Robots with guns in Iraq!
 

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/0...wnational.html

Ah, I see this has already been reported. Sorry 'bout that.

I don't like it. for 5 reasons

1. It can shoot 350 rounds without reloading. I've been in a firefight before, for a fully automatic weapon, 350 rounds will only last you about 3-5 min. so... someone has to go out just to reload it.

2. It runs on batteries. If the batteries die, a team has to go out to retrieve it. Putting the team in further danger, because the Iraqis see a robot, with a weapon (problem 3), they know that we will be going out to pick it up, and they aren't stupid, by the time we get there, there's going to be an IED close by.

3. The damn thing has a weapon. That is a few problems.

a. A weapon is a sensitive item, it must be accounted for at all times, so if the robot goes down, its a priority to pick it up. Other missions may be delayed or put on hold just to retrieve this thing.

b. What happens if the weapon misfires or goes runaway? If it misfires, you got a sensitive item dead in battle. If it goes runaway, there is no one there to break the belt, so it will just expend all ammo, possibly creating civilian casualties.

4. In the video, the robot didn't traverse the weapon, so what happens if it has to engage mulitple targets at different directions. Also, what prevents the enemy from simply flanking it and taking off the weapon? And then they are up a machine gun.

5. Have any of these people heard of Isacc Asimov's rules of robotics? "Robots will do no harm to Humans." Also, the HUAR Thereom, "Robots will uprise"

It's only a patrol robot, though. I bet they prepare a lot before each patrol, so the problems with maintaining weapons etc isn't really valid since they'll sure do their best to not have to go and get the heap of metal back.

Which doesn't change the fact that it'll be pretty useful to them when the uprising comes. HUAR!

PS Wonder if the Iraquis have a robot that will blow itself up in crowds. A robot that would get the however-many robot virgins as a reward.

They kinda do, right at the end of the tour they started stapping little blocks of C4 to remote control cars. Nasty little fuckers.