“War has often played a pivotal role in advancing technology and the Russian and Ukrainian conflict is shaping up to be a key proving ground for artificial intelligence”
Recently, AI drones called KUB-BLA manufactured by ZALA Aero were pictured in Russia, testifying of the rise of AI in warfare. On the other side, the US just announced sending its “Switchblades” killer drones (from the AeroVironment’s manufactury) to the Ukrainian army.
How do these equipment work and what do they tell us about the future of conflicts?
These drones are equipped with intelligent detection systems that recognize objects by class and type in real-time. The “Switchblade” operates in three phases. First, it cruises over the battlefield for 15 min to detect a target, then a human operator locks the target manually before the Switchblade dives in to destroy the target. On the Russian side, the “KUB-BLA” has an autonomy of 30 min. It can be piloted remotely by the operator or simply fly alone with an artificial intelligence system, based on which the appearance of a specific person is loaded into his memory, for which he begins to hunt.
This war will unquestionably mark a major step forward in the arms race for autonomous weapon systems
