The reasons why Western weapons are “weak” on the battlefield in Ukraine; Boeing stops producing the Little Bird light helicopter… are the contents of today’s defense industry news, March 3.

The reason why Western weapons are weak on the battlefield in Ukraine

Military expert, retired Colonel Anatoly Matviychuk assessed that Russian equipment has an advantage over Western equipment in the conflict in Ukraine .

“ Our equipment is designed to cope with harsh geographical and climatic conditions: winter, muddy roads, heavy clay… Western technology, especially modern weapons such as Abrams, Challenger and the like, are designed for urban areas with paved roads, hard terrain, deserts like in Africa and Asia. That is, when they come to us, they begin to encounter great difficulties ,” said Matviychuk.

Russian winters are not only a nightmare for people, but also for Western combat vehicles. Photo: Lenta

Military expert Anatoly Matviychuk notes that the Abrams tank is completely unsuitable for moving on snow and ice due to its technical features and heaviness.

“ One more thing: All lubricants used by the Russian military contain certain additives. Some of them only solidify at minus 70 degrees. The West does not have such lubricants, ” said Matviychuk.

In 2024, many NATO-supplied artillery and armor systems froze due to lack of specialized lubricants. The Ukrainian armed forces did not fire a single shot until they changed the lubricants, a huge and resource-intensive process.

Boeing stops production of Little Bird light helicopter

Boeing will end production of the AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopter after completing the last aircraft for current customers.

This information was known at the IQPC International Military Helicopter Conference (IMH) 2025 held in London (UK).

Boeing's Little Bird assembly line at its Mesa, Arizona facility will close after completing the eight helicopters ordered by Thailand, Mark Ballew, senior director of business development for helicopter systems at Boeing, told Jane's Defence Weekly.

AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopter. Photo: Defense News

Ballew did not disclose the reason for the decision, but since the only current customers for the AH-6i Little Bird are the Saudi Arabian National Guard and the Royal Thai Army, which have purchased a total of 32 helicopters, Boeing likely views the likelihood of receiving additional orders in this market segment as extremely low.

The AH-6i helicopter program was initiated in 2009 after the US Army 's ARH Reconnaissance Helicopter procurement project was canceled. The AH-6i helicopter was developed by Boeing to meet the needs of countries that could not afford or did not need an attack helicopter on par with the AH-64 Apache. Production of the AH-6i began in 2015.

The AH-6i is an improved version of the Huey Model 369 (OH-6 Cayuse) light reconnaissance helicopter and is equipped with improved powerplant, avionics and payload. The helicopter can carry weapons on four hardpoints (two on each side). It can be equipped with a 7.62 mm M134 machine gun, a 12.7 mm GAU-19 machine gun, a 12.7 mm FN Herstal M3P machine gun, an AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank guided missile and an M260 launcher with 70 mm rockets. The AH-6i helicopter is equipped with an MX-15Di electro-optical/infrared sight mounted under the nose of the fuselage.

Ukraine puts into service autonomous combat robot Gulliver

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have begun receiving the Gulliver ground robotic system, designed to transport cargo and evacuate the wounded. In addition, Gulliver can be equipped with combat modules and equipment for remote area exploitation.

According to Gulliver’s developers, the complex can transport more than 300kg of cargo on asphalt and operate in field environments. In addition, the robot is strong enough to pull a passenger car out of mud. The battery can be charged enough to travel 45km. The robot’s battery life is about five hours and its maximum speed is 20km/h.

Fighting robot Gulliver. Photo: Getty

Earlier, the Ukrainian military-industrial complex presented the Plyushch ground robot complex, which serves as a mobile communications station or an electronic warfare station on the battlefield. The robot uses a tracked mechanism and is equipped with an electro-hydraulic drive system, allowing it to move almost silently.

The production of drones with various systems does not require a solid industrial base and can even be carried out semi-artisanal, which is suitable for the conditions of current Ukraine.