The Whatzis, coda.

Okay - what's the whatzis?

Meet the Black Knight, a semi-autonomous robot combat vehicle built as a corporate venture by BAE, and currently being evaluated as a technology demonstrator by the Army.

A larger version is available here.

Here's a little context for you:

Smaller than a Bradley, bigger than a HMMWV. And unmanned. It's controlled by a guy inside that Bradley. And has the ability to operate on it's own, in a limited fashion, for navigation. It does use many Bradley components.

Both of those elements are why that muzzle brake is bunged. It's hard to control a remote control vehicle using a TV screen.

Speaking of the gun... those of you, like Pat, who were zeroing in on 30/40mm chain guns, especially the Alliant TechSystems ones, were sniffing very close. ATK did indeed make that muzzle brake, out of aluminum, as a one-off for BAE.

The gun isn't real. It's decorative. Because the Army isn't quite ready yet for armed semi-autonomous robots that are armed and armored like that. What's that you say? SWORDS, the armed robots currently in Iraq? There's no autonomy there. They do what human controllers tell them to do - not what a software algorithm thinks might be a good idea.

Oh - and yeah, it was too out there in the wild for you to find. But now it's out there much more clearly, from a photographic standpoint.

And all you fellas should walk with your heads hanging in shame.

Because Homefront Six GOT IT!

Yew rawk, gurl!