On the land, on the water and in the air, the robots are coming.Autonomous weapons are moving closer and closer to reality.The US military plans to start using thousands of autonomous weapon systems in a bid to counter China’s growing power.The so-called Replicator initiative aims to work with defence and other tech companies to produce high volumes of affordable systems for all branches of the military.To succeed in the battlespace, the US believes it must field autonomous weapons.This is the argument Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks made in a speech on August 28:“To stay ahead, we’re going to create a new state of the art — just as America has before — leveraging attributable, autonomous systems in all domains — which are less expensive, put fewer people in the line of fire, and can be changed, updated or improved with substantially shorter lead times,” said Hicks.For the US Military, Russia is an “acute threat” but China is the “pacing challenge” against which to benchmark its military capabilities.China’s People’s Liberation Army is seen as having a significant advantage in terms of mass: it has more people, more tanks, more ships, more missiles and so on. The US may have better-quality equipment, but China wins on quantity.By quickly building thousands of attributable autonomous systems, the Replicator program will potentially give the US the weapons considered necessary to win future major conflicts.Whether we like it or not and some ethical observers don’t, the US and other democratic nations will develop, field and, if necessary, use lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). The bad actors will too, of course. Meanwhile, the US Army is already using automated machines for a variety of purposes — from transportation, training, search and rescue, to clearing mines, fighting fire, surveillance and reconnaissance.Military robots can be broken down into three types: Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV).Interesting Engineering recently listed several examples of military robots coming to a battle zone in the near future.MQ-28 Ghost Bat Loyal WingmanManufactured in Australia by Boeing, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat UAV is a wingman drone that’s 38-ft. long and can fly more than 2,000 nautical miles. Equipped with a variety of sensors, the Ghost Bat supports reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence missions, utilizing AI for independent flight.Described as a 'force multiplier,' it can also be used in conjunction with crewed aircraft. The US Air Force is interested in the Ghost Bat as it looks to create a fleet of 1,000 drones or CCAs (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) flying alongside manned aircraft in battle scenarios.The Ghost Bat features a modular system that allows the nose of the aircraft to be swapped out quickly. In this way, the equipment modules can vary depending on the mission, be it gathering intelligence, combat or electronic warfare. .RIPSAW M5 Battle WagonThe Ripsaw unmanned ground combat vehicles (UGVs), currently in their 5th generation, were designed for speed and maneuverability on the battlefield.Currently owned by Textron Systems, the UGVs were developed by Howe & Howe Technologies, which started up as a family project by two twin brothers.Offering maximum situational awareness with mounted cameras providing 360-degree coverage, these vehicles are under order by the US Army, which is hoping to utilize them as part of its Robotic Combat Vehicle-Medium (RCV-M) program.The Ripsaws can be useful in a variety of applications: everything from protecting convoys and conducting rescue missions to setting up a perimeter defence, surveillance, patrolling a border and even crowd control. They can also handle the disposal of explosive devices..THeMIS Off-Road VehicleThe THeMIS from Milrem Robotics is a ground vehicle, whose purpose, according to the manufacturer, is to “reduce the number of troops on the battlefield.” The vehicle has so far been subjected to various exercises and saw action during the anti-insurgency mission Operation Barkhane in Mali.The THeMIS can be reconfigured for uses from transport to attack and can be used for ordnance disposal and supporting intelligence operations. It has been purchased by 16 countries, including the United States, the UK, Spain, Norway, Netherlands, Estonia, France and Germany.While set up as a Cargo CASEVAC, the vehicle helps with the quick evacuation of casualties to medical facilities, reducing the need for human power..Ghost 4 Recon UAVGhost 4, from Anduril Industries, is a silent, smart and modular UAS that’s geared for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Its small size (2.72 meters in length and 0.42 in width) and helicopter-like single-rotor design, allows for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) in small spaces. It is equipped with an EO/IR gimbal that can support a variety of payloads, while its sensor gimbals, spotlights and speakers allow for additional mission options. The versatility of the weatherproofed drone is supported by its ability to withstand high winds and other harsh flight conditions. It can also be submerged in up to 1 metre of water. .StrykerX Armoured VehicleCreated by General Dynamics, Stryker X is a new version of the defence maker’s Stryker infantry carrier vehicles. The Stryker X incorporates a tremendous amount of tech, including unmanned capabilities.This vehicle allows for unprecedented cooperation with the operators, featuring a range of advanced technologies that can help support soldiers in the field of battle.The Stryker X can shoot laser weapons, launch drone attacks and carry out electronic warfare.Its hybrid-electric engine also helps it achieve a longer 'silent watch' operation, allowing the vehicle to conduct reconnaissance missions without generating acoustic or thermal signatures.. Jaguar Ground VehicleThe Jaguar is a robotic vehicle developed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Israel Aerospace Industries to replace soldiers on the battlefield and border patrol missions. It features a 7.62mm MAG machine gun that can shoot while the UGV is stationary or on the move.Named 'Jaguar' for its maneuverability, the vehicle is also equipped with high-resolution cameras, headlights, a remote-controlled public address system (PA) and transmitters.Among its capabilities is the ability to drive itself to a specific destination by using its sensors to avoid obstacles. It can also self-destruct if it is captured by the enemy..DOGO Combat RobotA small tactical combat robot, DOGO was designed by General Robotics as a watchdog for soldiers in the field and to assist in anti-terrorism operations, including in situations of urban warfare or hostage rescue, law enforcement and special ops.The robot is designed to aid SWAT teams and in close-quarters combat (CQB), whether inside buildings or underground. Operators can use a Point & Shoot interface to control the DOGO, moving it by clicking on a screen.The UGV is armed with a 9 mm Glock pistol and can utilize its heavy-duty treads to traverse any terrain. Very portable, it weighs only 26 pounds and can be carried by a soldier in one hand. DOGO can be equipped with non-lethal features such as pepper spray and a dazzler to temporarily incapacitate aggressors. .MAARS Multi-Mission UGVDeveloped by Qinetiq, the Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System (MAARS) is a UGV made for missions involving reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, with the specific goal of improving the security of soldiers in forward locations.One of the advantages of using MAARS is that it can keep a safe distance from enemy fire while carrying out security missions such as ambushes, hostage rescue, entering booby-trapped areas, using forced entry or addressing IEDs.Its capabilities include motion detectors, day and night cameras for driving and situational awareness, a microphone and a loudspeaker. It can move at seven mph and travel 800 to 1000 meters from its controller.Included in its weapons systems are a grenade launcher and machine gun as well as non-lethal laser dazzlers, audio deterrents and less-than-lethal grenades..SAFFiR Firefighting RobotCreated by researchers at Virginia Tech to aid Navy officers, SAFFiR (Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot) can put out fires on naval ships. Naval vessels are in particular danger from fires due to their on-board ordnance and isolation at sea. A well-trained robot can act quickly in dangerous conditions to extinguish fires.Standing at almost six-ft. tall, this firefighting humanoid can handle a fire hose as well as manipulate fire nozzles. It’s not quite the robot in the Terminator movies, but it can literally walk through flames and can see right through thick smoke thanks to its infrared stereo vision sensors, a gas sensor, LIDAR, UV cameras and a rotating laser.The Navy is working on creating more advanced sensors for SAFFiR, as well as improving its speed, intelligence and communication abilities.— With files from Interesting Engineering
