UGV Robotics Khyzhak

History

Khyzhak is a Ukrainian remotely operated combat module developed for engaging ground and aerial targets with a 7.62 mm machine gun. It can operate from stationary positions or mobile platforms, and Ukrainian authorities approved the domestically produced system for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in July 2025.

The module was developed by UGV Robotics through Ukraine's Brave1 defense innovation ecosystem. Its development emphasized remote operation, platform stabilization, target tracking, and the ability to engage small aerial threats as well as ground targets.

In September 2026, the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation reported that it had delivered a Khyzhak module for use in Ukrainian aviation through a joint project with Uklon. The foundation stated that the system was being used against Russian targets, although the specific aircraft carrying the module was not identified.

Development and testing

According to Defender Media, Khyzhak had undergone front-line testing since autumn 2024. This establishes that physical examples of the system were already being evaluated during 2024.

On 15 July 2025, Ukrinform reported that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence had codified Khyzhak and approved it for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The ministry described a remotely controlled stabilized module that could use 7.62 mm machine guns compatible with Soviet-standard or NATO-standard ammunition and could track and engage targets on the ground and in the air.

At the time of the 2025 codification announcement, further development was reported to include planned integration of a goniometer and rangefinder for automatic lead calculation. Defender Media also reported the use of a long-focus lens and a thermal imaging camera made by the Ukrainian company Oko Camera.

A May 2026 report described a later Khyzhak configuration with two thermal imaging cameras, a laser rangefinder, and a ballistic computer. The report stated that the system could calculate firing solutions against moving drones and present them to a human operator for authorization. These details indicate development beyond the capabilities described as planned in 2025, but they are reported configuration details rather than specifications confirmed in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence codification notice.

Design

Khyzhak is built around a remotely operated stabilized weapon mount. The stabilization system is intended to maintain firing accuracy while the host platform is moving. The module can be installed at a stationary position or integrated with a mobile platform.

Armament

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence stated that the module can use 7.62 mm machine guns compatible with either Soviet-standard or NATO-standard ammunition. A 2026 report identified PKT, M240, and FN MAG machine guns as possible installations, depending on availability. That report also described a 700-round ammunition load, but this capacity was not specified in the official 2025 codification announcement.

Sensors and fire control

The system can track targets in both ground and aerial engagements. Defender Media reported that the module included a long-focus optical system and an Oko Camera thermal imager, while automatic lead calculation using a goniometer and rangefinder was still described as planned in July 2025.

The May 2026 report described a more developed sensor and fire-control configuration. It stated that Khyzhak used a 48-degree wide-angle thermal camera for detection and a 15-degree narrow-angle thermal camera for precision aiming, together with a laser rangefinder and ballistic computer. According to that account, the system continuously tracked a target, calculated the required interception point, and then waited for a human operator to authorize firing.

Counter-drone role

Khyzhak is capable of engaging aerial targets and has been reported in a counter-drone role. The 2026 account specifically described its use against FPV drones, including fiber-optic-controlled aircraft that cannot be defeated by conventional radio-frequency jamming. The same report stated that engagements could occur at ranges up to 800 m, although that figure was not included in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence's 2025 public description.

Program status

Khyzhak progressed from front-line testing in 2024 to formal codification and approval for Armed Forces use in July 2025. By September 2026, the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation stated that it had delivered a remotely operated Khyzhak module for Ukrainian aviation and that the system was being used against Russian targets.

The available information shows that Khyzhak has been adapted for more than one type of installation. Official descriptions allow both stationary and mobile use, while the 2026 delivery announcement documents an aviation application. The specific aircraft platform associated with that delivery was not identified in the supplied evidence.

Specifications (Khyzhak combat module)

General characteristics

• Type: Remotely operated stabilized combat module
• Developer: UGV Robotics
• Development country: Ukraine
• Installation: Stationary positions or mobile platforms; an aviation installation was reported in 2026
• Target types: Ground and aerial targets

Armament

• Caliber: 7.62 mm
• Compatible machine guns: Soviet-standard or NATO-standard 7.62 mm weapons; PKT, M240, and FN MAG were reported as supported examples in 2026
• Reported ammunition capacity: 700 rounds in the configuration described in May 2026

Sensors and fire control

• Stabilization: Stabilized weapon platform for firing while the host platform is moving
• Thermal imaging: Thermal imaging capability confirmed in 2025; a later report described two thermal cameras
• Reported detection camera: 48-degree field of view in the May 2026 configuration
• Reported aiming camera: 15-degree field of view in the May 2026 configuration
• Reported rangefinding: Laser rangefinder in the May 2026 configuration
• Reported fire control: Ballistic computer with automatic firing-solution calculation and human authorization before firing
• Reported engagement range: Up to 800 m against small drones in the May 2026 account