Comes the Bolo 2.0

In 1960, science fiction author Keith Laumer began to write about armored vehicles (tanks) called “Bolos,” operated by self-aware artificial intelligence. It has taken 60 years but we begin to see tech evolve in that direction, something we first noted in 2014.

RealClearDefense links to a Popular Mechanics article (with photos) about an Estonian robot light tank which, while not self-aware, is a further move toward autonomous fighting vehicles.

Milrem, an Estonian robotics company, introduced the Type X combat vehicle earlier this month. The Type X builds upon Milrem’s experience with robotic combat vehicles, including the THeMIS multipurpose vehicle. (snip) Type X resembles a scaled down main battle tank.

The Type X isn’t the only remote combat vehicle out there. In 2019 Textron Systems revealed the M5 Ripsaw, a similar vehicle with the same 30-millimeter autocannon used on the Stryker Dragoon infantry carrier. (snip) Over in Russia, the Uran-9 RCV has so far been a disappointment. Uran-9 bristles with more firepower than its Western equivalents but has proven difficult to control under combat conditions in Syria.

So far all such efforts have required remote human operators. Someone somewhere (DARPA?) is imagining the parameters and problems of autonomous battle robots. That day is getting closer.

At this point, Instapundit usually inserts a reference to a smiling Skynet from the Terminator films. I’m more likely to wonder what will trigger the anti-AI Butlerian Jihad from Dune.