Amphibious UGV: Ukraine runs first logistics mission over land and water

An amphibious unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) developed in Ukraine has completed its first logistics mission: over a distance of more than 40 kilometres, on land and through water, the vehicle carried food and ammunition right up to the positions of Ukrainian soldiers.

The mission was carried out by members of a separate mechanised brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The unmanned vehicle alternated between stretches of terrain and water passages, covering a total of more than 40 kilometres.

Bodies of water are a serious obstacle for logistics at the front: rivers, canals and marshy terrain interrupt the routes of conventional UGV or block them entirely. Resupply by air is not always a feasible or sensible alternative.

Amphibious UGV switches to water in seconds

This is where the amphibious platform comes in. On land it moves like a classic UGV; the transition into water takes only a few seconds, after which it continues its journey afloat. Complex supply routes can thus be covered with a single vehicle.

The system matured over several months together with Ukrainian soldiers. Feedback from real missions and the particular conditions of the frontline terrain shaped its further development.

Funding for the project came from Brave1, Ukraine’s defence innovation cluster. Its funding programme has listed the amphibious UGV as a dedicated priority since June 2026.

Unmanned ground vehicles are steadily gaining importance in Ukrainian frontline logistics. Their tasks include supply and evacuation missions; above all, they are meant to take on operations that would involve a high risk for soldiers.