UFORCE, the inaugural defence technology unicorn of Ukraine, has carried out 150,000 combat missions as unmanned warfare becomes commercialized.

      **Summary**: UFORCE, a Ukrainian-British defense technology startup resulting from the merger of nine companies, has completed over 150,000 combat missions, reached a valuation of more than a billion dollars, and is reportedly involved in the first military operation in history that utilized only robots and drones to seize territory. The firm is expanding its production capabilities as the transition to unmanned warfare becomes a tangible reality.

      In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces had, for the first time ever, captured an enemy position solely with unmanned systems—without any infantry or human soldiers on the ground. Drones and ground robots pinpointed the target, neutralized defensive fire, and took the position without incurring Ukrainian casualties. This claim has yet to be independently verified, and the Ukrainian military has not disclosed detailed information. The key player in this operation, UFORCE, has conducted over 150,000 combat missions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, achieved "unicorn" status with a valuation exceeding one billion dollars, and is currently increasing production from its discreet London base, which it claims is designed to shield it from potential Russian sabotage. Unmanned warfare is no longer merely a topic for conferences; it is becoming an accounting item for defense contractors.

      **Company Overview**: UFORCE was established through the integration of nine Ukrainian defense firms that collaborated during the war. It is headed by Oleg Rogynskyy, the former founder of People.ai, and Oleksii Honcharuk, a former Prime Minister of Ukraine. The company focuses on developing air, sea, and land drones and employs over 1,000 engineers, developers, and operators across six European nations, reporting a 450 percent increase in bookings for 2025. In March, UFORCE raised $50 million, becoming Ukraine’s first defense technology unicorn with a valuation exceeding one billion dollars. With Ukraine emerging as the global testing ground for military robotics, UFORCE is at the forefront of translating that battlefield experience into a commercial enterprise.

      **Product Range**: UFORCE’s offerings cover various operational domains. Its MAGURA maritime drones have targeted over 12 Russian naval ships in the Black Sea, including the first recorded event of an unmanned vessel downing a manned helicopter and fighter jet. Its Nemesis strike drones execute precision strikes, while ground systems use software-driven targeting to engage enemy locations. The company is also working on counter-drone technologies and battlefield management software that synchronizes the operations of multiple unmanned platforms. The tally of 150,000 combat missions includes air, sea, and land operations since 2022—an extent of deployment unmatched by any Western defense technology firm, including larger, better-funded companies like Anduril Industries.

      **Operation Details**: Zelensky’s April video demonstrated various Ukrainian-developed robotic weapon systems, such as Ratel, TerMIT, Ardal, Rys, Zmiy, Protector, and Volia ground robots, which collectively completed over 22,000 missions in just three months. The president emphasized the importance of this accomplishment: unmanned systems had secured territory that would have otherwise resulted in human casualties. Rhiannon Padley, UFORCE’s UK director of strategic partnerships, refrained from commenting on the specific operation featured in Zelensky’s video but confirmed that the company’s drones are actively being employed in combat situations. She predicted that engagements involving robots battling robots would become increasingly common and suggested that unmanned systems might eventually surpass human soldiers on the battlefield.

      **Competitors**: Russia is also deploying its unmanned ground systems, utilizing robots designed to deliver explosives to Ukrainian positions. Both sides are caught in an arms race, accelerating development cycles from years to a matter of weeks, with rapid field modifications, software updates, and new platform designs. The increase in stock values of European defense companies mirrors the broader market’s acknowledgment that military technology is evolving from hardware-focused platforms built over decades to software-driven systems developed in months, with firms resembling tech startups instead of traditional contractors like BAE Systems or Lockheed Martin.

      **Industry Landscape**: UFORCE is among a new wave of so-called neo-prime defense firms that are challenging traditional defense contractors. Anduril Industries, founded by Palmer Luckey, co-creator of Oculus VR, conducted its first test flight of an autonomous fighter jet in February, securing billions in U.S. military contracts and constructing a billion-dollar manufacturing facility in Ohio aimed at achieving five million square feet of production capacity. Ukrainian drone startups increasingly aim to adapt battlefield technology for dual-use commercial purposes, while the greater European defense technology sector raised 2.3 billion euros in 2025—more than double the total for 2024, with German startups capturing 90 percent of European defense technology investment in the first half of the year.

      **AI and Defense**: Military AI capabilities in Europe are being influenced by collaborations between AI labs and defense