A robotic future: US Army considering a platoon of steel to save lives

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE TERMINATOR MAY NOT HAVE EXACTLY PREDICTED THE FUTURE.

BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR, ROBOTICS ARE A BIGGER PART OF WARFARE THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND NOW, THE ARMY SAYS ROBOTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SPARE MORE U-S LIVES, BY FURTHER LIMITING DIRECT COMBAT FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.

[ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER]

COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

AS WE SPEAK, A PROPOSAL TO IMBED NEW DRONE AND ROBOTICS PLATOONS WITHIN BRIGADES ARMY-WIDE IS UNDER CONSIDERATION.

HOW MANY ARMED PLATOONS WOULD BE IMBEDDED IS STILL BEING WORKED OUT. BUT THE ARMY REPORTEDLY HAS THE CAPACITY TO OUTFIT  16 OF THESE ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM PLATOONS.

GROUND ROBOTS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY NEW TO THE ARMY. THE MILITARY HAS EXPERIMENTED WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME. SOME ARE CALLED QUADRUPED ROBOTS, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS “ROBOT DOGS.”

THE KINKS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT, THOUGH. THEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS SENSING OBSTACLES AND DIDN’T ENTIRELY LISTEN TO THE HUMANS “BARKING” ORDERS AT THEM.

RIGHT NOW, THE ARMY HAS TWO ROBOTIC AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM PLATOONS. 

ONE IS WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE, ONE IS EXPERIMENTAL.

THEY USE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DRONES, LIKE THE GHOST-X DRONE.

AND THE PLATOON FEATURES A SQUAD MULTIPURPOSE TRANSPORT VEHICLE. 

THIS BAD BOY CAN BE KITTED OUT WITH DIFFERENT TOOLS OR WEAPONS DEPENDING ON THE MISSION–LIKE A JAVELIN ANTI-TANK MISSILE, RAS PLATOONS ARE CAPABLE OF SCOUTING OUT LOCATIONS AND ENGAGING ENEMY FORCES BEFORE ANY FRIENDLY HUMANS STEP FOOT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.SAVING AMERICAN LIVES.

OF COURSE THERE ARE SOME ETHICAL QUESTIONS THAT STILL NEED ANSWERED.  LIKE WHO SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION TO KILL AN ENEMY… A ROBOT OR HUMAN?

RIGHT NOW, THE DECISION USUALLY LIES IN THE HANDS OF THE HUMAN OPERATING THE MACHINE, AT LEAST FOR U.S. FORCES. THERE IS EVIDENCE SOME DRONES IN UKRAINE COULD BE TAKING AUTONOMOUS LETHAL ACTION. .

THE U.N. ISN’T SAYING MUCH ON THE USE OF SO-CALLED “ROBOTIC WARFARE.”

IN GENEVA IN 2021, U.N. OFFICIALS DISCUSSED AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS, BUT TABLED THE TALKS

AND WHEN IT COMES TO DRONES AND INTERNATIONAL LAW, THERE IS NO PROVISION SPECIFICALLY MENTIONING THEIR USE IN WAR.

THE GENEVA CONVENTION HAS BEEN UPDATED IN THE PAST TO RESTRICT LAND MINES, BOOBY TRAPS, AND INCENDIARY WEAPONS.