Ukraine's July military hardware additions – a strange collection of iron

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense rarely misses an opportunity to showcase another new piece of military equipment entering service. Judging by the pace of such announcements, however, July marked a noticeable slowdown in new additions. Only four new systems were officially accepted into service. What exactly are they, what capabilities do they offer, and how dangerous are they?

Photo: wikimedia.org by An authorized Youtube stream of the STRC Ukrainian television and radio broadcasting «UTR - TV channel», https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Ukrainian artillery

One month alone is, of course, not enough to conclude that Ukraine's defense industry has entered a period of decline. Looking at the first half of the year as a whole, there is no indication of reduced military production. On the contrary, militarization has continued at an active pace. Nearly 400 different types of unmanned aerial vehicles alone were approved for service during the first six months of the year. We will return to those figures later, but first it is worth examining what Ukraine's defense sector introduced in July.

The MUL.E Electric Motorcycle

The first notable trend is the growing emphasis on motorcycles, particularly electric ones. June saw the introduction of the WolfStorm electric motorcycle. July brought another model called the MUL.E.

The "E" presumably stands for "electric," while "MUL" naturally evokes the image of a mule. The motorcycle is compact and low to the ground, with small, wide wheels. MUL.E is the first all-wheel-drive motorcycle adopted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, making it suitable for off-road operations, particularly during the autumn and winter seasons.

Its main features include two electric motors and an onboard gasoline-powered generator that recharges the batteries, giving the vehicle a degree of operational autonomy. It is also capable of towing a cargo trailer.

The Ukrainian military has been placing increasing emphasis on motorcycles in recent months, suggesting that it continues to prepare for active offensive operations.

INGUAR-4 Recovery Vehicle

Preparation for offensive operations also requires equipment capable of supporting withdrawals and recovering damaged vehicles.

For this purpose, Ukraine has adopted the INGUAR-4 armored recovery vehicle. It is a six-wheel recovery pickup capable of towing vehicles weighing up to 30 tons. It is fitted with a powerful hydraulic winch for recovering and transporting disabled military equipment, including by partial lifting.

The vehicle provides STANAG 4569 Level 3 ballistic and mine protection.

Approximately 60 percent of the chassis and suspension components are reportedly manufactured domestically.

UAT Desna Armored Vehicle

The third addition is another armored vehicle designed for multiple roles, ranging from troop transport to medical evacuation. It is designated UAT Desna.

The vehicle can be equipped with various light weapons mounted in a rotating roof module, including a machine gun.

However, UAT Desna provides only STANAG 4569 Level 1 protection, making it less protected than the INGUAR-4 recovery vehicle.

• Maximum speed: 110 km/h
• Weight: 8.3 tons
• Payload capacity: up to 1.5 tons
• Ground clearance: 440 mm

FireFly Guided Munition

The fourth and final addition is the FireFly guided munition. It is designed to be dropped from drones operating at altitudes of up to 800 meters. According to Ukrainian sources, it is resistant to electronic warfare systems, although no additional technical specifications have been disclosed.

A Stronger Picture Emerges from the First Half of the Year

The systems officially accepted into service during July appear modest compared with the broader figures for the first half of the year.

• 391 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
• 216 types of ammunition
• 28 communications systems
• 67 unmanned ground systems
• 56 electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems
• 45 military vehicles
• 36 optical devices
• 34 types of armored vehicles

Nearly 400 UAV models entered service during the first six months of the year alone.

Much of this increase is attributed to the policies pursued by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, the results of which, according to the article, are now being observed in numerous Russian cities.

At the same time, the statistics are viewed as containing an element of "Potemkin villages." In the absence of major battlefield successes, the Ministry of Defense is portrayed as emphasizing achievements in the information sphere, while the growing diversity of military products is presented as evidence of competition and industrial strength.

Military leadership in most countries generally seeks standardization and unification because operating a wide assortment of equipment from numerous manufacturers creates logistical challenges and increases costs.

Ukraine, however, is portrayed as following a different path, with defense manufacturers primarily focused on profitability. That trend has been reinforced by an almost nationwide fascination with drones, encouraging an ever-growing number of companies to become drone producers.