USA transferred two humanoid robots to Ukraine to test them in combat conditions
The United States has transferred two humanoid soldier robots, Phantom MK-1, to Ukraine for testing in real war conditions. This was reported by Time magazine, citing the Foundation company that develops them.
Photo: Mattia Balsamini for Time
The first two robots arrived in Ukraine in February. They look human: they have a black metal body, and instead of a face, they have a darkened visor. During demonstrations, the robots can use various types of weapons — from pistols and revolvers to shotguns and M-16 rifle replicas.
The developers call Phantom the first humanoid robot specifically designed for military tasks. The company has already received tens of millions of dollars for research from various units of the US Armed Forces.
Company co-founder Mike LeBlanc, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, explains that the goal of the development is for robots, not humans, to be sent to war in the future.
Engineers want to create a platform capable of using any weapon that a human can handle. In the near future, the robots are also planned to be tested during US Marine Corps building assault training. They are taught, for example, to place explosives on doors to help soldiers safely enter premises.
In Ukraine, the robots are planned to be used primarily for frontline reconnaissance. According to LeBlanc, modern warfare is gradually becoming a "robot war," where machines perform the main work, and humans only support them.
He believes that humanoid robots can be particularly useful for reconnaissance and supply, for example, in places difficult for drones to penetrate — in narrow bunkers or underground shelters. Robots do not tire, do not feel fear, can operate in difficult conditions, and are not afraid of radiation, chemical, or biological threats. In addition, their thermal signature is similar to a human's, which can mislead the enemy and make them mistake a robot for a soldier.
Developers believe that in the future, large armies of humanoid robots could play a role as a unique deterrent, similar to nuclear weapons, where neither side would have a significant tactical advantage.
However, the development of such robots is not limited to the USA — Russia and China are also developing similar projects, which could lead to the emergence of a new type of weaponry.
At the same time, experts warn of possible risks. In their opinion, the widespread use of automated combat systems could lower psychological and moral barriers to starting a war and complicate accountability for errors.
According to current Pentagon rules, such systems can only use weapons after human authorization. Nevertheless, drones with elements of autonomous target selection are already being used in the war in Ukraine.
Japanese man rented apartment where his wife was murdered for 26 years to preserve evidence in hope of new technologies. And finally, the killer was found 11
Comments