Russian Robo-Soldiers Revealed: Putin Showcases Iron Man Military Hardware With ‘Ivan The Terminator’
Russia military technology experts revealed that Project Iron Man was successful in creating a “robo-soldier” for use by the country’s military. The robot was named “Ivan the Terminator” and is slated to be used in battle or emergency situations where risks of explosions, radiation exposure, or fire are too dangerous for human soldiers.
The Daily Mail reports that the Russian military has created a robo-soldier as part of Project Iron Man. The creation of the robotic soldiers is part of Russia’s push to include more technologically advanced machines into their military capabilities. The push comes as Russia fears they are falling behind the United States and China in regard to military tech as both nations have an army of drones and are working on military robots of their own.
So what can Ivan the Terminator actually do? The Mirror reveals that the robo-soldier is operated by a human controller wearing a special sensor suit. The suit allows the operator to perform motions that Ivan then replicates.
“Ivan is currently remote controlled by an operator (from up to several miles away) wearing a special suit, which contains sensors in the neck, hands and shoulders. This enables the robot to accurately copy the movements of a human.”
The operator can remain miles away from danger as Ivan enters instead. The human operator can then perform tasks such as driving vehicles or searching areas without ever having to enter the battlefield. While Ivan’s original Iron Man Project design requires a human operator, it is revealed that the creators of the robot hope to make the droid-soldier completely autonomous in the future.
Ivan the Terminator: Russia is showing off its new robot soldier https://t.co/LDb9ggQ0RO pic.twitter.com/CfoTd8kdBA
— VICE News (@vicenews) May 26, 2016
Russia isn’t only relying on a fleet of robo-soldiers to give them a military edge. The country is also working heavily on creating flying military drones, tank drones, and a variety of military vehicles and technology controlled by robots. The idea of introducing drones and robots into the battlefield is not new as they have long been considered an efficient way to perform air strikes while keeping human military members out of harm’s way.
In fact, flight drones are responsible for much of the United States’ military strikes in the Middle East. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports that there have been approximately 424 air drone strikes in Pakistan, at least 119 in Yemen, 25 in Somalia, and 315 in Afghanistan performed by the United States military. The first was dated in 2002 which struck Yemen.
With aerial drones being used heavily by the United States military, it seems Russia is hoping to increase their robotic military options to ensure they are on an equal playing field. Russia already has air drone technology and has been showcasing it in the Middle East as they take on the fight against ISIS. In fact, the Syrian air strikes are considered the largest use of Russian air drones in the nation’s history and is giving the country the ability to fine-tune their drone strike capabilities.
Pic of new #Russian attacking #drone “SKAT” #RuAF #Russia pic.twitter.com/6DpQo7FwHI
— Islamic World Update (@islamicworldupd) December 7, 2015
Russia is also allegedly working on “The Skat” which is an aircraft drone with self-guided missile and bombing capabilities that can fly as high as 40,000 feet at speeds of up to 500 MPH. Another piece of military tech Russia is working on is the “Breakthrough” drone which could fly an astonishing 65,000 feet.
“The Skat (“Skate”) UAV is a complete aircraft capable of flying at speeds of up to 500 mph and at an altitude of 40,000 feet, launching attacks with self-guided missiles and bombs over an operational range of 2,500 miles. The Proryv (“Breakthrough”) UAV is more compact but greatly exceeds the operational ceiling of the Skat, flying as high as 65,000 feet.”
With Russia focusing heavily on automated military technologies such as drones and robo-soldiers, do you think Russia is an emerging military threat to the United States?
[Image via Shutterstock]
