Since the war began in Iraq, for the first time robots are equipped with guns to patrol streets of war zone.
After three years of development “special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action system’, (SWORDS) robots are armed with M249 machine guns in Iraq. However, the bot has not yet fired a single shot but according to ‘Michael Zecca’, the program manager of SWORDS, it will happen soon.
No doubt that the modified version of SWORDS called, bomb-disposal robots were also used throughout Iraq back in 2004 but due to some safety measures the machines were not sent to the battlefields whereas machine’s tendency to spin out of control from time to time was also one of the major catch.Therefore, now radio-controlled robots are retooled for more safety. In earlier weeks, weak signals delayed robot functioning for as much as eight seconds to receive orders during combat. Now, the SWORDS don’t functions on a command, unless it’s received instantly and via three-part arming process with both physical and electronic safeties, also mandatory before firing. Moreover, to combat the odd behavior, kill switches are also installed.
Zecca asserts, ‘So now we can kill the unit if it goes crazy.
Initially only three robots are deployed in Iraq. Although, Zecca is ready to send more, however, couldn’t due to some financial crisis. Whereas until now, Army is also not considering these bots as a priority but the day these machines will begin their firefights, the bots will emerge as first precedence of the army.
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