TALON SWORDS

TALON® SWORDS (Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection System) are weaponized military robots that are "powerful, durable, lightweight tracked vehicles" with "all-weather, day/night and amphibious capabilities and can navigate virtually any terrain" manufactured by Foster-Miller, Inc., an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of QinetiQ North America Operations LLC.

Capability
TALON SWORDS "can be configured with M240 or M249 machine guns or Barrett .50 caliber rifles for armed reconnaissance missions. The system was evaluated by the 5th Special Forces in Iraq and three systems have completed evaluation with the 3rd Infantry Division and will likely deploy to Iraq in 2007. Additional systems are deployed and being evaluated by military units throughout the United States. Alternative weapons, including 40 mm grenade launchers and anti-tank rocket launchers, continue to be evaluated by the U.S. Army," Foster-Miller states on its website.

How it works
"The system uses AC power, lithium batteries or SINCGARS rechargeable batteries. The control box weighs about 30 pounds, and has a daylight-viewable screen and two joysticks that control the robot platform and the weapon. The soldier can [issue] commands to the SWORDS weapons through a specially-developed Remote Firing and Control System."

"Soldiers operate the SWORDS by remote control, from up to 1,000 meters away. In testing, it's hit bulls eyes from as far as 2,000 meters away."

"This firing and control system allows a single soldier to control up to five separate firing systems using a 40 bit encryption security system."

Significance of TALON robots
According to Foster-Miller, its TALON robots differ from other robots in the following ways:


 * Man-portable: "At less than 100 lb (45 kg), TALON can be easily transported and is instantly ready for operation."
 * Rugged: "TALON robots can take a punch and stay in the fight."
 * Fast: "TALON is the fastest robot on the market today with seven speed settings."
 * High payload capacity: "Long-term system versatility optimizes investment. TALON has the highest payload capacity and payload-to-weight ratio, allowing for the incorporation of a broad array of sensor packages."
 * Mobile: "Climbs stairs, negotiates rock piles, overcomes concertina wire, plows through snow and surf."
 * Intuitive: "Easiest robot to operate; joystick controls."
 * Withstands repeated decontamination: "Demonstrated at Ground Zero after 2001 World Trade Center attack in New York City. Electronics withstood 45 straight days of being decontaminated twice a day without failing."
 * Long battery life: "TALON robots have the longest battery life of all man-portable robots."

Contact information
Foster-Miller, Inc. 350 Second Avenue Waltham, MA 02451 Phone: 781 684-4000/684-4379 FAX: 781 684-3959 Web: http://www.foster-miller.com/lemming.htm

Related SourceWatch articles

 * nanotechnology
 * revolution in military affairs

External articles

 * Michael Fumento, "Is Anything Mightier Than This Sword?" Tech Central Station (Fumento.com), January 5, 2005.
 * "Robot Sharpshooter Bound For Iraq. Army Prepares To Send 18 Remote Controlled Warriors Into Combat," Associated Press (CBS News), January 22, 2005.
 * Michael P. Regan, "Army prepares 'robo-soldier' for Iraq," USA TODAY, January 24, 2005.
 * "Army readies robot soldier for Iraq. SWORDS will be the first armed automaton to see combat," Associated Press (MSNBC), January 24, 2005.
 * "US 'Robot Warriors' to Fight against Iraqi Resistance. US robot warriors to head for Iraq in spring," Global Research (Canada), January 24, 2005.
 * Mike Rogers, "Army Prepares 'Robo-Warrior' for Iraq," LewRockwell.com, January 24, 2005.
 * " SKYNET Foster-Miller unleashes the SWORD," GOP Spotlight, January 28, 2005.
 * Rod Allee, "Army's newest soldier has nerves of steel," The Record (N.J.), February 4, 2005.
 * David Crane, "Robo-Soldier Ready for Combat Deployment to Iraq for Urban Warfare/CI Ops," Defense Review Magazine, March 3, 2005.
 * Gerry J. Gilmore, "Army's Veteran Bomb-Disposal Robot Now 'Packs Heat'," American Forces Press Service, January 24, 2006.
 * "New Military Robots Violate Isaac Asimov's First Law," Defense Review Magazine (TonyRogers.com), March 16, 2006.
 * David Crane, "Armed/Weaponized Infantry Robots for Urban Warfare and Counterinsurgency Ops," Defense Review Magazine, December 13, 2005.
 * "Foster-Miller, Inc.'s TALON/SWORDS Robotic Platform Designated Military Design of the Year by Electronic Design Magazine," RoboticsOnline.com, December 31, 2006.
 * Noah Shachtman, "First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq (Updated)," WIRED Blog, August 2, 2007.
 * Brandon Hill, "New Army Robots Lug Machine Guns to Iraqi Battlefield," Daily Tech, August 3, 2007.
 * Christina Davidson, "Armed Robots Join the Battle in Iraq. Army Quietly Testing First Three SWORDS in the Combat Zone," IraqSlogger, August 3, 2007.
 * Stew Magnuson, "Gun Toting Robots See Action in Iraq," National Defense Magazine, September 2007.

External resources

 * Foster-Miller TALON in the Wikipedia.
 * Press Releases: 2003-2007, Foster-Miller.
 * Brochure: TALON robots. Small Mobile Weapons for Force Protection," Foster-Miller.
 * "Project Examples: TALON Robots," Foster-Miller.
 * "TALON Small Mobile Robot," GlobalSecurity.org (last modified April 27, 2005).
 * "Talon Robot," StrategyPage.com.

Video

 * Video: Warbots: Combatbots: The Talon," Military Channel/Discovery Channel.
 * "Robot/SWORDS," YouTube, posted February 22, 2007.