Articles tagged with "autonomous-weapons"
Pentagon aims for drone dominance with thousands of kamikaze drones
The Pentagon has unveiled an ambitious Drone Dominance Program aimed at rapidly fielding a massive fleet of small kamikaze drones across the U.S. military by 2027. With a $1 billion budget allocated through fixed-price prototype project orders, the plan seeks to acquire over 200,000 commercial drones, including 30,000 units by July 2026. This initiative aligns with recent national policy directives emphasizing rebuilding the American unmanned systems industrial base and providing affordable, attritable small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for one-way attack missions. The program prioritizes rapid production and supply chain security to ensure warfighters have ready access to lethal, low-cost drones capable of operating effectively in diverse combat environments. The acquisition process will unfold in four phases, each beginning with a Gauntlet challenge where military operators test selected drones in controlled missions, including strikes over 10 km in open terrain and 1 km in urban settings with a minimum 2 kg payload. Successful vendors will receive
robotdronesmilitary-technologyunmanned-aerial-systemsdrone-manufacturingdefense-technologyautonomous-weaponsAnduril’s autonomous weapons stumble in tests and combat, WSJ reports
Defense technology startup Anduril Industries has encountered significant challenges with its autonomous weapons systems, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. During a Navy exercise off California in May, over a dozen of Anduril’s drone boats failed, raising safety concerns among sailors about potential risks to life. Additionally, a mechanical failure during a summer ground test damaged the engine of its unmanned jet fighter, Fury, and an August test of its Anvil counterdrone system inadvertently sparked a 22-acre wildfire in Oregon. Despite these setbacks, Anduril, founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, recently raised funding at a $30.5 billion valuation and has secured multiple military contracts for autonomous aircraft and counter-drone technologies. The company’s operational experience in Ukraine has also been problematic. Ukrainian front-line soldiers from the SBU security service reported that Anduril’s Altius loitering drones frequently crashed and failed to hit targets, leading to their discontinuation in 2024. While these
robotautonomous-weaponsdronesmilitary-technologyunmanned-systemsdefense-techAI-roboticsUS firm's new weapon delivers kinetic payloads with precision lethality
Textron Systems, a Texas-based defense company, has introduced the Damocles launched effect, a modular weapon system capable of autonomous or semi-autonomous precision strikes and electronic warfare missions. Designed for deployment from air or ground platforms, Damocles integrates advanced GEN2 Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) technology capable of penetrating modern battle tanks equipped with reactive armor. The system leverages artificial intelligence and autonomous tracking to ensure high-precision targeting in complex environments, enhancing tactical flexibility and enabling rapid adaptation to evolving mission requirements. Built on a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), it supports various payloads to fulfill diverse operational concepts, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and electronic warfare. A key feature of the Damocles system is its safety enhancements, notably measures to prevent unexploded ordnance (UXO) on the battlefield, reducing post-conflict hazards for both friendly forces and civilians. The system incorporates robust testing, redundant guidance, hardened communications, and cyber-res
robotautonomous-weaponsartificial-intelligenceelectronic-warfareprecision-targetingunmanned-systemsmilitary-technologyRoelof Botha explains why Sequoia supports Shaun Maguire after COO quit
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Sequoia Capital managing partner Roelof Botha publicly defended partner Shaun Maguire following controversy over Maguire’s inflammatory social media remarks about New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Maguire had called Mamdani an “Islamist” from a culture that “lies about everything,” sparking backlash from founders and tech professionals, including an open letter demanding Sequoia take action. The controversy intensified when Sequoia’s chief operating officer, Sumaiya Balbale, a practicing Muslim, resigned in protest of the firm’s decision not to discipline Maguire. Botha emphasized Sequoia’s commitment to free speech and diversity of opinion within the firm, highlighting that partners hold a wide range of political views and modes of expression. He described Maguire as a “spiky” personality with a technical background and strong ties to Elon Musk’s ventures, as well as emerging sectors like defense technology. While acknowledging that Maguire’s
robotautonomous-weaponsdefense-technologyNeuralinkSpaceXAItechnology-investmentsUS to arm drones with missiles that can work in GPS-denied environment
The US Army is advancing the Symbiotic UAS Delivery System (SCBDS) project to develop a compact, highly capable missile designed for medium-sized Group 2 and 3 drones, such as the ScanEagle. This missile aims to enable special operations forces to conduct multiple fire-and-forget kinetic strikes without relying on GPS guidance, addressing challenges posed by GPS-denied or heavily jammed environments. The weapon must be lightweight (under five pounds total, with about two pounds of kinetic payload), self-propelled, capable of striking targets over 2.5 miles away, and accurate within 16 feet, all while operating autonomously without post-launch guidance from the drone. A key innovation of the SCBDS is its reliance on advanced computer vision and a tiny inertial measurement unit (IMU) to navigate and identify targets, circumventing vulnerabilities exposed by electronic warfare seen in conflicts like the Ukraine war. The project responds to significant losses of drones due to electronic interference and aims to provide
robotdronesmissile-technologyautonomous-weaponscomputer-visionGPS-denied-navigationmilitary-technologyUS Army tests 75-pound drone that strikes targets like a missile
The US Army recently conducted its first live-fire test of the Switchblade 600 loitering munition system with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Cavazos, Texas. The Switchblade 600 is a tube-launched, unmanned aerial system approximately 5 feet long and weighing 75 pounds, equipped with a Javelin multipurpose warhead. It can fly up to 27 miles, loiter for 40 to 45 minutes, and deliver a 5-pound explosive payload with precision. Unlike traditional drones, it functions as a remote-controlled missile that can be redirected mid-flight, allowing operators to identify, select, and engage targets while minimizing collateral damage and enhancing soldier safety. Previously used primarily by Special Operations Forces and light infantry, the Switchblade 600 is now being integrated into armored formations as part of the Army’s “Transforming in Contact” initiative, which aims to modernize combat tactics by incorporating advanced drone technologies and communications. Soldiers trained intensively with the system
droneunmanned-aerial-systemmilitary-technologyroboticsprecision-strikedefense-technologyautonomous-weaponsUS Navy ships to get 13,600-lb robot guns firing 75 bullets a second
The US Navy continues to rely heavily on the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), a 13,600-pound autonomous robot gun platform designed to defend warships against incoming missiles, aircraft, and asymmetric threats such as fast surface craft and drones. Raytheon recently secured a $205 million contract modification to upgrade and maintain the Phalanx system through January 2029. Since its introduction in 1980, the Phalanx has undergone continuous modernization, with the latest Block 1B variant featuring enhanced radar and electro-optical sensors, enabling it to independently detect, track, engage, and assess kills without external input. The Phalanx mounts an M61A1 Vulcan Gatling gun capable of firing up to 4,500 rounds per minute against missiles and aircraft, or 3,000 rounds per minute against smaller targets, with magazines holding 1,550 rounds each. Its radar-directed, detect-through-engage capability allows it to operate effectively
robotautonomous-weaponsnaval-defenseradar-guided-systemselectro-optical-sensorsmilitary-technologyclose-in-weapon-systemChina's 'robot wolves' fire rifles, climb ladders, and hunt in packs
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has introduced advanced quadrupedal “robot wolves” in a public military drill, marking a significant development in unmanned ground combat technology. These robots, weighing around 70 kilograms and developed by China South Industries Group Corporation, are designed to operate alongside human soldiers in complex terrains, including urban, mountainous, and plateau environments. Equipped with rifles and capable of climbing ladders and overcoming obstacles, the robot wolves participated in a joint exercise with infantry units and aerial drones, performing tasks such as precision strikes, reconnaissance, and coordinated breakthroughs. The exercise demonstrated the robots’ ability to maintain pace with troops and integrate into traditional assault tactics, potentially reducing human casualties in dangerous combat scenarios. Military analysts highlight the strategic impact of these robot wolves, suggesting they could surpass aerial drones in battlefield effectiveness by relentlessly advancing and psychologically affecting opposing forces. The deployment aligns with China’s broader push toward man-machine warfare, envisioning future combat frontlines dominated by robotic systems equipped with sensors and precision weapon
robotmilitary-roboticsquadrupedal-robotsautonomous-weaponsunmanned-systemshuman-robot-collaborationdefense-technologyHumanoid robot soldiers could cause 'indiscriminate killings': China's PLA
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has issued a cautionary analysis regarding the deployment of humanoid robot soldiers, emphasizing the urgent need for ethical and legal frameworks to govern their use in warfare. Published in the PLA Daily, the article highlights that while humanoid robots offer tactical advantages—such as mechanical dexterity and the ability to perform complex military tasks beyond current unmanned systems—their use raises serious moral concerns. Specifically, the PLA warns that these robots could cause “indiscriminate killings and accidental deaths,” violating fundamental ethical principles like Asimov’s First Law of Robotics, which prohibits robots from harming humans. The PLA authors argue that military humanoid robots should be designed to obey commands, respect human life, and autonomously prevent excessive or unlawful violence. Despite their potential, humanoid robots are viewed as complementary tools rather than replacements for existing unmanned systems, due to their high cost and technological complexity. China is actively advancing in this field, with domestic tech firms unveiling versatile humanoid
robothumanoid-robotsmilitary-technologyrobotics-ethicsautonomous-weaponsPLArobot-soldiersFrance’s drone-killer gun fires up to take down UAV swarms in seconds
France’s new Rapidfire Land air defense system, developed by Thales and KNDS France in collaboration with the French Air and Space Force, is designed to counter modern aerial threats including drone swarms, light aircraft, helicopters, and rocket, artillery, and mortar (RAM) attacks. Central to the system is a 40mm Cased Telescoped Cannon, originally created for the Jaguar armored vehicle, which can carry 140 ready-to-fire rounds, enabling rapid engagement of multiple targets without reloading. A key upcoming feature is the integration of A3B airburst ammunition, set to become operational by 2027, which explodes mid-air to release tungsten sub-projectiles over a wide area, enhancing effectiveness against small and fast-moving threats. The Rapidfire Land system is semi-automated, requiring only two operators to manage weapon engagement and firing, and includes an advanced fire control system that continuously updates target locations for precise tracking and engagement up to 4 kilometers. It is offered in two
robotautonomous-weaponsdrone-defensemilitary-technologyair-defense-systemautomationadvanced-ammunitionLiên Hợp Quốc bàn về quản lý vũ khí AI và 'robot sát thủ'
robotAIautonomous-weaponsUNmilitary-technologyinternational-regulationsdefense-spending