Our experience at the military exhibition in Poland left us with mixed feelings. Of course, the massive tanks like Abrams and Leopards, as well as the sophisticated air defense systems, are impressive.
Global defense giants like Boeing and SAAB have the resources and capabilities to develop almost any military technology. It all looks grand and powerful, but the reality of our war is completely different. In modern conflicts, even the most advanced tanks can be taken down by a swarm of inexpensive drones. The weapons displayed in showrooms often lose their relevance, as distances on the battlefield are too great, and soldiers rarely see the enemy.
Unlike the localized conflicts the world is used to, our war is closer to large-scale battles of the past. We are dealing with trench warfare, similar to the early 20th century, where heavy bombs weighing up to half a ton are used.
Many interesting technologies developed by Ukrainian engineers are now represented by foreign companies. The reason is simple: the lack of demand and prospects at home forces talented teams to seek opportunities in the West. This is a sad trend, and we know of many such cases.
There were many prototypes at the exhibition, but the gap between a demonstration and mass production is vast. It felt like many companies were waiting for major investors to help bring their products to market.
As for radio communication, we didn’t see anything groundbreaking. Traditional solutions from Harris, Aselsan, and others still dominate. In satellite communication, the situation has changed with the advent of Starlink — traditional systems with bulky antennas now seem outdated, and their data transfer speeds seem slow.
Some companies showcased simulators and training devices, but we’ve already moved past that. Others offered new systems for improving battlefield coordination, but nothing radically new here either.
When it comes to ground robots, we weren’t surprised — there are already more than 50 manufacturers of such solutions in our country.
Although many drones were displayed, most were traditional fixed-wing models. It seems that many manufacturers still don’t understand the revolution FPV drones have brought to our war. Major defense companies appear uninterested in FPV technologies, as they don’t see them as profitable. We spoke with representatives of UAV companies and noticed that many of their solutions are already outdated in terms of electronic warfare (EW). Only those companies that have Ukrainian specialists on board seem to offer solutions that are even remotely relevant to the current realities.
The situation with EW systems is also complex. While there are major players like Rohde & Schwarz or Thales that dominate the market, the current war requires cheaper and more mobile solutions. However, such systems are scarce, and most existing ones are aimed at combating commercial drones operating on standard frequencies. Yet, drones now operate across all possible frequencies, and it seems many have forgotten about this.
Our conversations with military personnel revealed that the armies of Poland and the Baltic states have the best understanding of the current situation and the future of the defense industry.
