Ground robotic systems are expected to see the most significant technological breakthrough in the field of military defense in 2026, says Valerii Borovyk, founder of the defense manufacturing company Pershyi Kontakt, or “First Contact.” He also believes that the next year's trend will be a gradual expansion of war into the space domain, according to Espreso.
Among other key areas that will shape the trends of warfare in 2026, Borovyk highlights underwater drones, swarming unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence, as well as electromagnetic and laser technologies, "which must demonstrate their effectiveness and transition to large-scale deployment."Space, AI, and countering satellites“These technologies, in my view, may become the key trends of warfare in 2026. Also, in my opinion, the war may gradually shift into space,” he noted.
According to Borovyk, the development of artificial intelligence will inevitably lead to its active use in countering an adversary’s satellite systems.
Countries will seek to ensure command and control of their forces and assets from space, and therefore, the opposing side will look for ways to deprive them of this advantage.
“Right now, our partners and us are working very actively to ensure that Ukraine has its own reconnaissance satellite grouping,” he emphasized.
This includes, in particular, the integration of artificial intelligence with unmanned systems capable of influencing the operation of enemy satellites, such as disrupting signal transmission, troop control, and communications near the Earth’s surface.
In November 2025, German media reported that a Russian spacecraft conducted dangerous maneuvers over Europe. Russian satellites have repeatedly approached German satellites in recent years, coming close enough to potentially intercept their signals. Read also“If countries find solutions for effective control of their assets from space, the other side will be forced to look for methods to disable satellites,” Borovyk concluded.
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