---
title: "The Pentagon Wants to Buy Thousands of Battlefield Robots"
description: "Robotics manufacturers are scrambling for more than a half billion dollars in Pentagon contracts for battlefield robots that will scout and defuse bombs."
date: "2018-12-28"
modified: "2018-12-28"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/battlefield-robots-pentagon-thousands"
categories:
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "military"
  - "robots"
  - "Russia"
  - "the digest"
---

# The Pentagon Wants to Buy Thousands of Battlefield Robots

![Robotics manufacturers are scrambling for more than a half billion dollars in Pentagon contracts for battlefield robots that will defuse bombs scout ahead.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/pentagon-thousands-battlefield-robots.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Endeavor Robotics\</em\>*

## Cannon Fodder

Robotics manufacturers are scrambling for more than a half billion dollars in Pentagon contracts for battlefield robots that will defuse bombs and scout ahead for soldiers on the battlefield.

That's according to a [new *Associated Press* report](<https://www.apnews.com/5ab30e91e7174195b598a7379607b191>) about the U.S. military's efforts to purchase thousands of "backpack-sized" robots that troops can deploy to take bullets in dangerous situations — and its fear that it could be outpaced by similar efforts by China and Russia.

## All Filler

These battlefield robots aren't killer bots capable of using lethal force autonomously, a class of machine that is currently [being debated worldwide](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/un-military-killer-robots>).

Rather, U.S. military leaders are interested in [intermediary devices](<https://futurism.com/technology-natural-disaster>) like Endeavor Robotics' treadmill-sporting Centaur bot, which can perform reconnaissance and disable explosives — bots that soldiers can put in harm's way instead of themselves.

## Role in Combat

The investments are driven in part by a fear that international adversaries could come to dominate battlefield robotics. During a May senate hearing, according to the *AP*, Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley warned that China and Russia "are investing heavily and very quickly" in air, sea, and ground bots.

"My personal estimate," Milley said, "is that robots will play a significant role in combat inside of a decade or a decade and a half."

**READ MORE:** [Army Looks for a Few Good Robots, Sparks Industry Battle](<https://www.apnews.com/5ab30e91e7174195b598a7379607b191>) \[*Associated Press*\]

***More on military robots:*** [*The UK Is Developing Autonomous Killer Robots*](<https://futurism.com/uk-autonomous-killer-robots>)

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)