Old American armor gets new brain: Ukraine's Skelya regiment nears unmanned M1117 conversion
The Innovation Center of Ukraine's Skelya regiment is close to finishing a project that converts the American-made M1117 armored vehicle into a remotely controlled, unmanned system. The vehicle's chassis was originally designed during the Vietnam War era.
The Innovation Center of Ukraine's Skelya regiment is nearing completion of a project to convert the M1117 armored vehicle into a remotely controlled, unmanned platform.
A Vietnam-era chassis meets modern control
The vehicle at the center of the project is built on a chassis that was originally designed during the Vietnam War era. That means engineers within the regiment are working with a base design that is decades old, now being fitted with new control technology that allows the vehicle to be operated remotely, without crew members inside it during operation.
Old armor, new capability
By pairing an aging but proven armored hull with a newly developed remote-control system, the regiment aims to give the old platform renewed relevance on the modern battlefield. Removing the crew from inside the vehicle during use is intended to reduce the risk to soldiers while still making use of the vehicle's existing armor protection.
The conversion effort reflects a broader pattern among Ukrainian military units of adapting and repurposing available armored vehicles, including older Western-supplied models, to meet current battlefield needs. According to the regiment's Innovation Center, the unmanned version of the M1117 is now nearing the final stages of development.
