The United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is currently evaluating a new generation of robotic “dogs” developed by Ghost Robotics. These robots have the potential to be equipped with gun systems from defense tech company Onyx Industries.
The robotic dogs, known as quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs), are being tested for various applications, including reconnaissance and surveillance. However, the possibility of arming them with weapons for remote engagement is drawing significant attention.
The gun systems on these Q-UGVs are based on Onyx’s SENTRY remote weapon system (RWS), which features an AI-enabled digital imaging system. This system can automatically detect and track people, drones, or vehicles, reporting potential targets to a remote human operator located anywhere in the world. Despite its advanced capabilities, the system maintains a human-in-the-loop control for fire decisions, meaning it cannot decide to fire autonomously.
MARSOC is currently testing two armed Q-UGVs. Their gun systems are equipped with a 7.62x39mm gun and a 6.5mm Creedmoor gun. While weaponized payloads are just one of many use cases being evaluated, MARSOC stresses that it adheres to all Department of Defense policies concerning autonomous weapons.
Read more: arstechnica.com