Israel unveils portable hunter-killer robot
Pastor Dale Morgan
Israel unveils portable hunter-killer robot*
08 Mar 2007 10:10:12 GMT
Source: Reuters
JERUSALEM, March 8 (Reuters) - An Israeli defence firm on Thursday
unveiled a portable robot billed as being capable of entering most
combat zones alone and engaging enemies with an onboard armoury that
includes a machine-pistol and grenades.
The VIPeR, roughly the size of a small television, was invented as part
of Israel's efforts to develop weaponry that could reduce the risks to
its forces from hand-to-hand fighting against Palestinian or Lebanese
Hezbollah guerrillas.
The manufacturer, Elbit Systems Ltd. <ESLT.O>, said that the VIPeR's
small size and dual treads enable it to move "undeterred by stairs,
rubble, dark alleys, caves or narrow tunnels". As well as bomb-sniffing
and bomb disposal equipment, the VIPeR can carry an Uzi machine-pistol
or plant a grenade. The weapons would be aimed using an onboard video
camera.
According to Elbit, which has close links with the Defence Ministry,
Israel plans to deploy the VIPeR among its infantry units after field
tests. The robot could also be of interest to foreign police units or
U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.