COMBAT SUPPORT: An Army of Droids Goes to Iraq [UGVs - unmanned ground vehicles]

StrategyPage.com ^ | February 21, 2004

[John Jorsett]

The U.S. Army is sending 150 UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) to Iraqi in the next three months. The UGVs (PackBot, Talon, Mini-Andros, Matilda and Vanguard), from five different manufacturers, are small, remotely controlled vehicles used to check out, and disable, bombs and booby traps. Most (75-90 percent) of the roadside bombs used against coalition forces in Iraq are being discovered. But then you have to do something with them. Often, it's a false alarm. By having plenty of UGVs around, the quick reaction forces or EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) units can get to the scene quickly and clear the situation up. The UGVs will be equipped with a number of electronic disruptors that have proven successful at disabling many of the remote control systems (from toys, wireless doorbells, garage door openers an so on) used to detonate the bombs. Many of these UGVs have already seen action in Afghanistan, and Iraq.

[John Jorsett]

Packbot:

Matilda:

Mini-Andros:

Vanguard:

Talon:

[Tennessee_Bob]

I understand that these will be deploying next:

[ASA Vet]

"By your command"

[John Jorsett]

I've actually seen Talon in person. It may be saying something about its readiness for indoor use that they had to carry it into the building.

[BenLurkin]

I would say that an enemy that uses suicide bombers deserves to be hunted by robots.