Cyberpunk War: How Ukraine Repurposes U.S. Weapons In Unexpected Ways

Ukraine is adopting a “cyberpunk” style of war by reworking U.S.-origin weapons and electronics for drone-heavy combat. The AGM-114 Hellfire missiles—meant for helicopter use—are being paired with radar for intercepting Shahed drones, following the idea behind the AGM-114L Longbow concept. Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs), originally for missile guidance, are reportedly used on their own as cryogenically cooled thermal imagers for special forces’ night targeting. Ukraine is also converting 120mm M830A1 tank rounds from Abrams tanks into drone bombs designed to penetrate armored targets from above. The approach extends to using FPV drones and repurposed hobby tech for reconnaissance, detection and strike.