War on the Rocks Why Do Many Western Defense Tech Firms Struggle in Ukraine?
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Apr 23, 2026 
Michael Kofman, a senior military analyst on Russia and Ukraine, digs into why Western defense tech often underperforms in Ukraine. He covers drones’ shift from ISR to strike, implementation and feedback failures, mismatches between design and battlefield needs, and how Ukrainian unit-level innovation outpaces many Western firms.
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Three Root Causes Of Western Failures In Ukraine
- Western firms face three core failure categories: inexperienced entrants, poor implementation/feedback loops, and failure by design mismatches.
- Michael Kofman observed many firms arrive unprepared for Ukrainian bureaucracy and rapid obsolescence cycles, undermining battlefield utility.
Embed Engineers For Rapid Field Iteration
- Do embed engineers and R&D personnel with frontline users to enable fast iteration rather than only sending sales or contract staff.
- Kofman highlights Ukrainians' tight loop: makers sit next to units, fix gear, and retest within days.
Incentives Drive Product Mismatch
- Incentive mismatch: companies optimize for Western buyers, not Ukrainian battlefield needs, producing misaligned products.
- Ukrainians prefer cheap, cost-effective fixes and will accept kit that wouldn't meet U.S. requirements, Kofman notes.