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War By Remote Control, With Military Robots Set To Self Destruct

Posted by timothy on from the if-you-hear-buzzing-it's-too-late dept.

New submitter RougeFive writes "A new wave of Kamikaze unmanned military aircraft, ground robots and water vessels are being built to deliberately destroy themselves as they hit their targets. Since it now makes more economic sense to have them crash into enemy targets rather than engage them, and since direct impact needs only manned or automated navigation rather than the highly-trained skills of multiple operators, these UAVs could well become the de-facto method of engagement of the future."

5 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. I think I've heard of this kind of warfare before by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I believe they're called 'missiles'

  2. What's old is new? by Firethorn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I do believe that you're right. 'Guided Missiles' specifically.

    I guess the difference here is that the UAV can do more than just head to a target for destruction, and CAN be recovered intact for reuse if the operator doesn't chose to detonate it. A cruise missile was launched at a specific target. This you could launch for recon then use destructively if a target of opportunity pops up.

    A Missile+, perhaps.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
    1. Re:What's old is new? by schlachter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Planned obsolescence. The optimal design for an defense company is one that must constantly be replaced.

      --
      My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
  3. Jhadi robots and hero robots by Old97 · · Score: 4, Funny

    What happens to a robot that "martyrs" itself for the cause? Does it go somewhere where it is greeted warmly by 72 robots still in their original packaging? For other causes would their be posthumous medals awarded and parades and all? If not, then who gets the "credit"? Oh, so that's the point!

    --
    Very often, people confuse simple with simplistic. The nuance is lost on most. - Clement Mok
  4. Design meeting discussion by Overzeetop · · Score: 4, Funny

    I suspect the conversation went something like this:

    General: Team, we need to find a way to double the range of these drones, but I don't have any additional design money for this project.

    Senior Engineer: There's no room in the flight profile to double the energy storage - it would require a complete redesign.

    Manager: It can't be done; we can't do this for free.
    .
    .
    .
    Junior Engineer: What if it didn't need to return?

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    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?