First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq

[Ian David]

Robots have been roaming the streets of Iraq, since shortly after the war began. Now, for the first time -- the first time in any warzone -- the machines are carrying guns.

After years of development, three "special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action system" (SWORDS) robots have deployed to Iraq, armed with M249 machine guns. The 'bots "haven't fired their weapons yet," Michael Zecca, the SWORDS program manager, tells DANGER ROOM. "But that'll be happening soon."

The SWORDS -- modified versions of bomb-disposal robots used throughout Iraq -- were first declared ready for duty back in 2004. But concerns about safety kept the robots from being sent over the the battlefield. The machines had a tendency to spin out of control from time to time. That was an annoyance during ordnance-handling missions; no one wanted to contemplate the consequences during a firefight.

So the radio-controlled robots were retooled, for greater safety. In the past, weak signals would keep the robots from getting order for as much as eight seconds -- a significant lag during combat. Now, the SWORDS won't act on a command, unless its received right away. A three-part arming process -- with both physical and electronic safeties -- is required before firing. Most importantly, the machines now come with kill switches, in case there's any odd behavior. "So now we can kil lthe unit if it goes crazy," Zecca says.



More:
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/08/httpwwwnational.html

[PATRICK]

1. Great

something expensive and stupid for the enemy to blow up or capture, likely a constant threat to our troops, and a potentially berserk laughingstock.

Who gets the contract?

[Ian David]

2. They will greet our robots as liberators with WD-40 and batteries.

Or beer.

[Kagemusha]

3. Bah, these things sound worthless, not dangerous.

A joke. Nothing more.

[PATRICK]

4. Or

they could set these loose in crowd control situations and activate them from a safe remote location and blame the crowd for the regrettable malfunction that resulted in chaos and death. This looks like it is the only thing it is really capable of being used for.

Get the damn things driving the Hummers that are blowing up. Whoops, I forgot soldiers are cheaper and Bush has an army to destroy- ours.