The other day, Defense Express pointed out the demand for unmanned ground vehicles in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Estonian Milrem Robotics has supplied around 15 of their THeMIS UGVs and is expanding their production, but those are just one of the many uncrewed platforms in use with the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Domestic industry is trying to keep up as well. One notable example is the Ukrainian-developed and manufactured Tarhan UGV, featured in an ArmyInform report. Soldier Andrii, call sign "Dice," from the 25th Airborne Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, says Tarhan is his favorite platform because it offers great versatility and cross-country ability while staying user-friendly and relatively cheap.
Read more: Milrem Robotics Expects Over 200 of Its Platforms to Be in Ukraine by Year-End
Defense Express reminds that in fall 2024, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense codified the Tarhan ground-based robotic system and approved for operation in the Ukrainian Armed Forces; it was primarily positioned as a transport vehicle capable of covering substantial distances without being noticed, in part thanks to its low-noise electric engine.
Tarhan's role on the battlefield, however, extends beyond carrying cargo or securing the wounded. It's a whole family of platforms for a wide range of frontline missions. For example, the 25th brigade uses the Tarhan 3K modification for recovery of damaged equipment, such as other robots or even unmanned aerial vehicles.
Andrii "Dice" told the journalists that once, their Tarhan managed to tow back a Vampire heavy hexacopter, a machine several times bigger than the small robot. He notes that evacuating equipment is an extremely complex task and requires high skill from the operator.
Some specifications of the Tarhan 2K model, as officially disclosed: the operational range is up to 20 km, cost per unit is $3,000. Performs a variety of tasks, from logistics to reconnaissance. A larger model Tarhan 200 can lift up to 200 kg of payload.
The soldier says they ultimately plan to use Tarhans for the delivery of FPV drones to their launch positions to extend their effective range. Earlier, Defense Express informed of similar ideas in the russian forces: they use Muravey robotic carts as mobile airfields for drones.
Other typical tasks for such robotic platforms in the warzone are mining or de-mining of the territory, or as a chassis for remote-controlled weapon stations — one prominent example is the Ukrainian-made ShaBlia weapon system, its mounted iteration even has its own name Termit.
Read more: Specifications of The Protector, New Multirole UGV From Ukrainian Armor
