Land system · Combat UGV

Ravlyk

Direct Fire Support / Remote Weapon System / Combat Reconnaissance

Also known as: Равлик / Ukrainian combat robot / Ravlyk UGV

Ravlyk military drone profile image
Ravlyk — Direct Fire Support / Remote Weapon System / Combat Reconnaissance

Ravlyk overview

The Ravlyk is a Ukrainian six-wheeled combat unmanned ground vehicle that emerged from the urgent need to reduce soldier casualties during intense close-quarters fighting along Ukraine's eastern front. Its name, meaning 'snail' in Ukrainian, belies a practical design philosophy: slow and deliberate movement into contested ground, delivering sustained firepower without risking human lives. Built on a flat-bed six-wheeled all-terrain chassis, the Ravlyk carries a remotely operated weapon station that can be equipped with a 12.7mm Kord heavy machine gun for anti-personnel and light vehicle engagements, or upgraded to a 23mm autocannon for defeating light armor and fortified positions at longer ranges.

The Ravlyk has been deployed in combat zones in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, where it has performed direct fire support missions, perimeter security, and attrition warfare roles. Operators control the vehicle from hardened positions using encrypted radio links and a camera-equipped situational awareness system, engaging targets at ranges that would be suicidal for infantry. The platform reflects Ukraine's broader wartime innovation ecosystem — small teams rapidly prototyping, testing, and iterating designs in direct response to battlefield feedback. The Ravlyk has drawn interest from allied nations studying the integration of unmanned ground combat systems into conventional force structures, and its combat performance is informing next-generation UGV requirements across NATO member states.

Armament

12.7mm Kord heavy machine gun or 23mm ZU-23 autocannon on remote weapon station; optional anti-tank guided missile launcher

Development and operational timeline

  1. Ravlyk development initiated by Ukrainian defense engineers responding to frontline fire support requests
  2. First prototype trials conducted; six-wheel chassis and remote weapon station configuration validated
  3. Ravlyk publicly demonstrated with 12.7mm Kord machine gun configuration
  4. First combat deployment in Donetsk sector; used for trench and fortification suppression
  5. 23mm autocannon variant tested; proves effective against light armor and BMP-type vehicles
  6. Multiple Ravlyk units deployed across Zaporizhzhia front; integrated with drone reconnaissance network
  7. NATO observer teams assess Ravlyk combat performance; interest from Baltic and Nordic defense ministries