V7, built by Uforce, represents four years of rapid development. The Sea Dragon system can mount both the American AIM-9M Sidewinder and Soviet AA-11 Archer missiles. In the parade Archers were carried.
Another type displaying Sea Dragon, but this time with Sidewinders, was the Sargan USV. Additionally, another Sargan displayed four hangars for quadcopter drones, and another showed the combination of 4 x ‘Grad’ 122mm rockets and an electromagnetic warfare (EW) suit. The Sargan, also known as Seawolf, has been associated with the Navy (VMS – ZSU).
Additionally, several ‘Sea Baby’ USVs were also present. Associated with the Security Service (SBU), Sea Baby is a general name applied to a range of hull types. The ones shown are recent models and appeared to be armed with ram charges. Other Sea Baby’s not shown at the parade have been observed with remote weapon stations (RWS), Grad rockets, and the Sea Dragon air defense system.
New Capabilities Revealed
The other identifiable USV in footage shared by the President’s Office was a Magura designed to carry a large battery of interceptor drones. This likely fulfills an offshore air defense role, something Ukraine is known to have been pioneering in recent months.
Uncrewed systems undoubtedly play a major part in future military force structures, in all domains. Ukraine is ahead of other countries and the parade brings home the progress they have made, through necessity, over the past 4 years. The systems shown were not just prototypes or demonstrators, they are operational systems reflecting a growing maturity and confidence backed up by combat experience. This display of land, air and sea uncrewed systems would not have been possible in any military in 2022. And maybe only Ukraine can do it today.
