#Robot

Most of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s probably have the name Skynet and the associated legion of 40-watt Phased Plasma Rifle toting robots burned into our memories as something to be feared in our near future. TFB recently came across a YouTube video from user Alexander Atamanov titled “Patrol dog robot” featuring a 9mm AK equipped robot running around and lighting up targets with both full auto and semi-auto fire.

When the subject is the future of infantry, the conversation inevitably turns to one thing: Powered, armored exoskeletons. Since the publication of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers in 1959, the concept of an armored suit with enhanced mobility from an internal power source has fascinated military futurists, quickly solidifying as a military fiction staple, and even appearing repeatedly in official “future soldier” concepts from armies and companies around the world.

At the 2017 Association of the United States Army annual meeting, Korean optics maker DI Optical was showing off many of their familiar products, but also had on display an interesting looking rifle attachment from a company called Jammer Korea. The attachment, named the “DRONE SNIPER”, is a familiar multi-frequency radio jammer, but in a slick underbarrel package that weighs much less than current standalone launchers.

BAE Systems has announced a new robotic unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that could assist future infantry units with tasks ranging from explosives ordnance disposal (EOD) to casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), and even target suppression. The robot, called “Ironclad”, comes in two variants, and is projected to have at least four modular equipment packages, including a machine gun installation, advanced sensor modules, robotic arm, and stretcher mounts.

It’s no secret that the field of war is changing, and that fact is just as true for the infantryman as it is the F-35 Lightning II pilot. Increasingly, small, inexpensive, expendable drones are being used as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, as well as delivery platforms for light ordnance as well as kamikaze weapons. Today, the use of drones in this manner is in its infancy, but the next generation of purpose-built light combat drones is being designed and built right now. Israeli firms like Duke Robotics and UVision have already created armed and kamikaze (respectively) drone systems, and combatants in the Iraqi and Syrian Civil Wars famously used drones as delivery platforms for 40mm grenades. The use of civilian light drones as “snooping” devices has already spurred the development of anti-drone weapons for security forces, including both electromagnetic “rifles” that zap drones to take control of them, as well as more crude (but still effective) anti-drone shotgun payloads.

Russia has been developing a humanoid robot for several years now. Its primary purpose is to help astronauts during space missions. Since its appearance in the media, there were discussions of how it can be used for military applications. And just recently a video appeared on the internet released by the Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin on his social media pages. In the video, they are testing that robot in a course of several unmanned vehicles tests. Particularly, the robot dual wields Glock pistols and does it pretty well.

American Weapons posted a video of a Glock employee loading Glocks into a testing robot machine. The robot rapidly unloads the Glock by firing all the rounds until the magazine is empty. I am very curious what groups this robotic like ransom rest is getting with these Glocks.

Who hasn’t dreamed of shooting at a target drone at the range instead of boring steel targets?

Earlier this year South Korea made news by deploying two experimental sentry robots that were able to shoot at perceived threats without human intervention. A few days ago the UTSPO granted Samsung Techwin, a subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung, a patent for an “ Automatic shooting mechanism and robot“.

Metal Storm seems to have survived the … uuuggghhh … storm. This video shot by the US Navy (who funds Metal Storm research) shows a Metal Storm FireStorm 40mm grenade launcher mounted on a iRobot 710 Warrior unmanned ground vehicle.