This is the second of a two-part story.
The landscape of modern warfare has been revolutionized by the advent of drones, offering military forces worldwide a new set of tools for both defense and offense. This transformation is evident in the experiences of a foreign volunteer who has been instrumental in enhancing Ukraine’s military capabilities against Russian forces.
Aerial technology is at the forefront of military evolution, significantly impacting real-time military operations through improved reconnaissance, surveillance, and logistics. Current conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East highlight the growing importance of electronic warfare.
Jack de Santis, a 34-year-old drone pilot and engineer from Croatia, spent two years assisting Ukraine’s military by enhancing its technological edge against Russian aggression. His efforts are part of a broader initiative to modernize military strategies using advanced technology.
Overcoming Traditional Military Tactics
De Santis, who founded Omira Systems AI, aimed to revolutionize battlefield communication through innovative technology. His journey began without any formal military training, driven by his background in computer hardware engineering and personal experiences with conflict in the Balkans.
De Santis identified the shortcomings of traditional military tactics, noting that bureaucratic hurdles and outdated strategies contributed to a stalemate in the early phases of the Russia-Ukraine War. He observed, “The bureaucracy of a conventional military came in, and that’s where the war really turned into a stalemate.”
The hesitation from Western allies, including the then-Biden administration, compounded these challenges, leading to missed opportunities for decisive action against Russian forces. Many Ukrainian military leaders, trained in Soviet-era tactics, struggled to adapt to contemporary warfare needs.
“They also, with time, managed to build fortified positions and entrench themselves in, which would make it a lot harder today to kick them out than it would have been in the first year,” de Santis explained.
Technological Innovations
In Ukraine, de Santis played a pivotal role in advancing drone technology and electronic warfare systems, despite the challenges posed by jamming and communication disruptions on the battlefield. His work spanned various technologies, including drones, electronic warfare, and radio technology.
“Jamming and electronic warfare were disrupting everything from battlefield tactics and being able to coordinate in real time,” de Santis noted. These issues prompted him to innovate a new communication method that operates across a wide spectrum to avoid jamming.
Omira Systems AI was founded to address these challenges, developing technology that allows for communication even in jammed environments, thus facilitating more effective military operations.
Collaborations and Future Goals
De Santis’s work has garnered attention and support from various military and intelligence entities in the U.S., including the Pentagon and Congress. His technology is seen as being ahead of its time, prompting collaborations to enhance national security capabilities.
He continues to advocate for the modernization of military tactics, emphasizing the importance of electronic warfare capabilities. His efforts aim to prepare the U.S. and its allies for future challenges in electronic warfare and drone technology.
“It’s because they understood that by denying the U.S. communication and coordination in real time, they make our combined arms warfare doctrine impossible to do,” he said. “And that’s where things fall apart and we don’t know how to fight without combined arms warfare.”
De Santis is also exploring the potential of artificial intelligence on the battlefield, aiming to further enhance military operations and training for U.S. forces.
