Military personnel classifies cyber warfare in a category called “ the gray zone”. In today’s world, cyber security is a matter of national security. In March 2022, the company announced a $100 million funding round and said its prototype is slated to debut in 2023. This contract has five key objectives, one of which is to “provide wargaming inputs for use in Air Force strategic analysis tools.” In 2021, the military invested again, via a $60 million joint contract. In 2020, the United States Air Force awarded Hermeus a $1.5 million contract to assess how their technology could be utilized in a Presidential fleet of airplanes. The Quarterhorse is Hermeus’ first aircraft. One start-up, Hermeus, is developing a remotely-piloted aircraft that could travel at hypersonic speed. Private US companies are also racing to develop hypersonic technology. In addition, the Missile Defense Agency has a budget of $247.9 million for hypersonic defense. The US has several hypersonic weapons in the development phase and launched a successful test missile in March 2022. The Pentagon dedicated $3.8 billion to hypersonic research in 2022 and is requesting $4.7 billion for 2023. Search trends for “hypersonic missiles” showed a steep increase in 2022. The first hypersonic missiles to be used in combat were launched into Ukraine by Russia in mid-March. Russia, China, and the United States have been racing to build their own hypersonic weapons systems, focusing both on missiles for attacking and systems for defending against foreign attacks. The most notable feature of this new technology is that these hypersonic missiles can fly at low altitudes and maneuver in the air, making them nearly impossible to track with current missile defense systems. Search volume for “hypersonic speed” has increased by 225% in 5 years.īasic hypersonic technology has been around for decades, but advanced hypersonic military systems are now being tested and launched. Hypersonic describes any object moving at a speed that’s five or more times the speed of sound (761 miles per hour). Many countries already utilize man-in-the-loop systems, which are robotic weapons systems operated by a human with remote control. However, the United States does not support a ban on these robots. Many people around the world oppose autonomous weapon systems, including the government of New Zealand and Austria.Īustria is one of 30 countries that support a ban on lethal autonomous weapons. The battle over armed autonomous robots is just beginning to take shape. This new robotics technology offers numerous opportunities, but there are concerns, too. Ghost Robotics, the manufacturer of the robotic dogs, showcased an armed version of the autonomous robot at the Association of the United States Army's 2021 annual conference. Searches for “robot dogs” have increased in the last 5 years. They’ve also been deployed at the US/Mexico border and at the Portland Air National Guard Base. These robots can climb stairs, be submerged in water up to nearly five feet, and pick themselves up if they fall over. Robotic dogs are being used alongside Air Force service members. Robots also have capabilities that humans don’t: the ability to stay awake 24/7, the ability to see from all angles, the ability to process information in an instant, and so on.Īt Tyndall Air Force Base, robotic dogs are used to patrol the grounds. The most obvious is that robots can assume risks that could potentially lead to human casualties. Military robots are valuable in combat for a variety of reasons. They currently have 20 robotics programs running. The US Army has dramatically increased its budget for robotics in six years, going from $17 million in 2015 to $379 million in 2021. The MQ-25 Stingray drone is an autonomous refueling aircraft. The Department of Defense reportedly spent $7.5 billion on robotic platforms and technologies last year. The market for military robots is expected to reach $24.2 billion by 2025. The military’s emphasis on artificial intelligence and robotics is growing. This report covers six technology innovations that are transforming the way militaries around the world are preparing for conflict in the 21st century. While carefully watching the war in Ukraine and escalating tensions elsewhere in the world, the military is increasingly focused on technology solutions that could potentially give the United States an edge in the conflict. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin described the reason for this uptick in the budget: “We understand the need to sharpen our readiness in advanced technology, cyber, space, and artificial intelligence”. When the Department of Defense released its fiscal year 2023 budget, it earmarked a record $130.1 billion for research and development.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |