The Role of the Defense Industry and Unmanned Systems in the War in Ukraine: An Analysis by Admiral Eftimov

The war in Ukraine confirmed the key role of the defense industry for success on the battlefield, said the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, at the opening of the international conference on unmanned aerial and robotic systems and countermeasure methods, at the Military Academy "Georgi S. Rakovski".

The war is being waged not only by the armed forces, but by the entire state through the mobilization of the technological sector, the scientific community and the defense industry, noted Admiral Eftimov. He added that the human factor continues to occupy a key place in achieving the desired effects in military operations.

The war in Ukraine has shown what a high-intensity conflict looks like in the age of industrial and digital technologies. It demonstrates that quantitative superiority no longer guarantees strategic advantage. Ukraine compensates for its resource deficits through innovation, technological adaptation and asymmetric application of force, the Chief of Defence pointed out. In his words, the most visible change is the revolution in the use of remotely controlled systems. They have turned from an auxiliary tool for intelligence into a central element of combat power, the admiral added.

Data from the conflict in Ukraine show that a significant share, in some cases up to 80% of the losses of personnel and equipment on the battlefield, is the result of the use of unmanned aerial systems, which is another confirmation of their key role in the modern conflict, said Admiral Eftimov. He pointed out that steps have already been taken to implement projects for the acquisition of remotely controlled systems.

The need for accelerated building of defense capabilities, adequate to modern risks and threats, is becoming increasingly clear, the Chief of Defence also said.

The conference is organized jointly by the Land Forces Command and the Association of Land Forces of Bulgaria.