Ukraine Responded To Elon Musk's Political Maneuvers
1- 24.10.2026, 10:40
- 1,374
Ukrainian manufacturers are developing weapons capable of operating even when communications are lost.
Ukraine is retooling its military technology to reduce its reliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications. New restrictions on the service, introduced in October, disrupted the operation of Ukrainian drones and complicated some air defense operations. Kyiv and its European allies are accelerating their search for alternatives, as reliance on a private company could become a vulnerability on the battlefield, writes Ars Technica.
For years, Starlink has provided the Ukrainian military with reliable communications, video transmission, and remote drone control. However, on October 13, reports emerged of disruptions with the military version of the Starshield service for terminals moving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h. According to Ukrainian officials, the restrictions affected reconnaissance missions, resupply of frontline units, and strikes against Russian forces.
The head of SpaceX and the U.S. presidential administration denied responsibility for the restrictions, blaming each other. Meanwhile, Ukrainian developers are already implementing systems capable of operating without satellite internet.
BlueBird Tech uses drones controlled via fiber-optic cable, which cannot be jammed by electronic warfare systems. Other solutions include ground-based LTE and 5G networks, radio communications, and signal transmission via relay stations.
“Losing access to a single communication channel does not necessarily mean losing the ability to complete a mission,” said the co-founder of Buntar Aerospace. His company equips reconnaissance drones with backup communication channels and artificial intelligence-based software.
Europe is also seeking its own solutions. Ukraine currently uses OneWeb satellites, but there are significantly fewer of them than Starlink has, and the terminals are larger and about 45 times more expensive. The EU plans to deploy the IRIS² system with 348 satellites starting in 2029. Germany is separately developing the SATCOMBw 4 military satellite constellation.
Even new systems do not guarantee uninterrupted communication in the face of electronic warfare. Therefore, Ukrainian manufacturers are increasingly designing weapons so that the loss of a single channel does not disrupt the execution of a combat mission.
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