US military orders design of combined human-robot squads

Virginia-based private company Six3 Advanced Systems was awarded an $11-million fixed-fee contract "to design, develop, and validate system prototypes for a combined-arms squad, which combines humans and unmanned assets, ubiquitous communications and information," according to a Pentagon press release. Six3, a subsidiary to the major American defense contractor CACI International, provides sensor development and signal processing technologies for the US Intelligence Community and the military, according to Bloomberg. The statement added the next-generation system should bring "advanced capabilities in all domains to maximize squad performance in increasingly complex operational environments." The news follows scientific predictions that the future warfare will see extensive use of robotic platforms powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and equipped with next-generation weapons systems. Combat robots and military-use AI solutions will become an inherent part of the US military within the next 10-15 years, defense experts say.