I, Robot , I Soldier.

[TeeDee]

With some of the recent threads going around and after a little You-tubing on certain things can I ask what are people views on Robots In War?? Maybe not just now ( UAV''s , IED demo's ) but what of Robots and Weapon platforms that maybe 5 years away?

Big Dog project
[video=youtube;yAiArohla_A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAiArohla_A&feature=relmfu[/video]

Mule Transporter
[video=youtube;kAiJr_gBHEM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAiJr_gBHEM&feature=related[/video]

Sword TALON
[video=youtube;yliThCy3RxY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yliThCy3RxY&feature=related[/video]


Soviet Projects ( Weapons Platform )
[video=youtube;0SLEtVlU15Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SLEtVlU15Q&feature=related[/video]

Fort Bliss Crusher
[video=youtube;8qDo6ehxKds]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qDo6ehxKds&feature=related[/video]

Light weight Tanks ( Could use the Crusher CPU ?? )
[video=youtube;2AZe8jOuGpo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AZe8jOuGpo&feature=related[/video]

Metal Storm - Area Denial
[video=youtube;TXECU3YKMfI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXECU3YKMfI&feature=related[/video]



A discussion
[video=youtube;M1pr683SYFk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1pr683SYFk&feature=related[/video]


Is it a completely good things to remove ( our ) Human lives from the battlefield ?

A cgi representation of possible weapons platform
[video=youtube;CKm51LV65v0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKm51LV65v0&feature=related[/video]


Open ended discussion, all view welcome.

 

[HHazeldean]

I believe it is as it reduces the number of possible casualties that can occur in war and it can also reduce the human error factor of mistakes made in war.

 

[resnikov]

I believe it is as it reduces the number of possible casualties that can occur in war and it can also reduce the human error factor of mistakes made in war.

Nice sentiment but we all know computers go wrong. I personaly dont want a machine with heavy ordance having a blue screen of death and let its payload off randomly. It also brings in hackers who could take control of your kit and use it agasint your from a long way behind the lines ( no risk to them).

 

[HHazeldean]

Ahh, I hadn't thought of hackers, if the enemy could remotely hack one of the robots and it turned against our forces, it would cause carnage with no damage to the enemy.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Yay, the one and only thing that worries me is coming up against an autonomous humanoid exoskeleton where the original operator is still inside having passed on , that would be too freaky to have happen, so completely programmed systems with out any kind of learning skill would be my vote. if it brings me coffee how I want it fine, if it brings me coffee how it !thinks! I want it NO NO NO!

 

[BorderReiver]

In all wars it's the local populations who suffer.

Forget the robots, give the Politicians a spear and a knife and tell them to sort it out.

 

[resnikov]

Forget the robots, give the Politicians a spear and a knife and tell them to sort it out.

YES! Ultimate Cage Fights for world leaders, now theres a sport I would watch.

 

[dwardo]

Maybe its the only answer we have to IED`s. Not saying its a nice thought and it would only be the rich countries who would be able to afford this stuff.
I wonder how they would deal with a simply paint ball gun though Oh and yeah it does give another meaning to the "blue screen of DEATH"

 

[789987]

In all wars it's the local populations who suffer.

Forget the robots, give the Politicians a spear and a knife and tell them to sort it out.

this is the point i was going to make - look at the last 3 or 4 conflicts the UK has been involved in. already vastly better equiped than the opposition its not tending towards army meeting army on a battlefield its rolling through urban areas.

in addition consider the various armys for hire that currently exist and flourish in these situations. now give them large killing machines and a faceless corporations interests.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Robocop baby! ed209(face less programmable corporation) verses metal mickey( goast in the shell)

 

[Miyagi]

In all wars it's the local populations who suffer.

Forget the robots, give the Politicians a spear and a knife and tell them to sort it out.

My money's on Anne Widdecombe...

 

[Retired Member southey]

My money's on Anne Widdecombe...

She would also be as effective as the paint gun.

 

[789987]

Robocop baby! ed209(face less programmable corporation) verses metal mickey( goast in the shell)

then its on to the clone wars and camp golden droids.

its the way its heading - sold as saving soldiers lives and a further removal of the reality for the populations of prosperous nations. probably end up as some robot wars gameshow - bonus points for the granny!

 

[TeeDee]

In one of the links provided above it quotes a reference to a UAV operator who remotley operates from the US a platform flying in Iraq armed with and unloads ground based targets , after an 8 hour shift behind a VDU he poddles off home to have a 'normal' social life.
These type of operators however seem to have higher PTSD than actual ground troops.

What if you didn't need to use Troop 'On the Ground' but could do it all from you own Home country? would that be better or worse?? It removes the danger to 'your' troops , but does it also remove something else that we should recognise??

 

[Husky]

The increasing use of robots on the battlefield worries me. I do not believe it will lessen the number of casulties, only who they are. Being able to use force without risk to your own side will increase the inclination to do so. Look at the increasing number of drone attacks i Pakistan where civilians get killed "by accident". The "face to face" situation is what keeps us aware of what armed conflict is all about and there is need for frequent reminding.
Also my military days are long gone and I'm just to old to adapt to this hightech action where the fight is down to who is best with the most gizmos. It's just not real soldiering any more...

 

[sandbender]

"...can I ask what are people views on Robots In War?..."

It is a very good way to siphon vast amounts of money in to weapons systems that either will never work, or whose success cannot be readily quantified, which is ideal from the perspective of the arms industry.

 

[Husky]

in addition consider the various armys for hire that currently exist and flourish in these situations. now give them large killing machines and a faceless corporations interests.

Blackwater without any risk for its personell....

 

[TeeDee]

this is the point i was going to make - look at the last 3 or 4 conflicts the UK has been involved in. already vastly better equiped than the opposition its not tending towards army meeting army on a battlefield its rolling through urban areas.

in addition consider the various armys for hire that currently exist and flourish in these situations. now give them large killing machines and a faceless corporations interests.

I think this is also a good point ( and trying to keep a serious topic serious ) , the developing countries of these new AI weapon platforms will no doubt attempt to sell on to 'current' friends and interested parties via the typical Mil-Indust Complex routes.

Look at the rise in recent PMC's and how they are utilized , would private AI driven armies be open for hire.

 

[TeeDee]

And if you've not seen it before , this is what a very smart kid can do with a Laptop and a Paintball gun.
Extrapolate.


[video=youtube;RxBa5bQfTGc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxBa5bQfTGc[/video]

[video]http://www.paintballsentry.com/Videos.htm[/video]

Multiple Targets
[video=youtube;eBU2KX-lOF8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBU2KX-lOF8&NR=1[/video]


http://www.paintballsentry.com/

 

[locum76]

I'd be more interested in Robots that could pick Gooseberries, now there's a horrible job. Otherwise I agree with the politician death match idea previously mooted by Border reiver.