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An Israeli defense contractor unveiled a remote-controlled armed robot on Monday, which its manufacturer says can keep human troops out of harm’s way. The Rex MK II is the latest unmanned combat system that is changing the face of tomorrow’s battlefield.
Developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, the Rex MK II can be adapted to a variety of missions, from intelligence gathering to logistics support, with a payload of up to 1.3 tons. Armed with an arsenal of 0.50 caliber and 7.62 mm machine guns, it can also assist in carrying out attacks.
“The multi-mission Rex MK II aims to support infantry ground troops at various stages of the war,” company officials said in a statement. “This includes evacuating injured personnel on stretchers as well as providing logistical assistance to troops by transporting ammunition supplies, critical medical equipment, water and food.”
The robot can also be used to gather intelligence through a system that includes electro-optical sensors and radar. The Rex MK II is not fully autonomous – it requires a human controller – but it can navigate to a specific location on its own and use its optical sensors to bypass obstacles in its path.
Some critics have warned that even semi-autonomous systems like the Rex MK II are a step closer to battlefield robots that can attack targets on their own. Human Rights Watch launched the “Campaign to Stop Killer Robots” to exercise human control over the use of force.
Israel uses a smaller military robot called Jaguar to patrol its volatile southern border with Gaza and has developed several other unmanned systems for battlefield use, including RobARC, which is used to detect and destroy explosive devices, and RobDozen, an unmanned bulldozer that can carry. Complex engineering tasks in hazardous areas.
“The need to support ground forces in the field to perform a variety of missions while minimizing threats to the lives of soldiers is at the heart of our values here,” said Zvika Yarom, general manager of IAI’s ground division. Said. “We are experiencing an increase in demand from customers for unmanned ground platforms.”