Ukraine’s defense industry is reinventing itself with electronic warfare innovations, led by companies like Kvertus. The transformation has become synonymous with creativity and agility.
According to Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of the company, “The idea was not simple. The founder of the company, Andriy, is from the Luhansk region – for him, the war was quite painful from the very beginning, because he experienced it all and saw it with his own eyes. Later, he gathered around him like-minded people, and engineers – we all worked together for almost a year, studying products and various equipment.”
“Hedgehog” and Unmanned Ground Vehicles by Kvertus
The landscape of modern electronic warfare is evolving at an immense speed. In this domain, Ukraine has shown great adaptability skills and an unbelievably innovative approach. Kvertus is a standout contributor to these efforts — a Ukrainian tech company renowned for modern solutions designed to fight against the persistent threat of Russian drones.
Kvertus’ Hedgehog Backpack: Drone-Blocking Innovation
Kvertus’ flagship innovation is the “hedgehog” backpack, which is a portable drone-blocking system designed for applications by Ukrainian soldiers. The backpack includes an array of antennas that, altogether, resemble the spine of a hedgehog (this is where the name comes from). The antennas can create an electronic dome that jams the enemy’s drones operating across different frequency ranges. The “hedgehog” neutralizes threats at a 300-meter radius. Also, the systems can target threats up to 10 kilometers away. This allows to use of the “hedgehog” as a drone countermeasure.
This electronic warfare has become quite instrumental in saving soldiers’ lives. The drones have reportedly saved 50,000+ since deployment.
How UGVs or Unmanned Ground Vehicles Improve a Battlefield Strategy
Another great example of electronic warfare is unmanned ground vehicles by Kvertus, which are portable backpack systems equipped with special electronic warfare capabilities. UGVs like AD BERSERK, for example, protect from various types of drones (bombers, FPV drones, and even reconnaissance ones) It operates under remote control for distances up to 4 kilometers with an operational range of up to 30 kilometers.
The integration of unmanned ground vehicles allows for the evacuation of wounded soldiers from combat zones and enhances both defensive and offensive operations.
Ukraine Defense Innovations Are Scaling Up to Meet the Challenge
Ukraine has already reinvented defense in real-time. Facing unique challenges, the country is now thriving in a technological arms race. The speed at which decisions are now made is called “the war of one-day ideas”, specifying the dynamics, innovation, and unprecedented deployment.
Ukraine’s electronic warfare is immense: the skies are saturated with drones, transforming the battlefield. Around 800 unmanned aerial vehicles operate per one square mile. They now have reportedly saved over 50,000 wounded soldiers.
Ukraine keeps moving forward in scaling up the production of modern weapons. Together with companies like Kvertus, they can produce 4,000,000 drones annually. According to the UK’s defense secretary John Healey, the speed at which Ukraine is developing is unthinkable and is the new standard that most Western countries need to follow.
