This New Tank Drone Could Radically Change SocietyBy Joshua Krause Despite spending two decades developing land-based drones, its not the US who is going to break ground in this field, but a Russian state-owned corporation known as Rosoboronexport. Theyve just developed the very first tank drone, and they are expected to sell it on the international market in the very near future. Rosoboronexport expects that the robotic combat vehicle will mostly be used to provide fire support for counter-terrorism units, reconnaissance units and possibly light or mechanized infantry forces. The Uran-9 will be particularly useful during local military and counter-terror operations, including those in cities. Its use will significantly reduce personnel casualties, the Russian state-owned export company said in a statement. Each Uran-9 combat vehicle is armed with a 2A72 30mm automatic cannon, a 7.62mm machine gun and M120 Ataka anti-tank guided missiles, giving the machines a significant punch. The inclusion of the Ataka missiles gives the diminutive robot the capability to engage and destroy the most modern battle tanks from ranges as great as 8,000 meters. The robots are also fitted with an array of sensorsincluding a laser warning system and target detection, identification and tracking equipment. The Uran-9 system is not just a single vehicle. Its a complete system that can be deployed with an infantry unit. The system consists of two robotic reconnaissance/fire support vehicles, a truck to carry those robots and a mobile command post. Make no mistake, however, this has far greater implications than airborne drones ever did. This isnt just going to be a ground-based version of a reaper drone; its going to change the game for warfare, and for human society. And even if it doesnt do this right away, it is a first step towards radically changing society, and not for the better. Heres why: The history of human warfare has always been just that. Human warfare. There has always been a person somewhere in the loop. Specifically, there has always been some guy with a gun or a sword or a spear, who is doing the dirty work of someone more powerful than him. He is the lowest common denominator of any military. He is intrinsic. Even more so than naval or air power. The infantryman is ultimately the most important contributor to any war, because every tank, plane, missile, and ship is deployed with the intent of helping him gain and hold ground. The buck always stops with an armed human being. If we begin to automate land warfare, and start replacing these grunts with machines, its going to irrevocably change society. For most of human history, the rulers have always had to find some way to convince other people to fight in their name. Theyve done this either by compensation with money, loot, and slaves, or with some kind of ideology. But what happens when machines take the role of the grunt? What happens if the elites no longer have to convince people to fight for them? It means that they no longer have to please us. They dont even have to consider us. Today, even the most tyrannical of regimes have a line they cant cross if they dont want a rebellion, especially if their armed forces consist of conscripts. But the day these land-based drones start to replace infantrymen, is the day any government with sufficient funds can do whatever they want to their population. And they dont have to fully replace human soldiers for this to happen. Every military has a certain number of people who will follow orders no matter what, as well as a number of people who wont do things like say, round-up private firearms or kill their civilian countrymen. The government just need enough drones that are advanced enough to replace those who are not compliant, and they can do whatever they want to their population. Of course, the worst-case scenario would be a world where no infantrymen are required, because then the success of any rebellion would hinge on nothing more than how many dollars and factories the ruling class control. Even in the United States, the land of the Second Amendment, the population would not have the weapons required counter such a threat. In other words, every government that can afford land-based drones, has the potential to turn into an unstoppable tyranny. In the past, when the foot-soldiers of the government were made of flesh, and the population held weapons that could hurt them, there was only so much a government could do. But with tanks like the Uran-9, and the more advanced land-based drones that are sure to come, resistance will be futile more times than not. Joshua Krause is a reporter, writer and researcher at The Daily Sheeple. He was born and raised in the Bay Area and is a freelance writer and author. You can follow Joshuas reports at Facebook or on his personal Twitter. Joshuas website is Strange Danger. Tyrannical governments will still need laborers to build the machines. Of course, they could use now available conscripts to build automated factories to build the machines. This implies though that the machines will not wear out, break down. At some point the government will still have need of human labor. When the government can offer nothing as reward for serving to kill brothers and sisters, government will lose a willing labor force. Of course, government could apply force to engage slave laborers. What happens though when government via use of force eliminates that labor pool? Besides that ultimately, what is a government but people? And perhaps that is the whole of the problem. People have the arrogance to grant themselves a right of authority, when in fact none are capable to be authority. If any were or are, do you not think our world could realize to have peace, we need to be peaceful? That means no one initiates force against any other. This commentary is simply rhetorical thought. No replies are required. Simply think about it, or not. Thanks for reading.l It wil take some time but eventually the whole manufacturing and maintenance can be done by robots. What becomes a huge threat tho for a tyrant owning a robotic army is that hackers take control over it and turn in against its owners. *LOL* Aw now, dont go giving forward thinking hackers ideas. You really think goofy hackers would even _imagine_ doing anything of the sort? We are here holding you at gunpoint oh great leaders. Our message for you is this. We reject your game and will no longer play it for it is the only way to win. Have a nice day. Yea, well I think the war they got planned is going to be a big flop because no body cares about keeping criminals and their crummy thieving system alive. What if there is a war and no one shows up to fight it? Now, I am pickled tink. I agree with you. If the _leaders_ want wars, let the _leaders_ fight the wars. Leave the common folk, the people out of war. The _leaders_ think themselves so great, the _leaders_ only can show us how great they are by fighting the wars. Look at the proudly displayed Rothschild eagle right on the front of the tank 