Future of the military tech will be dominated by robots, and the US Marines are trying hard to keep ahead of the competition. Recently, the US Army tested a robotic system named Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System.
The MAARS robot has been designed to aid the soldiers who get caught in a difficult situation and cannot get out of the harm’s way. MAARS would be able to provide fire support and pull the infantrymen to safety.
The robot has been fitted with multiple sensor systems and cameras and will be seen alongside soldiers on the frontline.
The primary weapon for the robotic system will be an M240B machine gun with 400 rounds. A 40mm grenade launcher is also included in the package. The robot can go as fast as 11.3 kilometres per hour (7 mph), just the right pace to keep up with the soldiers.
In spite of its futuristic design and performance, MAARS needs to be reloaded manually, and it is challenged by a rough terrain.
The robotic system is one of the technologies being tested by the Corps for the Warfighting Laboratory as a part of the “Marine Corps of 2025” project. An autonomous ground support vehicle, small-scale drones, and an accurate aerial strike weapon that could be carried around in a backpack are also being tested at the facility.