How Ukraine’s War is Reshaping C4ISR for the Modern Battlefield

Now in its fourth year, the war in Ukraine is redefining modern warfare. Under conditions of extreme pressure and limited resources, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have undergone a rapid evolution in how they manage and deploy C4ISR—Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. 

This HCSS guest paper by Kateryna Bondar examines how Ukraine has responded to the strategic and operational demands of full-scale war by building a more agile and adaptive C4ISR framework. Lacking a pre-established strategy and facing severe material constraints, Ukraine has had to innovate in real time. The result: an accelerated cycle of adaptation and learning that offers important lessons for NATO and its allies. 

Rather than focusing solely on high-end technologies, the paper explores how success in modern warfare lies in the dynamic fusion of technology, human expertise, and procedural flexibility. From creatively leveraging commercial off-the-shelf tech and AI-powered ISR, to developing battlefield management systems and promoting a culture of continuous feedback, Ukraine’s case shows how innovation under pressure can rival or even outpace traditional military processes. 

Bondar likens C4ISR to a central nervous system: ISR functions as sensory input, command centres act as the brain, and communications ensure signals flow seamlessly across the force. When this system is agile, well-trained, and technologically enabled, it can outperform more rigid adversaries—especially in fast-moving conflicts. 

Based on Ukraine’s experience, the paper presents five key policy recommendations for NATO: 

1. Formalise public-private and international collaboration 
   Forge strong partnerships to bridge the innovation gap between defence procurement and commercial tech. 

2. Standardise data protocols and interoperability 
   Develop universal standards and conduct regular joint exercises to ensure seamless information sharing. 

3. Adopt modular, task-focused AI systems 
   Implement adaptable AI models for ISR and decision-support tasks, while training personnel to use them effectively. 

4. Invest in EW countermeasures and secure communications 
   Combine robust encryption technologies with disciplined communication procedures to mitigate electronic warfare threats. 

5. Collaborate directly with Ukrainian defence innovators 
   Partner with Ukraine’s rapidly evolving defence tech sector to accelerate mutual innovation. 

Ukraine’s wartime C4ISR innovations offer a blueprint for how to remain agile in high-intensity conflict. For NATO, adopting a similarly adaptive mindset—one that values speed, creativity, and cross-domain synergy—will be essential to staying ahead in future conflicts.  and cross-domain synergy—will be essential to staying ahead in future conflicts. 

Kateryna Bondar is a Fellow at the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

This HCSS paper is part of a series of guest contributions related to the “NATO’s digital capabilities” project, established in the run up to the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague. The research was made possible through a financial contribution from Microsoft to the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS).