Robotic systems could begin replacing soldiers on the front line on a large scale within the next three to five years, military expert and air defense forces historian Yuri Knutov told NEWS.ru.

According to Knutov, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has sharply accelerated the development of military robotics. Ukraine, in particular, is increasingly turning to unmanned ground platforms as a severe shortage of personnel pushes it to transfer more battlefield tasks from soldiers to machines.

Their role is already expanding beyond logistics. Ground-based robotic systems are being used to carry ammunition, food and medical supplies, as well as evacuate wounded troops. At the same time, such platforms are beginning to take part directly in combat operations. Knutov believes this trend is developing rapidly and is unlikely to slow, with robots becoming a much more prominent presence on the battlefield within three to five years.

The expert also pointed to a sharp increase in the production of vehicles intended for military use, saying output has doubled over the past year. Both China and the United States are actively developing combat androids and have already presented relevant prototypes. However, Knutov noted that public demonstrations do not make it possible to determine how closely those systems reflect their actual combat capabilities.

Energy supply remains the main obstacle to a major technological breakthrough, he said. In Knutov’s view, significant progress will come once developers create compact and powerful energy sources capable of keeping autonomous machines operational for long periods.

He linked work in this area to the global expansion of electric vehicles. Electric cars require rapid charging, high power and compact batteries — the same qualities needed for combat androids.

Knutov argues that consumers buying electric vehicles are also indirectly paying for the development of power cells that could later be used in future military robotic systems. He believes artificial intelligence will form the technological basis of such combat machines.