Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Armed Robots To Deploy in Iraq

From Al Menhar online...

The US military is planning to deploy robots armed with machine-guns to wage war against insurgents in Iraq.
Eighteen of the 1m-high robots, equipped with cameras and operated by remote control, are going to Iraq this spring, the Associated Press reports.
The robot fighter has been named Swords, after the acronym for Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems.
It is based on the Talon robot, which is widely used by the military to disarm bombs.
A US officer who helped test the robot said it was a more accurate shot than the average soldier because it is mounted on a stable platform and takes aim electronically.

Talon
"It eliminates the majority of shooting errors you have," said Staff Sgt Santiago Tordillos.
Mr Quinn of Foster-Miller says there are plans to replace the computer screen, joysticks and keypad in the remote-control unit with a Gameboy-style controller and virtual-reality goggles.
The Foster-Miller company is owned by the QinetiQ Group, a joint venture between the UK's Ministry of Defence and US-based holding company, Carlyle Group.

We have reported about the Talon before but I thought this was interesting because the source is an Iraqi newspaper.

US plans 'robot troops' for Iraq

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