Pentagon prepares to build £70bn robot army

The Daily Telegraph ^ | February 17, 2005 | Francis Harris

[MadIvan]

Interesting. I can see, say, the Syrian army soiling their pants in the face of terminator-like robots marching towards them.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[B-Chan]

"Count Dooku, Trade Federation, Banking Clan Prepare to Build 70bn Credit Robot Army."

Meanwhile, the Chinese Republic is cloning copies of Suz Tzu by the millions in their oceangoing factories...

Begun, these Clone Wars have.

[Constantine XIII]

bwahahahahahaha! Excellent!

[fwddeployed]

The author of this article is so void of understanding of FCS that he needs to go back to school and learn how to do research all over again. And the fact that the Army is introducing robots into their arsenal is no surprise. This has been going on for quite some time. Our engineers use them routinely to destroy IED's and look in rooms that may be booby trapped. FCS is a larger program that fields a common chasis, mulitple role vehicle approache with enhanced communications, survivability, stand off and lethatlity. FCS is all over the place in terms of info. Anyway... robots are cool.

[kb2614]

I hear the Pentagon is looking at a British company to make them. Hear are some prototypes. Now, which ones do you choose??? :-)

[rotstan]

One can argue that robots have been used in combat since at least WWII. A torpedo is essentially a crude robot; cruise missiles such as the German V-1 are more sophisticated, but robotic weapons nonetheless.

What we need to worry about is SkyNet unleashing all these terminators on us!

[WindOracle]

I am afraid you are incorrect, the lower photograph is of the French Tickler model.

[MadIvan]

I suggest the Daleks; the whole "exterminate, exterminate" mantra sends the enemy the right message.

Regards, Ivan

[Wiggins]

Take this Mullahs!

[Mr. Silverback]

In all seeriousness, te robot wars of the future will probably be more like the "soldierboy" telepresence rigs in "Forever Peace" by Joe Haldemann.

But if you read it, just be forewarned that Haldemann's a lib. The book's underlying premises are more than worth the read, however.

[Larry Lucido]

If you tickle the french, do they surrender faster?

[WindOracle]

What do ya call a French Fighter ya see screaming into battle? A Mirage

[GeronL]

We'll build them and Israel will build their own cheaper, they'll just simplify some software and such.. I wonder how long before the first battle of the robot armies takes place?

[carumba]

Scientists say that, working at full tilt, the process is likely to take at least 20 years.

Looks like they need to call in the engineers.

[WindOracle]

they gotta milk those govt contracts for all they are worth.

[C210N]

Who needs hardware? The step after robot soldiers is fighting wars, supercomputer to supercomputer. Of course, the loser will have to "terminate" more human units.

[courtesy of some original-series Star Trek]

[Names Ash Housewares]

Just keep a human in the command loop is all I ask.