France's armed forces are advancing toward having battle-ready robots by 2040, propelled by collaboration with engineers and defense contractors. Recent tests showcased various robotic designs, including wheeled and legged models, navigating obstacles and simulating combat scenarios. Army officials emphasized the necessity of these robots in frontline engagements, highlighting operational challenges such as rough terrain navigation. The urgency in development has amplified since observing the transformative role of drones and ground robots in Ukraine, prompting a search for effective military applications for robots beyond surveillance and mine-clearing.
The robot must facilitate combat, not hold it back, underscoring the challenges that still stand in the way of deploying robots into the field.
Ground robotics is booming in Ukraine, but it's still complex and less developed, so it's important to explore what practical uses they could have.
We hope to have something fairly evolved within three years, with the first ground robot capabilities ready to equip our forces.
A competition like this allows us to get out of the lab and tackle a realistic mission.
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