The US Air Force has begun a high-tech experiment this week.
The organization is now using robot canines during training exercises. While it’s not the first military organization to use robotics in training, it’s certainly the first to use robot dogs.
For now, the US Air Force base in the Mojave Desert is the first to use these four-legged robots. Defense intellectuals and scientists are stating that this is a ‘look into the future of warfare’.
During the training exercises last week, the robot dogs were sent into a ‘potentially hostile’ airstrip. These dogs, programmed with the ability to fly and scout, scoured the area for potential threats. This allowed human soldiers and live dogs to avoid exposure.
According to a spokesperson, the US Air Force intends to use these dogs as a starting point for their ‘Advanced Battle Management System’ (ABMS). The ABMS is a new form of warfare strategy, which will employ artificial intelligence and data analytics.
This system aims to enhance the military’s ability to detect and target threats. Through the ABMS, the military hopes to track potential attacks in space, predicting when certain missiles or bombs are launched toward the US homeland.
According to Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the US Air Force Department of Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, has said, “Valuing data as an essential warfighting resource, one no less vital than jet fuel or satellites, is the key to next-gen warfare.”
He admits that soldiers will feel ‘dizzy’ with the amount of information they have to now assess, as the system relies more on data synthesis than physical combat.
However, he asserts that soldiers will learn to adapt. Roper also stated that the ABMS exercise will last from August 31 to September 3. Eventually, all facets of the US military, including the army and navy will be involved in this experiment.
The military will progress according to the success rate of the Air Force experiment.
The foreseeable aim is to expand the ABMS to at least 30 military locations across the US.