Rick Raw: Land Warrior System –New Dawn of Intelligent Robotic Warriors

By Rick Grant rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

In James Cameron’s visionary masterwork, The Terminator, robots developed intelligence comparable to humans or higher. The machines declared war on humans and had access to time travel. The machines sent back an assassin called The Terminator to kill Sarah Conner, the future mother of John Conner, the leader of the resistance in this future war.

Of course, this is science fiction. However, we are approaching a technological level in which robots and wired soldiers will engage future enemies. In the not too distant future, autonomous robots with artificial intelligence (thinking machines) will do the actual fighting, directed by humans. It doesn’t take much imagination to conceive that armed intelligent robots could turn against their human creators. "I exist, therefore I am superior," the future robot could reason.

Today, the technology revolution has reached the cutting edge of the military’s future weapons development. These high-tech innovations are now being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s a brave new world of robots, remote controlled aircraft, autonomous aircraft (that fly themselves to and back from the mission) and wired soldiers.

The watchword for this new high-tech military is what the brass calls the Integrated Battle Space (IBS). This means that from CentCom (central command) to the grunt on the ground, the entire battlefield is connected by wireless communications to computers onboard vehicles and soldiers. And, every piece of equipment on the battlefield can be seen, moved, receive new orders, and otherwise be part of the entire big picture.

The IBS enables every infantry soldier, Navy ship, submarine, tank, armored personnel carrier, artillery piece, and aircraft to see the same battle space as the commanders see it. The military have their own satellites sending encrypted information to every thing that moves in the battle theater.

On the ground, the Army has been testing its Land Warrior (LW) system which enables every soldier to be part of the IBS with their build-in integrated gear stored in their fatigues.

The LW gear consists of the Helmet Subsystem with an eyepiece showing a full color computer interface, displaying maps and images from the camera on the soldiers M4 weapon.

The Soldier Control Unit includes a mouse shaped like a gun grip, which is strapped to the chest and used to toggle among screens in the eyepiece. It is also used to key the radio and send data to other soldiers.

The Weapon Subsystem which is a laser rangefinder mounted on the M4 assault rifle. It pinpoints enemy positions and sends their location coordinates across the network. Then there is the Thermal Sight which provides night vision and a digital camera which lets the soldier send video clips to commanders.

And finally, The Controller which is a toggle switch hidden by the soldier left hand. It is used to control the weapon’s laser and video sights. This means the soldier can poke his weapon around a corner and see his target through a precise video sight and fire without exposing himself. It also has thermal and night vision capabilities.

In other words, the entire battle group is connected to the secure wireless network and can communicate verbally, by text, or E-mail and everyone else on the network can see and hear an individual soldier’s input. This gives the grunt on the ground a voice in the rapidly changing situation as he sees it. Then at the soldier’s request, commanders can send in air support or artillery to support him or his squad if they get pinned down. More importantly, the squad leader knows exactly where each man in his squad is located, even well beyond line of sight.

The LW system has been in development since 1991, and has been continually updated. Presently it is being used in simulated combat involving all branches of the military. At first, many grunts didn’t like it, or more accurately, they were having trouble getting used to it.

Traditionally, ground pounders like to complain about new equipment. As time went on, though, the voices of decent were silenced when soldiers saw the advantages of having instant information on their position and their follow soldiers’ locations. The first version of LW was too delicate and broke down in the heat of battle. But the newer version of LW was hardened for the rigors of combat. The whole package adds just 16 pounds to the soldier’s load.

The LW and IBS are the future of warfare. Today in Iraq and Afghanistan, robots are assuming many dangerous duties like mine sweeping and recon. Now operating in both theaters, cargo robots called "mules" haul equipment into battle. And remote controlled aircraft like the Predator orbit the sky above the battle space sending back accurate intelligence or they fly search and destroy missions. Ah yes, we’re headed for a future world when very few human soldiers will be in harms way. The new generation of IBS will be called The Integrated and Automated Battle Space.