A video has surfaced in the public domain showing trials of robotic vehicles from the Shturm unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) system, a project still under development by russia’s defense industry.
The footage, published by armored warfare researcher Andriy Tarasenko, shows two vehicles based on the T-72 chassis: an unmanned assault tank fitted with a shortened 125 mm main gun (with reports suggesting that a 152 mm cannon could also be installed), and a heavy unmanned armored personnel carrier potentially capable of mounting various combat modules.
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At first glance, the project appears to be another case of russia squandering resources on a program that has been ongoing for 15 years and is unlikely to be completed successfully. However, the situation is more complex.
Despite its monstrous design, high cost, and obvious implementation challenges, continued work on the Shturm heavy robotic assault system may, from the russian perspective, offer a way out of a technological dead end. In this scenario, tanks, as the main type of armored fighting vehicle, are still considered relevant despite the dominance of UAVs. However, they now require a new battlefield role, a different weapons package, and upgraded protection systems.
The lack of a clear solution to this dilemma has already led russia’s military to conserve its armored vehicles during ongoing combat operations against Ukraine. Moreover, in June 2024, russian forces began experimenting with "remotely controlled tank sheds" – although the outcome of those tests remains unclear.
Importantly, the issue is not only about the unmanned tank and its support vehicles as instruments of warfare, but also about the doctrinal developments behind them – how russia intends to deploy the Shturm unmanned assault system in future combat operations against the Armed Forces of Ukraine or possibly NATO.
In summary, the aggressor state is making ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces even during a full-scale war against Ukraine. This should serve as a clear warning to Western nations: the Kremlin continues to nurture its aggressive plans against the entire civilized world.
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