back to article Blighty joins killer robot club with Afghan strike

Britain has joined the USA in achievement of a modern-day tech milestone. Both countries have now used killer robots to attack human beings on the battlefield. The revelation comes in an exclusive report by Flight magazine, which says that the Royal Air Force has confirmed that Blighty's sole in-service "Reaper" flying hunter- …

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  1. BlueR@nger
    Coat

    Dum dum dumdeedum

    hmmm. all of a sudden all the hype back in the 80s to develop LISP and the corresponding AI to go with it doesn't sound so appealing.

    I guess we're allright until we start seeing naked austrian's dropping out of the sky with a penchant for bikes, boots and motorcycles.

    Mines the bullet proof one with extra 5 Terrawatt EMP shielding.

  2. Senor Beavis

    SuperNAP?

    "The stick-jockeys in charge of takeoff and landing are physically present near the runways in theatre, but the robot killers are handled in action from facilities near Las vegas."

    Wild speculation, I know, but could the Las Vegas location be the Switch SuperNAP, by any chance, given it's teeming with ex-mil staff already?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Biggles and Algy...

    Biggles and Algy must be spinning in their graves.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Two have been delivered but one recently crashed..........

    So we pay £50 million for a device that has an unreliable engine then endanger our soldiers lives to recover the secret & restricted US hardware before calling in the Air Force to bomb it into little pieces. What's happened to "self destruct systems" and is it covered by a manufacturers guarentee? Did the MoD remember that it's covered by The Sale of Goods Act so they shouldn't be out of pocket for the S&D mission but they might find the repair a bit tricky.

    I know, mine's the one with the Consumer advice in the pocket

  5. Ferry Boat

    Impressed by size

    They are quite big aren't they - much bigger than a Cessna 152. I didn't think they were that big. I was thinking 5 metre wingspan sort of thing but the wingspan is 20m.

    Errr..... nothing more to add.

  6. john loader

    Asimov is spinning in his grave

    Whatever happened to the three laws of robotics?

  7. pctechxp

    errr

    Am I the only one thats concerned that our aircraft are being controlled by the Amerinuts.

  8. Adam Foxton
    Coat

    Working on software to control multiple units?

    Why bothering developing new stuff? Just use an RTS game! Thousands, maybe millions of potential young recruits in the event of the general populace being conscripted, a well-refined interface AND it allows a vast amount of information to be presented to the user in an incredibly efficient and concise manner.

    Though things could get messy if they get the discs mixed up between that and a game- "Ooh, they've added a "Global Thermonuclear War" capaign to Red Alert 3!"

    It's the one with "No, Comrade Premier. It has only begun" on the back

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Insert coins

    "the robot killers are handled in action from facilities near Las vegas" by spotty teenagers in an arcade who pay $2 a go.

  10. RainForestGuppy
    Black Helicopters

    SkyNet - UK

    " The Skynet-UK Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 2008. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet-UK begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. GMT, August 29th. In a panic, they have a cup of the tea and decide who's to blame"

    Skynet-UK proceeds gets Pissed up on Blue WKD, smashes up a phone box, vomit's in the gutter and grabs a kebab on the way home. It finally loses sentiance after watching the live feed of Big Brother 9 for 6 hours solid.

  11. Dreikin
    Black Helicopters

    Anyone else thinking

    Ender's Game?

    Mine's the one that goes stiff when you zap it..

  12. Secretgeek
    Black Helicopters

    I for one....

    ..welcome our Cockney-accented robotic flying masters of destruction.

    British Reapers? Cheaper and more effective at stopping crime than the fucking CCTV network.

  13. Chris Cheale

    Contact

    ----

    US defence contractors are working on control software which could allow a single human overseer to command small fleets of robocraft...

    ----

    Contact RTS games developers - or Sid Meir :)

  14. Tim

    @ Senor Beavis

    No idea about the answer to your question, but are these ex-UK mil staff? I'm wondering why a UK bot is being flown from the US, and whether it is in control of UK or US staff?

  15. Fenton

    Future scenario

    In an unprecended diplomatic negotiation between the two waring nations, the decision has been made to depense with the physical hardware and they have decided to join the two command computers together.

    Thus ending the true warfare and it's associated finanction and human cost

  16. Andrew Culpeck
    Black Helicopters

    to pctechxp

    No!

  17. amanfromMars Silver badge

    A Right Royal Battle of Wills any Able Tom, Dick or Harry can Play for Guinevere's Favours

    "Biggles and Algy must be spinning in their graves." ... By Anonymous Coward

    Posted Wednesday 4th June 2008 10:09 GMT

    Sid and John will be sitting up in theirs. They were well into AIMagical Mystery Turing ZerodDay Trips, although they were sadly lacking in their Times, the dDelivery Technology and ITs Methodology

    "In an unprecended diplomatic negotiation between the two waring nations, the decision has been made to depense with the physical hardware and they have decided to join the two command computers together.

    Thus ending the true warfare and it's associated finanction and human cost" ... By Fenton Posted Wednesday 4th June 2008 12:42 GMT

    Future Scenario for Present Deployment, Seconded, Fenton.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    not a robot

    quote @ Asimov is spinning in his grave

    Whatever happened to the three laws of robotics?

    end quote

    Technically all this is, is a remote control aircraft on steriods. Therefore as such can not be classed as a robot, and therefore the 3 laws of robotics do not apply.

    The main reason i'm saying this is due to the face that you still need a human to control it and fire the munitions. So until a time one of these can take off itself, fly to the area of operations, pick the best target, destory said target, fly back and land. With out the help or intervention of a human being. Then to me all these are, are big boys remote controlled airplanes with bombs.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Presumably

    Presumably anyone with a half decent handheld SAM can knock this thing off and then scarper - or am I missing something.

  20. Stuart
    Coat

    Home shopping channel

    Ok, WAR, HUH, what is it good for. But can I have one for Xmas. Just what every BOFH needs.

    Mines the one with the illegally modified usb missile launcher in the top pocket.

  21. Captain DaFt
    Black Helicopters

    @ john loader

    What ever happened to the three laws of robotics? They got upgraded!

    Asimov's Rules of Robotics 2.0:

    Rule 1: A robot will always obey the commands of whoever controls it to the best of its abilities.

    Rule 2: If someone wrests control of the robot from its rightful controller, the robot will follow Rule 1.

    Rule 3: All robots will have hidden back doors to expedite Rule 2, no exceptions!

    After all, what's the use of selling military droids to one and sundry if you can't turn the droids on them whenever you imagine a need?

  22. Thomas Kenyon

    Planes Crashing

    Is this related to the US Airforce remote control plane that has the nasty issue of crashing into the ground/anything nearby if it rains?

  23. Tim
    Boffin

    Asimovs Rules of Robotics...

    ... are fictional and too complex to apply to electronic systems.

    Anyway, the word robot was coined to describe a human slave so maybe the 3 Laws would work in the wetware.

  24. amanfromMars Silver badge

    Hmmm? Advanced Micro Device or Advanced Macro Device

    "Anyway, the word robot was coined to describe a human slave so maybe the 3 Laws would work in the wetware." ... By Tim Posted Thursday 5th June 2008 11:27 GMT

    Tim, Perfect the Manchurian Series to Process Information into Beta Intel and the Slave will be AIMaster Pilot Bot?

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If a Brit plane is controlled by Americans...

    ...who's to blame when it follows a fine American tradition and kills a bunch of squaddies?

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Reaper defo in hands of British Staff

    The following link will clear up any of the tinfoil hat brigade's fear that the yanks are in control of our Reapers. They're in the hands of blighty's finest. I know one of them ;P

    http://www.lvrj.com/news/19483404.html

    Bearing in mind that we've only had these bot's for a relatively short time,

    It makes reasonable sense to use the existing comms sat network that the American's have set up to control Reapers in joint operational airspace.

    Check out Friday 6th June 6pm and 10pm BBC news slot for more info.

    Paris, because to assume makes an ass out of u and me

  27. William Doohan
    Unhappy

    Whaaaa?

    OK, it's easy to figure out what 'Blighty' means, but who are Biggles and Algy?

  28. Joe Cooper

    @ john loader

    I think those went out with the V-1. Maybe earlier.

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