The United Kingdom has become Ukraine’s first international partner whose defence companies will gain access to Avengers Labs, a Ukrainian platform for training AI models for unmanned systems using real battlefield data.
Up to 12 British defence companies will join the platform. Participants will not receive direct access to the dataset or be able to download its materials. Instead, they will test and train their AI models within the secure Avengers Labs environment.
The initiative was made possible by a joint declaration of intent. An agreement on a Ukraine-UK partnership in artificial intelligence was subsequently signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. A key priority will be the development of new artificial intelligence models for swarms of unmanned systems. AI will enable such systems to cooperate with one another and identify threats and Russian targets. Remote control of large numbers of autonomous drones is expected to simplify a wide range of missions, including logistical support and precision targeting.
The UK Ministry of Defence will select companies through a competitive process. The first competition under the UK-Ukraine partnership will focus on developing AI models that enable unmanned systems to operate more effectively when communications with humans or global navigation systems are limited in challenging battlefield conditions. Up to 12 companies whose proposals meet the requirements of the Ukrainian and British defence ministries will be selected.
The selection process is expected to be completed within several weeks. Companies will be able to access the platform once the Ukrainian side completes the required export control procedures. The selection process is being led by the UK Ministry of Defence’s Rapid AI Delivery Task Force (RAID), a team established to give military personnel access to technologies that help them make better decisions, perform dangerous missions with less risk and stay ahead of adversaries rapidly developing their own AI capabilities.
Avengers Labs is built around an annotated dataset containing more than five million images collected directly from the battlefield. Most of the data comes from unmanned systems through the DELTA combat system. It is provided in anonymised form and with a delay to avoid creating risks for Ukrainian troops during combat operations.
The dataset covers a wide range of targets, including:
- Russian tanks;
- artillery;
- air defence systems;
- infantry;
- aerial targets, including Shahed-type UAVs and reconnaissance drones.
The data is continuously updated and expanded, ensuring its practical value under battlefield conditions.
Avengers Labs is unique in terms of its content. Data of a comparable scale and quality would be virtually impossible to collect for a private company or a country without experience of modern full-scale warfare.
More than 30 Ukrainian defence companies are already training their own AI models using Avengers Labs, while three products developed using the platform are already being successfully deployed on the battlefield.
Artificial intelligence cooperation is an important part of the 100-Year Partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It deepens cooperation between the two countries to strengthen global security and stability while enhancing Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.
