Reshaping the future battlefield: AI, robots and exoskeletons

By Chelsea Robin | 2026-06-16

It sounds like futuristic science fiction: a pack of ground-based explosive robots aided by a swarm of remote-controlled drones storms a fortified position and takes human prisoners of war.

But in this case, the future is now -- or rather July of last year, when this scenario played out in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones made history when they penetrated a Russian position previously unreachable by infantry, seized it without firing a single shot and forced the Russian soldiers to surrender, the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces said in a Telegram post on July 9, 2025.

The robotic strike involved both a first-person view (FPV) drone and a kamikaze ground drone carrying three anti-tank mines, according to aerial footage.

The video shows an aerial FPV drone strike, then an unmanned ground vehicle explosion at the entrance to a dugout, followed by Russian soldiers displaying a cardboard sign reading "We want to surrender" in Russian, Euromaidan Press reported at the time.

Ukrainian forces then flew in a Mavic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) -- a small reconnaissance drone -- to guide the surrendering soldiers safely to the Ukrainian side, the news outlet reported.

"This unprecedented event, where soldiers laid down their arms to robotic systems alone, was more than a tactical victory; it was a glimpse into the future of warfare," former U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. (ret.) James Mingus and intelligence officer Lt. Col. Maggie Harris wrote in an article published by the Modern War Institute at West Point on February 24, 2026.

Faster, stronger, better informed

While the drone attack in Kharkiv was groundbreaking, it demonstrates a growing trend in modern warfare rather than an isolated incident, military analysts say.

The U.S. Army has been developing and testing modern warfare strategies for years, including autonomous mission systems, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platforms, unmanned weaponry, and soldier-worn systems designed to enhance capabilities and reduce human fatigue.

Troops recently tested these modern warfare tactics during the African Lion 26 (AL26) joint military exercises held April 20-May 8, 2026, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.

The exercises offered soldiers essential hands-on experience, said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ethan Burdette, the officer in charge of the training.

"We're learning how to integrate autonomous systems into real-world scenarios, not just theory," he said.

"Speed and precision are everything on the modern battlefield," Burdette added. "These systems help us make faster, more informed decisions and share that information across formations and with our partners."

Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the multinational training involved more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from over 40 partner nations.

"The capstone combined field exercise showcased the future of warfare through multi-domain vignettes, including defense in depth, deep strike operations and a coordinated counterattack," said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Patrick Jeffrey, the exercise director.

"By integrating artificial intelligence-enabled command and control, autonomous systems, advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and unmanned aerial systems, we modernize and employ combat power," he said.

Private industry partners worked alongside the military to test cutting-edge technologies, such as AI-enabled systems, autonomous platforms and advanced communications tools, according to SETAF-AF.

"AL26 gave us an unprecedented opportunity to close the gap between emerging technology and the warfighter," Jeffrey said.

Meanwhile, during Operation Deterrent Viking II, held May 3-8 at the Baumholder Military Training Area in Germany, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from the United States and across Europe trained in employing specialized tools like robotics and x-ray and radiation detection equipment.

They used these tools and training opportunities to sharpen skills, including unexploded ordnance identification and disposal, land navigation, casualty evacuation, controlled detonations and live counter-drone procedures.

Another modern warfare training opportunity in May was Project Flytrap at the Pabradė Training Area in Lithuania, where U.S. soldiers and UK paratroopers practiced operating autonomous and unmanned ground vehicles, FPV drones and counter-unmanned aerial systems on a simulated battlefield.

Wearable exoskeletons

Apart from tactical advantages and helping keep soldiers out of harm's way in combat, autonomous systems also provide soldiers with a physical boost through wearable technology.

Exoskeleton robots, for example, enhance the wearer's load-bearing capacity, agility and endurance, and when combined with integrated AI systems, they also improve tactical adaptability and decision-making, researchers found.

"Exoskeleton robots are evolving toward ever-greater intelligence," researchers said in the September 2025 issue of Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics.

"This groundbreaking technology not only reduces a soldier's physical exertion significantly but also effectively diminishes the risk of injury during training, infusing new vitality into the enhancement of military capabilities."

Earlier this year, U.S. Air Force personnel tested next-generation exoskeleton technology designed to enhance mission effectiveness.

Airmen tested the Roam Robotics Forge exoskeleton, a pneumatically powered wearable system that augments leg strength to reduce fatigue, increase endurance and offset weight.

"During testing, air transportation specialists and aircraft maintainers reported reduced load stress and increased stability while performing cargo operations," U.S. Air Forces Central said in a January 23 report. "Early results indicate productivity increases of up to 40%, allowing Airmen to sustain performance over longer periods without fatigue."

The advancing modernization of the military requires the parallel development of the technology to support these demands, analysts say.

Exoskeleton technology has advanced dramatically since the introduction of the Hardiman I exoskeleton robot in 1965. And the technology continues to evolve as the military's needs evolve.

"There have been many exoskeletons developed for the military that never transitioned," said Anthony Ligouri, Air Force Research Laboratory Center for Rapid Innovation engineer. "Often, that's because they overpromised and underperformed, or because there were no formal requirements to support adoption."

Unlike broad, science-fiction-inspired concepts, he said, the current exoskeleton technology is best suited for specific tasks.

"These systems are stepping stones," Ligouri said. "You don't get to advanced human augmentation without first proving value in focused, feasible applications."

The human factor

The key to using all of these seemingly futuristic technologies to their greatest potential is still rooted in human development, training, testing -- and thinking, military analysts say.

"As these technologies change how we fight, what we fight with, and how we perceive our adversaries, military professionals must adapt their tactics, technology and mindset to ensure their actions remain decisive and set them up to win," Mingus and Harris wrote in the Modern War Institute report.

Integrating AI into warfare is happening at breakneck speed, requiring military leaders to adapt as traditional leadership roles are challenged.

"Despite AI's potential, the human element of warfare remains critical. Machines cannot replicate critical thinking, adaptability and empathy," U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Eduardo I. Carranza wrote in the NCO Journal last September. "Leaders must ensure technology enhances their soldiers' capabilities without diminishing the human spirit that defines military service."