The Marine Corps has released a photo of a “robotic goat” carrying an anti-tank rocket launcher during testing at Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County.
The four-legged robot was armed with an M72 shoulder-fired anti-tank rocket launcher in the testing last month by the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Training Command and scientists with the Office of Naval Research.
The prototype robotic goat can carry various sensors or weapon systems that would otherwise be carried by a Marine.
“Instead of having a Marine handle the weapon system, manipulate the safeties, we could put a remote trigger mechanism on it that allowed it to all be done remotely,” said 1st Lt. Aaron Safadi.
“The Marine could be behind cover and concealment, the weapon system could go forward, and the Marine could manipulate the safeties from a safe place while allowing that weapon system to get closer to its target,” Safadi said.
Few other details of the robotic warrior were released, but the photo reveals it is the size of a small dog with grey legs and four eye-like sensors.
Twentynine Palms is the Marine Corps’ largest base, stretching over 900 square miles of mountain and desert.
Originally posted 2023-10-30 21:33:51.