As early as the Cold War, Uncle Sam was investing funds in robot research to explore how the technology could be an advantage against the Soviet Union. In most cases, robots were thought to be a means of spying and gathering information on the enemy, rather than being used as a robot bomb or any other kind of weapon. A significant amount of funds was spent on research between then and the 1980s, totaling more than $1 million.
Meanwhile, there was not much to show for it.
Thanks to modern technology, American military forces have become more effective in terms of weapons, defense, and their ability to adapt to new challenges. That includes the use of robots, which are still expensive yet effective at fighting, removing weapons like hidden explosives or bombs, and more.
The bomb disposal robot known as “TALON” is currently in use, though these robots are far too expensive for everyday missions. They’ve been in use since 2000, taking on thousands of missions with only a few models. But getting a TALON out into the field was a long and winding road – and it started with setting off bombs, not defusing them.
In 1980, the Army created a robotic antitank vehicle. The goal was to create a commercial all-terrain vehicle that could be loaded with missiles. Essentially, a robot bomb, it would be operated via remote control and transported to a location in enemy territory before being detonated. But Congress vetoed the operation, believing that the devices were too small to take on Soviet tanks, despite being full of explosives.
In any case, the Army became discouraged with the idea of unmanned vehicles at this point and shied away from them for the next decade.
Instead, they moved onto technology like “smart” bombs that were self-guided, or those that could be controlled after they were launched. Robot use and, therefore, research, continued, but mostly for reconnaissance. Drones became a big part of gaining information, even if they were unarmed while doing so.
Then, a more modern take on robot bombs also took on a more modern name, as it attempted to revive the idea of unmanned weapons.
A branch of TALON includes SWORDS, which stands for “Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection System.” Essentially, it’s a TALON model, but one that’s armed, a move that greatly increases the price tag of the robot to about $230,000 a pop. A TALON chassis can hold an M16, 5.56 mm SAW M249, 7.62mm M240, .50 Cal M82, six-barrelled 40 mm grenade launcher, or a quad 66mm FLASH incendiary weapon.
In other words, it gives you options.
Controlled by a soldier with a remote device, it’s a program similar to a real-life video game, with real-life stakes. Virtual reality headsets have also been considered as a means to improve accuracy. Three versions of SWORDS were deployed to Iraq in 2007, each with an M249 machine gun. This was the first time the U.S. military carried gun-toting robots into battle. However, this is where it gets tricky; the Army never authorized the use of the SWORDS in combat. Therefore, the weapons were on-site, but could not be used.
Soon after, funding was cut from the program, likely due to expense. But a successor has been ordered. Its creator says the cost-per-robot could be greatly reduced once they are put into mass production. Until then, a SWORDS robot can only be viewed at the Smithsonian or the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia. For most of us, anyway.
To date, Uncle Sam has spent a pretty penny (and then some) on the idea of robotic weapons and keeping the enemy out without wounding its own men in the process. However, the research has yet to prove itself cost-effective or productive enough to be recreated on a larger scale.
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