The war in Ukraine has become the largest testing ground for artificial intelligence-powered autonomous and uncrewed vehicles in history.
FREMONT, CA:The largest-ever testing field for autonomous and uncrewed vehicles using artificial intelligence is now the conflict in Ukraine. Although the employment of military robots is nothing new, World War II saw the invention of remote-controlled war machines. The US has even recently deployed completely autonomous assault drones.
The deployment of killer robot technology by both sides in Russia's conflict in Ukraine. The killing aspect of killer robots doesn't apply here, which is the key lesson they learned.
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Uncrewed Versus Autonomous
This conflict is the first time in a lengthy invasion involving troops with comparatively similar technology that the modern class of unmanned vehicles and automated weapons systems have been used. While Ukraine's military appears to be stronger than Russia's on paper, both sides have deployed forces with comparable capabilities. What's transpiring in Ukraine right now shows a more analogous engagement theatre when compared to forces Russia faced during its involvement in the Syrian civil war or, for example, those confronted by the US during the Iraq and Afghanistan engagements.
However, it's crucial to note that this is not a machine-driven conflict. Due to their inexperience and current reliability, autonomous or unmanned weapons and vehicles are unlikely to have a significant impact on the battle.
Autonomous vehicles and unmanned vehicles are not always the same thing. The majority of uncrewed vehicles, or those that can operate without human involvement, are autonomous, but many of them can only be controlled remotely by humans. The fact that many of these vehicles have never been used in combat is maybe the most significant. This indicates that, despite their intended usage as autonomous combat vehicles, they are more likely to be utilised in support capacities. However, before delving into the hows and whys of using military robots in contemporary conflict, it is important to clarify the types of vehicles that are now in use. In battle, there are no killing robots. It's a general phrase for both autonomous and unmanned military vehicles.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and unmanned surface vehicles fall under this category USVs, another term for uncrewed maritime or water-based vehicles. Military robots can be used for more than merely firing a weapon into the distance. There is evidence that they have already been tested in that manner, but it doesn't guarantee they won't be again.
The deployment of killer robots in combat is now a thing of the past. The US used drones in Afghanistan and Iraq, and as previously revealed here at TNW, it even sent a Predator drone to kill an Iranian general on its own.
The proliferation of UAVs and UGVs in combat support missions is what makes this war unique. Drones and autonomous land vehicles have been used in conflict previously, but never of this magnitude. Unmanned vehicles are being used by both forces to complete operations that would often be impossible or need more men.
