Ukraine pairs obsolete Soviet grenades with commercial drones adding 3D-printed fins, as Pentagon takes notes

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues to evolve, Ukraine has surprised many by successfully integrating advanced commercial technology into its military operations. This shift has proven crucial in collecting intelligence, enabling precision drone strikes, and even assisting in the removal of landmines, marking a dramatic departure from Ukraine’s reliance on slow and opaque state-run military procurement systems. Experts argue that these developments offer valuable lessons for the Pentagon, Defense News reports.

Jon Schmid, a senior political scientist at RAND, and Erik E. Mueller, a defense analyst at RAND, noted that Ukraine’s military acquisition system was sluggish and dominated by the state-owned UkrOboronProm before the full-scale war.

“As late as 2021, experts predicted UkrOboronProm’s imminent collapse,” they explained.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine rapidly pivoted to commercial technology. A striking example emerged in their innovative use of Soviet-era RKG-3 grenades, originally designed for close-range anti-tank combat in 1950.

“Ukraine used drones to drop RKG-3 grenades modified with tail-fins onto Russian tanks and other armored vehicles,” Schmid and Mueller wrote.

The modification breathed new life into these obsolete weapons. While the original RKG-3 relied on a drogue parachute to ensure the proper impact of its armor-penetrating copper slug, Ukrainian forces added 3D-printed fins to achieve precision delivery from commercial drones.

The establishment of Brave1, an organization created to link military needs with technology developers, was a key factor in Ukraine’s ability to deploy new technologies rapidly.

“Brave1 has made over 400 grants to developers adding up to over UAH 800 million (about $19 million),” the experts shared.

Brave1 has been instrumental in funding AI-driven systems like the Swarmer drone and Griselda intelligence platform.

Schmid and Mueller concluded that Ukraine’s experience offers two key lessons for the US Department of Defense:

The DoD could benefit from more aggressively leveraging commercial technology. “In many domains, commercial technology is more advanced and less expensive than military tech,” they wrote.
The importance of organizations like Brave1 in accelerating the acquisition process. “Brave1’s approach illustrates one method of meeting rapidly changing needs during conflict,” they said.

While the geopolitical and industrial contexts of the US and Ukraine differ, Schmid and Mueller emphasized that valuable insights can still be gained from Ukraine’s rapid technological integration, which could help streamline US defense systems and improve efficiency.

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