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Modern Robotic Warfare

Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
in Purgatory
I heard about this over BBC (America) radio. And I see it confirmed here: Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukrainian Robots.

In the last two wars (Ukraine and the Iranian War) we have seen a lot about the use of drones and unmanned platforms entering the war. The Russian surrender to robots, certainly take warfare to a new level. Engaging in a conflict without troops in harm's way.

Sounds Orwellian in many ways

How do you think this will change the art of war.

Comments

  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    I heard aboutSounds Orwellian in many ways.

    I don't think 1984 is really the dystopian comparison you're looking for here. Most of the "futuristic" technology of Airstrip One is just slight extrapolation from new or recent developments of the late 1940s, eg. TV to telescreen(and that's far from the only means of surveillance, or even the most relevant), telephone wires that carry paper, "ink pencils" etc.

    I'd suggest 2001: A Space Odyssey minus the mysticism as a general shorthand for the current dilemma, though there's a few Ray Bradbury stories that would fit the assignment as well. Prob'ly some cyberpunk as well, based on my viewing of numerous cyberpunk films and one novel by William Gibson.
  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    edited April 15
    Actually, Robocop would fit quite well, minus the flesh-tech fusion.
  • RockyRogerRockyRoger Shipmate
    Think Marvin, who depresses others so much they loose the will to live.

    I had a good model aircraft colleague. We did some good stuff together. He's not a hobbyist any more. He has a good business making drones.
    Sigh.
  • Alan Cresswell Alan Cresswell Admin, 8th Day Host
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Engaging in a conflict without troops in harm's way.
    Though, by definition, when Russian troops surrender to drones there are troops in harms way (and, at present, drones are used to either spy on enemy troops or attack enemy troops (or, beyond the rules of war, civilians and civil infrastructure). We haven't yet reached the point of drones attacking drones.

    Personally, I think the civilised approach would be some form of international Robot Wars. Each nation puts up their robots to try to beat the crap out of the other sides robots in an arena where there are no people or civil infrastructure to harm.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    RockyRoger wrote: »
    Think Marvin, who depresses others so much they loose the will to live.

    I had this senior moment! Thought you were referring to @Marvin the Martian not the Paranoid Android.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    edited April 15
    Zelinski made a tour of the Middle East just last month to sell the Ukrainian technology for drones attacking drones--counter measures to the Shahed drones of the Iranians. Says something that the Ukrainians now have the robotic means to make Russian soldiers surrender to them.

    Just this morning CBS news showed a video of a hominoid robot chasing wild boars down a street in Poland.

    What next?
  • WhimsicalChristianWhimsicalChristian Shipmate
    Alan Cresswell wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Engaging in a conflict without troops in harm's way.
    Though, by definition, when Russian troops surrender to drones there are troops in harms way (and, at present, drones are used to either spy on enemy troops or attack enemy troops (or, beyond the rules of war, civilians and civil infrastructure). We haven't yet reached the point of drones attacking drones.

    Personally, I think the civilised approach would be some form of international Robot Wars. Each nation puts up their robots to try to beat the crap out of the other sides robots in an arena where there are no people or civil infrastructure to harm.

    While this new era of warfare is alarming because it is different ( including things like cyberattacks and proxy wars like the Ukraine) I agree with Alan Creswell here that at least it is not making human life so cheaply expendable.

    And that can surely only be a good thing.

    Peter Apps, journalist and ex soldier, has a new book out called "The Next World War: the New Age of Global Conflict and the Fight to Stop it" where he apparently talks about all this new age warfare stuff like drones etc.

    I haven't read it, but I have heard him speak and he's super savvy yet down to earth and from reviews it sounds like exactly what this thread is discussing.
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