Posted on 11/18/2019 5:07:30 PM PST by Mariner
(Washington, D.C.) Armed Army robot vehicles conducted reconnaissance, called for indirect fire and then, when directed by human decision-makers, attacked and destroyed enemy targets in a recent experiment designed to assess the technical maturity and readiness of autonomous ground drones.
“We had four robot vehicles conduct a tactical mission while humans were safe in defilade. We built four robots that are refurbished M113 tracked vehicles and we’ve taken two Bradleys -- gutted them -- and turned them into two control vehicles with all kinds of sensors on them,” Jeff Langhout, Director, Ground Vehicle Systems Center, told reporters in October at the Association of the United States Army Annual Symposium, Washington, D.C.
Langhout explained that the robots engaged in “direct fire” missions when directed by human decision-makers, per existing doctrine requiring a human to be “in the loop” when it comes to using lethal force for attack.
It’s the cutting edge of manned-unmanned teaming, human-machine interface coordinating human decision-makers with robots increasingly able to perform autonomous functions. The Army doctrinal parameters are significant here, because the technological ability of a robot to surveil, track, target and destroy a target without human intervention -- is basically here. However, for ethical and tactical reasons, DoD maintains its clear position that humans must make decisions regarding the use of lethal force, despite advances in algorithms enabling greater autonomy. The doctrinal stance is also grounded in a recognition that even the most advanced computer algorithms are not sufficient to replace the problem-solving, decision-making abilities of human cognition. There is concern, however, that potential adversaries will not adhere to similar doctrine.
These questions figure prominently as the Army leverages the best available technology and makes rapid progress toward its ultimate goal of fielding a fleet of unmanned vehicles operating as “wing-men” for manned attack vehicles.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...
These machines will be relatively cheap and pack a lot of firepower. And they will be expendable and fearless.
Woe to whomever falls behind.
Rise of the Machines ping.
Directed by James Cameron
There are serious EM issues that can throw a monkey wrench into this. Lots of $$ and time are being invested into Cyber.
Skynet 1.0
Shouldn’t this be secret?
I’m so glad I’m retired and don’t have to worry about stuff like this.
Wasn’t there an old book (maybe “I Robot” by Asimov) that had the first rule for Robots is to not harm any humans? That seemed smart - but that will be the first to get tossed.
I saw some youtube video of a robot with a pistol. The human was knocking it over, hitting it with a 2x4 and that thing would be wobbling and still hit the target.
A few times though it had REALLY bad muzzle control. The guy would hit it and the robot would spin around swinging the pistol right through the guy.
“There are serious EM issues that can throw a monkey wrench into this. Lots of $$ and time are being invested into Cyber.”
An internal compartment lined with 12 gauge lead foil solves much of it. Comms will be the issue, no doubt.
But if your AI is good enough...who needs comms until it’s over?
Do these machines have trannies?
This is what they accomplished some time ago. No telling what are are doing now.
So that is the rumored experiments going on in Syria.
Bolo ...
Science Fiction is becoming reality.
That was phony.
The second amendment applies to phased plasma rifles in forty watt range.
(Unless we allow the hoplophobes run us)
Just sayin’
Transmissions or transexuals?
The lightest is 10 tons, tracked and with a mini gun and a pair of ATGMs.
The largest is over 40 tons and designed to take tanks head-on with a big gun.
Lighter, faster and more firepower than manned systems.
And they will have trannies.
Hunter-killers.
And they’ll be comparatively cheap.
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