Ukraine Machine Gun Ground Drone Destroys Russian Infantry Armored Vehicle

The Ukrainian 5th Assault Brigade was testing a new, remotely operated ground drone armed with a 50 caliber machine gun at night on what it thought was a quiet sector of the Donetsk front. 

But suddenly, the Ukrainians saw a Russian infantry fighting vehicle advancing for what the Russians thought was a surprise attack. So the Ukrainian testers opened fire on the live target, damaged it and sent it crawling back to its own lines. The significance is that the Russian IFV is ostensibly faster and better armed than the UGV so the Ukrainian victory has implications for future tactical battle ops. JL

Roman Pryhodko reports in Militarnyi:

A Ukrainian ground robotic system equipped with a heavy M2 50 caliber machine gun shot a Russian MT-LB at close range as it moved to assault Ukrainian positions. The gun-armed unmanned ground vehicle belongs to the Ukrainian 5th Assault Brigade, fighting north of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk Oblast. The UGV equipped with thermal night vision and armed with a remotely operated M2 .50-cal, was on a combat trial on the battlefield at nighttime for testing purposes when an MT-LB rolled toward it on the same road.  Connected remotely, the UGV crew opened fire, peppering the tracked MT-LB with rounds. With its 20-miles-per-hour off-road speed, an MT-LB should be faster than any UGV. 

A Ukrainian ground robotic system equipped with a heavy machine gun shot a Russian MT-LB at close range as it moved to assault Ukrainian positions.

The Dnipro Proofs Telegram channel published the video of the incident.

The Russian MT-LB was spotted during testing of the ground robotic system by the 5th Separate Assault Brigade on the front line. 

The gun-armed unmanned ground vehicle belonging to the Ukrainian 5th Assault Brigade, fighting north of Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, inadvertently advanced UGV tactics in an accidental encounter with an up-armored Russian MT-LB infantry transport.

The UGV, equipped with thermal night vision and armed with a remotely operated M2 .50-caliber machine gun, was reportedly on a combat trial—crawling around the battlefield at nighttime for testing purposes—when an MT-LB rolled toward it on the same road.

 

As the UGV advanced, the operator noticed the movement of an enemy armored  vehicle approaching Ukrainian positions for an assault. To hinder the vehicle, the operator opened fire with the mounted M2 Browning 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.

Standard MT-LB armor is 14 mm on the front and 7 mm on the sides and rear.

A Browning heavy machine gun can penetrate this level of protection. 

For example, an armor-piercing round for the weapon can penetrate 20–25 mm of steel at distances of up to 500 meters.

Connected via radio, the UGV crew opened fire, peppering the tracked MT-LB with rounds until the Russian vehicle passed by—and escaped in the opposite direction. With its 20-miles-per-hour off-road speed, an MT-LB should be faster than any UGV. 

Given that the MT-LB was engaged at close range, there is a possibility of casualties among the crew.

 

The use of ground robotic systems has increased significantly due to their versatility and value for units.

Along with ground drones used for evacuation and delivery of supplies and ammunition, combat versions, armed with machine guns, portable grenade launchers, and other weapons, are being actively developed.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Droid TW 12.7 UGV, operated by the NC13 company of the 3rd Assault Brigade, replaced one infantry position and held it for a month and a half.