We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:37:58 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2010 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 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... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:33:25 -0600 Since the Army is afraid to put a real gun in this “lose cannon on the deck” robot, couldn’t we just simplify the design a bit? Just pack it full of explosives. Drive it up to Iran’s nuke plant. Then detonated it like one huge bunker buster bomb. We may have to have a number of them to ensure that few of them reach their intended target (which would guarantee a decent sized contract for BAE). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66520 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66520 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:26:41 -0600 P.s. Just think about what happened when the Yul Brynner character malfunctioned in "Westworld." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66498 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66498 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 23:28:44 -0600 I don't think Doctor Asimov would approve of this gizmo. Good thing the gun doesn't work. I mean, I hate uppity robots almost as much as I hate Illinois Nazis who are Senators from New York! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66497 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66497 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 23:21:33 -0600 Pat, when we fielded the long-tube M109A2/3s in Germany in 1980 (the M109 tube didn't extend much past the end of the chassis, the long tube extended 5 feet past) *every* wall in the motor bays of the first battery to bring their guns in for their initial service had holes punched in the wall. The rest of us were quicker to learn... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66471 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66471 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:00:13 -0600 I remember when a 1RCHA M109 driver put the muzzle brake into the back window of a German bus during an exercise in 1991. A 105mm howitzer being towed by a 5 ton on an icy road ended up upside down being dragged on the splinter shield. I was also told of a Cdn Leo turret not being properly secured and going for a few rotations during a train move and taking out some elctrical stuff(I don't know if this really happened or not). When it comes to AFV barrels being damaged, nothing really surpises me. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66464 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66464 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:37:19 -0600 There's a scary thought... With regard to the scuffs on the muzzle brake, my first thought (back when you mentioned that scale was an issue) was that it WAS due to it running into - or BEING run into - a wall or something like that. But I was thinking more along the lines of it being used as a battering ram of sorts which didn't make any sense so I discarded the idea. Seems I was close. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66451 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66451 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:29:12 -0600 Brad - not the least of which is... "On 25 November, 2008, at 2:15PM, Black Knight became aware..." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66450 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66450 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:20:20 -0600 So, does it have a speaker for the controller to say "None shall pass"? I mean come on, its British, and its called "The Black Night". There's a ton of jokes just waiting to happen. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66444 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66444 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:27:12 -0600 Congrats HF6!! Great job. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66442 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66442 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:17:47 -0600 Shame? I'll have you know, good sir, I HAVE NO SHAME! I'm trying to prove that here, but I guess I need to step up my game... good job, HF6! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66435 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/the_whatzis_cod.html#comment-66435 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:09:59 -0600