I recently wrote that remotely operated weapons systems could be used to help guard supply convoys against insurgent attacks:
Automating ground supply convoys and the route clearance missions needed to clear roads of IEDs and other threats to the supply runs would end the vulnerability of having troops in poorly protected convoys. ...
If we pair virtual soldiers that use a battlefield internet to man remote weapons stations on the convoy vehicles, we could have the ability to have both direct fire in defense of the convoy and eyes on targets to call in fires strikes against attackers. But without actual human friendlies in the convoy who can be killed.
If we have a semi-autonomous tele-operated convoy with unmanned ground vehicles carrying supplies and weapons, that would reduce our casualties a whole lot, no?
But where do we get the armored escort vehicles with room to carry remote weapons stations and the hardware for remote operations?
Well, we have a lot of MRAPs left over from the Iraq War.
Why not adapt some of those vehicles as autonomous convoy escorts with Remote Weapon Stations to be the convoy escorts. Surely they have a lot of internal space to accommodate the equipment to do this.
And imagine the frustration of jihadis who must fight our robots. Does religious doctrine provide that the jihadis get their allotment of virgins in paradise if they die fighting a robot?
