Usually, at the end of the year, IT sites name the most interesting IT products in various categories, from smartphones and smart watches to GPUs and CPUs. But 2022 turned out to be not at all what we expected, so Hardware 2022 will be a little different. Angry, red-hot, deadly. The hardware of our victory.

UAVs of 2022

Baykar Bayraktar TB2

PD-2 and SHARK UAV, Switchblade and Phoenix Ghost, Warmate and RAM II UAV, ScanEagle, EOS C VTOL, AeroVironment Quantix Recon and RQ-20 Puma, octocopter R18 from Aerorozvidka, thousands of commercial drones – the sky above the front line is now full of UAVs.

But in February and March 2022, things were a little different. And that’s when the Turkish reconnaissance and strike UAV Baykar Bayraktar TB2 became real folk heroes. People sang songs and created games about Bayraktar (one, two), animals were named after them, they were painted on postage stamps by Ukrainians and our friends from neighboring countries collected money for these UAVs.

Bayraktar TB2 played an important role during the battle for Kyiv and during liberation of Zmiinyi Island and continue to destroy the Russian invaders. Thanks to Ukrainian advertising, the Baykar company is literally flooded with orders. So the title of the best UAV of 2022 will absolutely deservedly go to the Baykar Bayraktar TB2.

Cannon of 2022

155-mm howitzer M777

With the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the transition to NATO caliber 155 mm was inevitable, and the first system of this class in the Armed Forces was the British-American towed M777 howitzer. These titanium cannons with a digital fire control system have an increased, unlike the Soviet 152-mm guns, accuracy of firing conventional shells, and in addition can use guided high-precision M982 Excalibur shells.

Ukraine received the first M777 from the USA in April 2022, and as of now, it is the most widespread 155-mm artillery system in the Armed Forces. As of November 2022, the Armed Forces already have 152 M777 cannons, received from the USA (142 units), Australia and Canada. The Ukrainian military speaks highly of the M777, so in our opinion, it deserves the title of the cannon of 2022.

MLRS of 2022

M142 HIMARS

M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS became real game changers on the battlefield. And although we still do not have MGM-140 ATACMS tactical missiles, high-precision GMLRS became a real terror for the Russians and allowed The Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike warehouses and bridges in the deep rear of the enemy, ensuring the success of the Ukrainian offensive in Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

On winter terrain, the tracked M270 MLRS, of course, has an advantage over the M142 HIMARS, but the high speed of movement of the HIMARS allows it to strike even from the side of the roads and instantly leave the position. In addition, the higher speed of the M142 HIMARS makes it possible to quickly transfer these systems to different areas of the front. So, our choice is the M142 HIMARS. The nocturnal killer with a predatory smile will receive the title of MLRS of 2022.

ATGM of 2022

Stuhna-P

As late as the spring of 2022, it was expected that Ukraine would have ten anti-tank systems for each tank of the Russian invaders. FGM-148 Javelin, MBT LAW / NLAW and other modern anti-tank means provided by Western partners on the eve of a full-scale invasion, helped satisfy the troops’ needs and played an important role in destroying plans for a “little three-day war”.

And although at the beginning of the great war, the name Javelin managed to become extremely popular and gave rise to many interesting examples of folk art, we decided to choose a domestic system for ATGM 2022.

It turned out that our Stuhna-P is not worse, and in some respects even better than Western weapons. This ATGM has a very good kill ratio and extremely positive user reviews. In addition, the videos of the use of Stuhna-P, which are regularly supplied to us by various units of the Armed Forces, are an excellent propaganda product that raises morale and helps Ukrainians to hold on.

SAMS of 2022

FIM-92 Stinger

Now we already have NASAMS, Aspide, IRIS-T SLM, MIM-23 Hawk, and soon there will also be MIM-104 Patriot. And at the beginning of the invasion, the sky over Ukraine was covered only by the fighters of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Soviet-style air defense systems – S-300, Buk, old Kuba, S-125M Pechora, Osa and Strela returned to duty. But this was not enough.

Therefore, the transfer to Ukraine a few weeks before the invasion of large volumes of MANPADS FIM-92 Stinger and Piorun became a salvation. Together with the Soviet Strela and Igla, the Western MANPADS helped to saturate combat units with anti-aircraft weapons and simply eliminated the enemy’s tactical aviation and helicopters from this military equation. Enemy attack aircraft and attack helicopters are still trying to accomplish some tasks, but are taking very heavy losses.

We chose the FIM-92 Stinger the air defense system of 2022 because this system was the first Western-style air defense system to enter the Armed Forces. In total, since the beginning of 2022, Ukraine has received more than 1,600 MANPADS of this type. Stingers destroyed Soviet planes and helicopters 40 years ago in Afghanistan, and, as it turned out, can be used against modern planes, helicopters, UAVs and even cruise missiles, which no one expected from MANPADS at all.

Aircraft of 2022

MiG-29

Unfortunately, despite all the efforts of our diplomats, military and supporters of Ukraine in the US Senate and Congress, the Armed Forces still did not receive the necessary for our pilots F-15 or F-16. So the most massive multirole fighter in the Armed Forces of Ukraine remains the Soviet MiG-29. According to various sources, the Air Force had from 37 to 51 MiG-29s at the start of the full-scale invasion.

With a high probability, the first fighters that Ukraine will receive from Western partners will once again be MiG-29 from Slovakia, and then possibly from Poland.

It is on the MiG-29 that the “Ghosts of Kyiv” from the 40th tactical aviation brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine protected the sky of the capital. These fighters are adapted for the use of AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles. Most likely, they will be destroying the invaders with JDAM precision guided bombs. So yes, the best combat aircraft of 2022 remains the MiG-29.

Tank of 2022

T-72

Again, despite the urgent need for modern Western tanks, Ukraine has not yet received either the Leopard 2 or the M1 Abrams from the allies. So the main battle tank of the Armed Forces remains the old reliable T-72.

At the beginning of 2022, there were 133 T-72AB, T-72B1, and T-72AB of 2021 and T-72AMT in the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Another 500 vehicles were in storage. Since the start of full-scale war, allies, Poland, Czech Republic and North Macedonia, transferred another 302 T-72M1, T-72M1R and T-72A to Ukraine. Another 90 T-72B tanks are undergoing modernization in the Czech Republic.

And besides, thanks to Russian Lend-Lease, our soldiers and farmers captured at least 308 T-72s of various modifications. Tanks of this type are the most common trophy of the Armed Forces.

So yes, the main tank of 2022 is the old reliable T-72. Despite its age, it is still in service and can repel Russian terrorists.

Self-made products of 2022

Banderamobiles

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian propagandists for some reason scared their viewers with mythical armored vehicles, which are supposedly used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Well, a little later, Ukrainian craftsmen really developed several real banderamobiles. For every taste: with Mk19 grenade launchers, with twin PKT machine guns, self-made MLRS and others. Moreover, modern “tachankas” on steroids have gone viral.

Ukrainians are a nation of inventors and self-taught engineers who are capable of adapting anything for the destruction of the ruscists. And banderamobiles are just the beginning.

Breakthrough of 2022

Ukrainian naval USV

Despite obvious hints, attack by Ukrainian naval drones on the Sevastopol bay at the end of October 2022 was a complete surprise for many, and most importantly for the Russian occupiers. It was beautiful, it was lightning fast, it was daring – in the spirit of the best sabotage operations of the Second World War.

It is not clear why nobody, except Ukrainians, has modernized and implemented such an old idea, the roots of which go back to the fireships and subversive mini-submarines of the Second World War. But we have. Ukraine is a leader in the development and production of attack marine USVs (Unmanned surface vehicles).

A fleet of Ukrainian naval drones is already being built, and the Russians are forced to change the tactics of their “second fleet in the world” (no!), which is no longer the unanimous “lord” of the Black Sea.

Ukrainian weapons of 2022

R-360 Neptune

R-360 Neptune is a system that was not even part of the Armed Forces at the start of full-scale hostilities. A system in which many did not believe. A system that, as it were, could not capture the target at such a distance. But…

But on April 13, 2022 even nature was on the side of the Ukrainians. And P-360 Neptune managed to do it. The fact that the salvo, which sank one of the largest ships of one of the world’s strongest naval powers, was carried out by a system of Ukrainian development is very symbolic and very important.

The cruiser that “went to f… itself” is the first lost flagship of the Russian fleet since the Russo-Japanese War, and the largest warship sunk during a military conflict since World War II. So yes, the best Ukrainian weapons are the RK-360MC Neptune coastal mobile missile system and the R-360 Neptune missile.

Person of 2022

Ukrainian military

Everything is simple here, the Ukrainian military are iron men who hold our sky on their shoulders and hold our land. Infantrymen, tankers, gunners, sailors, pilots, air defense system operators, Special Operation Forces fighters, paratroopers and marines, sappers, medics and military logisticians, Territorial Defense fighters and members of the resistance movement. A low bow to you.

And also to the volunteers, workers of the State Emergency Service, policemen, energy workers, utility workers, everyone who works in their place for the sake of victory. We thank you!

Everything will be Ukraine, we know that for sure!