Killer Robots: Why We Should (Not) Worry About Them

In 1997, The Simpsons prophesized that for future wars, "most of the actual fighting will be done by small robots" with soldiers only responsible to "build and maintain those robots." Though the cartoon's track record with predictions is debatable, few will argue that robots have played a critical role in combat over the past decade. Whether it is a Predator drone patrolling a No-Fly zone or a Packbot diffusing a bomb, robots have made their presence known on the battlefield. The U.S. military and coalition forces use the base, located in an undisclosed location, to launch airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, as well as to distribute cargo and transport troops supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The Predators at the base are operated and maintained by the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, currently attached to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.