How sinister robot killing machines have changed the face of war

THE development of all sorts of terrifying killing machines designed to operate as independently as possible has made for a very scary war zone.

Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems was the first armed robotic vehicles to see combat. (AP Photo/Mike Derer)

KILLER robots sound like the stuff of science fiction, but a future of robotic warfare is not as far off as it seems.

This week, tech genius Elon Musk made headlines when he urged the United Nations to ban killer robots before the Terminator films become a dark reality, reports The Sun.

Killer tech is nothing new though, with a vast array of robotic weapons already fit for combat.

Under the Geneva Conventions, human input is needed whenever military robots are used, since AI can’t be trusted to pull the trigger.

But that hasn’t stopped the development of all sorts of terrifying killing machines designed to operate as independently as possible.

From Russia’s automated tanks to the smart turrets used on the front lines in Korea, these are the war machines which are already a reality.

GUN-SLINGING ANDROIDS

Today, the closest we have to a Terminator-style killer robot is a Russian army android called FEDOR, who can drive a car, use tools and dual-wield handguns.

The sinister-looking bot was showcased earlier this year, when Putin’s armed forces released a clip of the robot shooting two automatic pistols down a range.

Although FEDOR is designed for rescue work, engineers are keen to see whether the droid could have military uses.

But the Russian army insisted that FEDOR, who is due to be sent to space in 2021, is “not a Terminator” — and was just shown slinging guns to prove how dexterous it is.

Meet FEDOR, Russia's dual-wielding android soldier who can drive cars, use tools and shoot pistols IMAGE: ROBERTO LEONES MASINI

SMART SENTRY GUNS

One of the most advanced war robots in the world is the Super aegis II, a sentry gun capable of locking on to vehicles or humans from 3km away.

The smart turret can be completely automated, although all models are currently set up to make sure the gun can’t fire without human approval.

But the smart gun can still use its thermal imaging camera to find targets in the dead of night and regardless of the weather.

It sounds like something out of science-fiction, but the Super aegis II is already in use in the UAE, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and the Korean Demilitarised Zone.

PATROL ROBOTS

Robots are already used in security patrols and bomb disposal missions in warzones all over the world.

Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection System (SWORDS) is one of these bots, and is essentially a remotely-controlled weapons platform capable of moving over any terrain.

The advanced version of SWORDS, the Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System (MAARS) is currently being developed by defence giant Qinetiq.

It comes armed with a machine gun and grenade launchers, and is designed to provide foot patrols with an extra punch or be deployed to stand guard and record its surroundings.

Drones can be used for targeted assassinations and disrupting radar signals.

AUTONOMOUS DRONES

Remote-controlled drones, also known as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), have been used extensively to track down and strike targets from above.

However, the latest leaps in drone technology cut out the human operator entirely, with autonomous drones already in the skies.

Earlier this year, the US military unveiled a swarm of tiny, intelligent micro-drones, which can be dropped from fighter jets.

In footage released by the Department of Defence, a cloud of over 103 autonomous drones, designed for surveillance, was released into the sky.

It is believed that the drones, which are capable of working together and acting as a swarm, could have other potential uses, including targeted assassinations and disrupting radar signals.

UNMANNED TANKS

Another cutting-edge Russian warbot comes in the form of unmanned tanks.

The killing machines work in similar ways to remote controlled patrol robots, but pack all the punch of a regular tank.

Kalashnikov Concern, the arms company behind the infamous AK-47 rifle, has developed a smart unmanned tank, called the BAS-01G Soratnik.

The 7-tonne vehicle comes armed with a machine gun and up to eight antitank missiles, and can even operate with a degree of autonomy, independently of its human controllers.

This story first appeared on The Sun.