Ukraine’s Robot Dogs Should Terrify the Russian Military
“Who let the dogs out?” Well, apparently it was Ukraine.
This should come as no surprise to my longtime readers, but I’m kind of a big fan of technology on the battlefield.
After all, I served in the US military during the time of technology transition: From M-16s to M-4s, iron sights to red dots, second-generation night vision to third-generation, and Humvees to Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles — to better protect against improvised explosive devices — all during my decade on active duty.
But I never got to play with robots…
To be honest, I’m captivated by the robot dogs often publicized by Boston Dynamics, or fictionally in Black Mirror and the game Battlefield 2042.
Imagine that the average American infantryman carries roughly 68 lbs. on his or her back every time they deploy: helmet, uniform, boots, armor, weapon, ammunition, food, canteens, compass, first aid kit, 10 pairs of dry socks, and much more.
During combat missions, the weight can increase to as much as 120 pounds — especially for machine gunners.
What if we had a four-legged, robot pal to offload the burden onto? Well, I definitely wouldn’t have to visit the Veterans Affairs Hospital once a month for back and knee…
