Australian defence companies and ultimately the Australian Defence Force (ADF) could use the vast amount of data accumulated by Ukraine in its war with Russia to enhance defence capabilities, says Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia.
Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Ukraine had paid a high price in blood in its three-year conflict with Russia. And in that time the battlefield had changed drastically.
In a presentation on battlefield adaptation at the Indo-Pac 2025 International Maritime Exposition, he said that meant that some technology which not long ago might have been state-of-the-art was now obsolete.
“Some of the things which were working three years ago no longer work,” he said.
“You don’t know it yet because you haven’t yet tested it. You still have it in your warehouse.
“It is obsolete. It no longer works. because Russia has come up with countermeasures. The Russia and have invested in electronic warfare and now the Chinese have it, the North Koreans have it, and they also share it with the Iranians.”
He said that applied to unmanned systems, electronic warfare and countermeasures. No armoured vehicles could survive long. Even Australia’s Bushmasters, well protected against mine explosion, are vulnerable to drone attack.
Most recently 20 Russian drones penetrated Poland’s air space. Ninety had been despatched, with 70 shot down over Ukraine.
Poland, among the best armed nations in Europe, failed to stop the 20.
“Which gives you an idea of how unprepared you may be because you never dealt with that,” he said.
Australia could experience that firsthand should the ADF ever have to deploy to support South Korea against an invasion from the north.
“They will encounter the best that is coming from Russia. The question is are you ready for that,” he said.
The discussion, presented by Australian defence technology company DEWC Services, examined acceleration of defence adaptation through real time conflict.
Ambassador Myroshnychenko said a question was what could be done to better protect Bushmaster and that was where Ukraine could step in.
“We would be happy to work with Thales Australia. They are good friends of mine and say ‘look you really need to do something – let me get you the video material from Ukraine.
“We have millions and millions of hours of battlefield information.”
Ambassador Myroshnychenko said that would need to managed through a government-to-government arrangement. With artificial intelligence that data could be processed and used for tactical operation and defence industry needs.
“This is something unique that Ukraine can offer to Australia or any other country which is supporting us,” he said.
“We are not a liability. We are an asset which you should use by still supporting Ukraine. That value was not visible three years ago. Now it is pretty clear and we offer that to Australian companies, to the Australian government.
“We are ready to share our advancement and our achievement and innovation in technology, maritime, aerial and robotic systems which are now state-of-the- art.”
Through necessity, Ukraine has demonstrated spectacular abilities to adapt battlefield experience into technology, especially with its use of drones.
“In Australia, it takes a company 12 months to gain access to a military firing range,” he said.
“How can you innovate in that environment?”