•  
  •  

Home > Open Access Journals > JSS > Vol. 19 > No. 2 (2026)

 

Author Biography

Rahul Kumar Tiwari is a doctoral scholar in Political Science at Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. He holds a B.A. (Honors) in Political Science (2019) and an M.A. in Political Science (2021) from the University of Delhi, India. He qualified for the University Grants Commission (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET) with a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in 2022, a national examination for eligibility for appointment as an assistant professor in India. His research interests include geopolitics and hybrid warfare studies.

Dr. Ram Babu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. He completed his B.A. and M.A. in Political Science at the University of Allahabad, India, and subsequently qualified for the UGC NET/JRF. He received his Ph.D. from Guru Ghasidas Central University. His research interests include geopolitics, human rights, and policy studies.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.19.2.2583

Subject Area Keywords

Asymmetric warfare, Cybersecurity, Information operations, Irregular warfare, War studies

Abstract

This article examines human-artificial intelligence (AI) teaming in Ukrainian combat operations from 2022 to 2025, exploring the integration of AI systems with human decision-making in military contexts and how crisis-driven innovation can lead to human-AI teaming. The research addresses three questions: the effectiveness of human-AI teams compared with human-only or fully autonomous systems; the effect of organizational structures on the sustainability of AI integration; and strategic implications for the development of the doctrine and international security governance in the case of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The methodology uses mixed-method comparative case study analysis of three different Ukrainian systems: the Geographic Information System (GIS) Arta geospatial intelligence platform, the reconnaissance-strike unmanned aerial vehicle complex, and volunteer-supported decentralized targeting networks. Data collection was a combination of technical reports, operational battlefield metrics, and the standards of the NATO doctrines. Findings show that Ukrainian human-AI systems show good tactical performance in permissive electromagnetic environments with response times of 30 to 45 seconds and targeting accuracy of two meters but have significant vulnerabilities to electronic warfare—31% mission failure rates. Volunteer networks are highly resilient and have slower decision cycles. The research adds to strategic security, deterrence theory, military innovation theory, and organizational theory through the identification of mechanisms by which human-AI systems affect the stability of deterrence and offers recommendations for the development of the doctrine and international governance of AI for NATO.

Disclaimer

This article is presented by the authors without any intention to imply prejudice or bias for or against any state, organization, system, or actor involved in the Russia–Ukraine war. The analysis and conclusions are limited to the research design, methods, and sources available to the authors at the time of writing. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not represent the official positions of Guru Ghasidas Central University, Rashtriya Raksha University, or any other institution or agency with which the authors are affiliated.

 

Acknowledgements

The research has gained substantially from conversations with a wide range of scholars and practitioners in defense studies, international politics, and information technology. It has also drawn upon the structured insights delivered by invited lecturers during the five-day certificate courses on hybrid warfare in May 2024 and information warfare in May 2025, both convened by Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive comments. We are also grateful to Dr. Amit Kumar Gupta, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India, for providing valuable feedback and guidance.

Download

Share

COinS