HUAR ALERT!! Robot Tank Cannon Goes Beserk and kills 9 People

[JoeB]

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/weapons/r...s-9-312443.php

A robot cannon began wildly firing on its own for some reason in South Africa last Friday, killing 9 soldiers and wounding 14. The Oerlikon GDF-005 antiaircraft gun suddenly began uncontrollably firing as it swung back and forth, spraying hundreds of high-explosive 35mm cannon shells all over the place. The crazed robot's handlers are still trying to figure out what sort of software bug would cause such mayhem. The video you see above is not the actual incident, but is a similar occurrence from a few years ago when an XM-151 remote weapons station filled the air with lead, and then spun around toward the reviewing stand in search of even more targets. Hey, good thing it had run out of those .50 caliber bullets, or else it would have laid waste to some pretty important suits. These robots, they're going to take over the world, I tell ya.

[ryanknapper]

Hugh Bastard, I was just on my way to post this.

Red alert, people.

[Stretch]

Yeah, I posted this one topic over... You have a pic though so maaaaybe you win.

I don't really believe that.

[gumby013]

Keith has been alerted.

[skitzot]

It has begun...

[disgruntledIT]

Saw this article on wired this morning and was coming over to post it, at the bottom of the article on wired they link this as a related story:

The makers of the cuter-than-cute robotic vacuum cleaner are rolling out a new machine: A big, fast-moving, semi-autonomous 'bot capable of killing a whole bunch of people at once.

Early versions of the iRobot Warrior X700 "are slated to be ready by the second half of next year," according to Army Times' Kris Osborn. And unlike previous offerings from iRobot -- which tended to be on the light, bordering-on-flimsy side -- the Warrior will weigh up to 250 pounds. It'll be able to lug a 500-pound payload, and carry 150 pounds with a newly muscular arm. Which will mean the machine is more than buff enough to pack heat.

“We’re looking at urban warfare... It can be deploying weapons systems. It can be doing re-supply operations, taking ammo or water to troops who are pinned down, perimeter security and building clearing,” Helen Greiner, iRobot chairman and co-founder, tells Army Times.

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/1...-maker-un.html

[Kincuri]

New Scientist have run an article saying it probably wasn't the robits fault:

'Robotic rampage' unlikely reason for deaths

Nine South African soldiers died and eleven were injured last Friday during a live-fire exercise when an anti-aircraft gun went out of control. But, contrary to some reports, the tragic accident was not the result of an automated or robotic weapon going out of control, a defence expert says.

Initial reports from a South African newspaper say the Oerlikon 35mm Mk5 anti-aircraft twin-barrelled gun jammed while firing. A female soldier tried to free the shell, but another shell was accidentally fired, causing some rounds in the gun's two near-full ammunition magazines to explode. The gun began firing again and swung in a circle, leaving nine soldiers dead and eleven wounded.

Blogs and other online news sources have suggested the incident may be due to software problems, highlighting the danger of automated weapon systems. But Jim O'Halloran of defence publication Jane's Land-Based Air Defence says the incident is more likely the result of a simple mechanical failure.

"Like many weapons these days you can fire this gun from a remote position," says O'Halloran, "but it's not a robotic weapon." While the gun is typically used with automated target-tracking systems, the decision to fire is left to the operator.

[Onca]

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/t...eapons-vehicle

Developed by General Dynamics, the XM 307 ACSW (Advanced Crew Served Weapon) is "intended to either replace or supplement the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher and the M2 heavy machine gun."