[NetBehaviour] First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq (Updated).

marc garrett marc.garrett at furtherfield.org
Sat Aug 4 14:23:37 CEST 2007


First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq (Updated).

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.

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



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