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These Gun-Shooting Robot Vehicles Are the Future of Urban War

These Gun-Shooting Robot Vehicles Are the Future of Urban War

Meet the military robots that will inevitably be shouting 'stop resisting' at you.

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The unmanned Small Multi-purpose Equipment Transport being demonstrated by the U.S. Army at Fort Irwin, California.
Gif: U.S. Army video by Spc. Samarion Hicks

The U.S. military has spent the past month running exercises at various locations in California to prepare for “future war-winning readiness.” And the photos being officially released include plenty of robot dogs, augmented reality headsets, resupply drones, and at least one mysterious AI-driven vehicle. There’s also an eight-wheeled, all-electric robot vehicle that packs quite a bit of firepower, as you can see in the GIF above.

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The Army Futures Command hosted senior Army leaders and allies from around the world to witness this so-called “human machine integration demonstration” at Fort Irwin in California in recent weeks. Guests included military leaders from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, and Japan.

The exercises, part of an annual demonstration called Project Convergence Capstone 4, weren’t just about experimenting with American capabilities for an international audience. U.S. allies also brought their own machines—robots that wouldn’t look out of place in what used to be considered futuristic sci-fi.

The images that have been released by the U.S. Army, including the video below, are a great reminder that some version of a Terminator-style future with autonomous land vehicles sporting high-powered weapons is probably way closer than we think. In fact, it seems to already be here in some ways, even if these new exercises are being billed as “experiments.”

U.S. Army HMI Experimentation Demo during Project Convergence Capstone 4 (DVIDS)
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HMI Experimentation Demo during Project Convergence Capstone 4

Click through the slideshow to see the photos that have been recently released by the U.S. Army, including plenty of images from the Army National Training Center at Fort Irwin where these lethal robots were recently tested.

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Armed British Robot Vehicles

Armed British Robot Vehicles

Two British unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric, all-terrain transport  vehicles armed with autonomous weapon system from the Experimentation  and Trails Group provide support to dismounted U.K. Soldiers in an urban  environment as part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin,  Calif, March 11, 2024.
Two British unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric, all-terrain transport vehicles armed with autonomous weapon system from the Experimentation and Trails Group provide support to dismounted U.K. Soldiers in an urban environment as part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin, Calif, March 11, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ivan Hernandez




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AI Robot Vehicle

AI Robot Vehicle

Robotic machine identified only as an “unmanned artificial intelligence vehicle” by the Army, without providing more details, photographed at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Robotic machine identified only as an “unmanned artificial intelligence vehicle” by the Army, without providing more details, photographed at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas
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Ghost Robot Dog and the Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET)

Ghost Robot Dog and the Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET)

U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment,  based out of Fort Moore, Ga., take part in a human machine integration  demonstration using the Ghost Robotic Dog, and the U.S. Army Small  Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) of new U.S. Army capabilities at  Project Convergence - Capstone 4 in Fort Irwin, Calif., March 15, 2024.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, based out of Fort Moore, Ga., take part in a human machine integration demonstration using the Ghost Robotic Dog, and the U.S. Army Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) of new U.S. Army capabilities at Project Convergence - Capstone 4 in Fort Irwin, Calif., March 15, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Samarion Hicks
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Ghost Robot Dog

Ghost Robot Dog

A Quadruped Ghost robotic dog is deployed as part of an urban assault  during a series of Human Machine Integration experiments in a training  environment as part of Project Convergence – Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin,  Calif., March 16, 2024.
A Quadruped Ghost robotic dog is deployed as part of an urban assault during a series of Human Machine Integration experiments in a training environment as part of Project Convergence – Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 16, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Marquis McCants
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HIVE Drone System

HIVE Drone System

The HIVE unmanned aircraft system prepares to take flight during a human  machine integration experiment during Project Convergence – Capstone 4  at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 11, 2024.
The HIVE unmanned aircraft system prepares to take flight during a human machine integration experiment during Project Convergence – Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 11, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gianna Chiavarone
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British Robot Weapons System

British Robot Weapons System

A British unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-terrain transport vehicle armed  with an autonomous weapon system by the U.K. Experimentation and Trails  Group provides support to dismounted Soldiers in an urban environment as  part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin, Calif, March 11,  2024.
A British unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-terrain transport vehicle armed with an autonomous weapon system by the U.K. Experimentation and Trails Group provides support to dismounted Soldiers in an urban environment as part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin, Calif, March 11, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ivan Hernandez
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Modular Counter-Small UAS System

Modular Counter-Small UAS System

A U.S. Army unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric, all-terrain platform  with a modular counter-small UAS system with a human-in-the-loop  operational system under the Family of Counter Unmanned System or FoCUS  provides support to dismounted Soldiers in an urban training environment  as part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin, Calif., March  18, 2024.
A U.S. Army unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric, all-terrain platform with a modular counter-small UAS system with a human-in-the-loop operational system under the Family of Counter Unmanned System or FoCUS provides support to dismounted Soldiers in an urban training environment as part of a human integration experiment at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas
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Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army, tests new augmented  reality technology during a series of human machine integration  experiments as part of Project Convergence – Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin,  Calif., March 18, 2024.
Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army, tests new augmented reality technology during a series of human machine integration experiments as part of Project Convergence – Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Maxwell Bass
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Armed Robot Vehicle

Armed Robot Vehicle

Army Futures Command hosted U.S. Army  senior leaders, Multinational  partners, and allies to observe a human machine Integration  demonstration including unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric,  all-terrain transport vehicles, involving Soldiers assigned to 1st  Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade during Project  Convergence - Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Army Futures Command hosted U.S. Army senior leaders, Multinational partners, and allies to observe a human machine Integration demonstration including unmanned, eight-wheeled, all-electric, all-terrain transport vehicles, involving Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade during Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas
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Human-Machine Integration Tests

Human-Machine Integration Tests

U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment,  based out of Fort Moore, Ga., take part in a human machine integration  experiment using the Ghost Robotic Dog during a demonstration of new  U.S. Army capabilities at Project Convergence - Capstone 4 in Fort  Irwin, Calif., March 17, 2024.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, based out of Fort Moore, Ga., take part in a human machine integration experiment using the Ghost Robotic Dog during a demonstration of new U.S. Army capabilities at Project Convergence - Capstone 4 in Fort Irwin, Calif., March 17, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Samarion Hicks
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Unmanned Patient Transports

Unmanned Patient Transports

The Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport is deployed for casualty  evacuation during an urban assault with Human Machine Integration at  Project Convergence Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 17, 2024.
The Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport is deployed for casualty evacuation during an urban assault with Human Machine Integration at Project Convergence Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 17, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Howard Lee
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Humans in the Loop (For Now)

Humans in the Loop (For Now)

U.S. Army Pfc. Darren Campbell, infantryman assigned to the Alpha  Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade,  operates a ground robot during the human machine integration experiment  for Project Convergence – Capstone 4 in Fort Irwin, Calif., March 11,  2024.
U.S. Army Pfc. Darren Campbell, infantryman assigned to the Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, operates a ground robot during the human machine integration experiment for Project Convergence – Capstone 4 in Fort Irwin, Calif., March 11, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. LaShic Patterson
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Resupply Drone

The Tactical Resupply Vehicle-150 lands on the beach after a series of  contested logistics experimentations from ship to shore as part of  Project Convergence-Capstone 4 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 29, 2024.
The Tactical Resupply Vehicle-150 lands on the beach after a series of contested logistics experimentations from ship to shore as part of Project Convergence-Capstone 4 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 29, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Howard Lee
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Resupply Drones May Be Larger Than You Think

Resupply Drones May Be Larger Than You Think

A Marine conducts experimentation utilizing the Tactical Resupply  Vehicle-150 during Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Camp Pendleton,  CA on February 25, 2024.
A Marine conducts experimentation utilizing the Tactical Resupply Vehicle-150 during Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Camp Pendleton, CA on February 25, 2024.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Nathan Smith
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Ghost-X Drone

The Ghost-X Unmanned Aircraft System awaits takeoff, during ongoing  experimentation at Project Convergence - Capstone 2024, March 11, 2024, at Fort Irwin, Calif.
The Ghost-X Unmanned Aircraft System awaits takeoff, during ongoing experimentation at Project Convergence - Capstone 2024, March 11, 2024, at Fort Irwin, Calif.
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Charlie Duke
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