Combined armed military school located in Saint-Cyr, few great exercises The beginning of the week. These maneuvers are marked. use of several robotsThe aim is to introduce future Army officers to the advantages and disadvantages of robotic reinforcements.
“The primary aim was to ensure that students, some of whom already have operational experience, are aware of the challenges of such a tool and its potential use within a doctrine that remains to be defined”. explains the military establishment. During these two daily lifelong exercises, participants took part in three different scenarios : capture of an intersection, defense of a day and night position, then finally fighting in an urban area.
Each operation was played by the students without robots, and then they were repeated with the help of four robots to see the advantages and disadvantages of their use. Between them PlaceFamous robot dog manufactured by Boston Dynamics and distributed in Europe by Shark Robotics.
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Some advantages, problematic disadvantages
Currently used for civil and military applications, especially by the New York police, This is the first time the Spot has been used in a military setting. According to several students’ testimonies, Spot was particularly useful for conducting reconnaissance operations. “We are calmer if the robot has gone to scout before. But it takes longer to move with robots.” recognizes one.
“I was killed in the phase of urban warfare without robots. But not when the robot does the recognition. On the other hand, we experienced their limited autonomy: Spot ran out of energy in the middle of the attack”. filled with one of his comrades. Out of the spotlight, all 80 participants maneuvered. An observation robot named Nervaa kind of remote control car equipped with a camera.
“When EMIA goes to war with terrestrial robots” pic.twitter.com/CTHDpI1Lun
– Saint-Cyr Coetquidan (@SaintCyrCoet) March 31, 2021
The French company Nexter also supplied the military forces with the OPTIO 20. A heavy ground drone armed with a 20mm cannon. But the most impressive remains the ULTRO, a versatile, modular and multi-tasking tactical robot. Its main strength is that it can transport a variety of materials weighing not less than 600 kg.
Shark Robotics also took advantage of exercise to present its progress. BARRACUDA, a combat and transport robot introduced during the July 14 parade in 2019. The modular can carry a multitude of accessories such as smoke grenade launchers and even a large front shield used during these exercises. As a reminder, the French Army has recently ordered 300 Parrot micro drones.
Source : West France