Following the large-scale integration of artificial intelligence into drones, Ukrainian defense companies have begun adapting this technology for missile systems for the first time - a task that is an order of magnitude more complex due to fundamentally different flight speeds.
This is reported by Dengi.ua citing Business Insider.
Development of Ukrainian Missiles with AI Capabilities
The Ukrainian defense industry has moved on to creating strike missiles equipped with artificial intelligence algorithms, marking a qualitative leap toward the autonomy of strike arsenals. The state-run defense cluster Brave1 has officially confirmed to Business Insider that several of its resident companies are actively developing missile systems with integrated AI.
Previously, Ukrainian developers had been equipping UAVs and ground-based robotic platforms with neural networks on a large scale - the algorithms handled automatic target acquisition in electronic warfare (EW) conditions, navigation based on terrain without GPS, and basic decision-making. The missile sector has become the next stage in the technology race.
Why Missiles Need More Powerful AI Than Drones
According to Andriy Hrytsenyuk, CEO of the Brave1 cluster, the key difference lies in the dynamics of the processes:
- computing speed: a drone flies at relatively low speeds, which gives the onboard processor time to recognize the image and adjust its course;
- missile speed: measured in hundreds of meters per second - computer vision requires ultra-fast algorithms capable of processing teraflops of visual data in milliseconds directly during the terminal phase of flight.
Hrytsenyuk noted that although there are not yet hundreds of AI projects for missiles - as there are in the drone sector - the first practical successes have already been recorded. In total, more than 200 Ukrainian companies are working on AI components for high-precision weapons, radars, and reconnaissance systems.
Why Ukraine Needs Autonomous Missile Weapons
The integration of neural networks into missiles is aligned with a strategy to massively scale up deep strikes against Russia’s rear military and fuel infrastructure.
Former Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, who is actively promoting military tech through a recently established venture capital fund for defense investments, explicitly stated the industry’s priorities: “Developing strike missiles at low cost, and as a next step, missiles controlled by artificial intelligence.”
AI allows a missile to bypass the enemy’s layered air defense and electronic warfare systems without radio communication with an operator and to precisely strike camouflaged or moving targets.
Degree of Autonomy: Will Humans Remain in the Loop?
The exact technical details and project readiness stages are being kept secret. Brave1 emphasizes that the implementation of AI will dramatically expand the range and accuracy of the weapons, but will not completely exclude humans from the decision-making chain.
The concept for deploying Ukrainian autonomous combat platforms adheres to the “human-in-the-loop” principle: the operator issues the final command to engage and specifies the target coordinates, while the AI handles routine tasks—flight without satellite navigation, filtering out electronic warfare jamming, and high-precision homing during the final segment of the trajectory.
At the same time, Ukraine is increasing autonomy on the front line: in high-risk areas, soldiers are being systematically replaced by ground-based evacuation and logistics drones, which create a "kill zone" for the enemy.
