Robot Targets are on Range Rage

The Bots actually respond like a Live Adversary

For the gun enthusiasts that want more out of just shooting at paper targets or moving targets. How about moving robot targets that moves autonomously?

Check out Robotic Human-Type Targets from Australia’s Marathon Targets, they’re basically dummy mannequins on wheels with a computer embedded. The bots can be programmed to various scenario whether the bots is hit or not. The idea is to deploy human-looking dummies that can “look, move, and behave like people,” with a degree of networked autonomy.


For example, when one bot goes down in a hail of gunfire, the others can respond by heading for cover or regroup for a counter-attack. No joystick required. To further add functionality to the training, scenarios can be program into the robots whether its for a hostage situation to a couple tangos walking along the street from 200 yards out.

Unfortunately, this particular robot system is not available for the public, unless you’re in the military. Have a look at this video below from the U.S. Air Force’s 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico displaying these robot-targets on the move while soldiers shooting at them.

DEAD FOOT ARMS

Some info on these Robot Targets:

  1. GPS equipped
  2. Travel 8 mph
  3. Laser Guidance Equip
  4. Sensor – detects if shot is a kill or not
  5. Armor to stop a 7.62mm round
  6. Bots are programmable for scenario and autonomous

Other things that can be implemented into the training is to provide some obstacles for the shooter (trainee) to use as cover. One of the things that most real firefight happens is the use of cover while returning fire, which is what tactical shooting is all about.

Video Transcription

First Lt. Steven Hunter. So Training’s really cool, they have these big huge robots, sorta like… Skynet. Terminator. So you can actually program scenarios into the robots, where you can do like, a hostage scenario, where one of them in the middle’s a hostage, and you have to shoot the ones around him and they’ll bum rush if that one gets shot, so they’re all talking to each-other.

It’s really cool, because it puts a lot more of the ‘here’s how hard it is when a target’s actually moving’ into you. They are just moving around, so you kinda have to make sure. You think you need to lead ’em, but then you don’t, because you remember how fast bullets are, so you gotta remember to breathe, and it’s a whole different discipline than when you’re sitting there, taking nice controlled breaths and doing it.

You’re like, ‘ok, gotta remember to breathe, gotta remember I’m moving’, so, most of the old guys have had some experience being shot at, being in firefights, and with the way AfSoc EOD is going, we’re hoping to be involved in more of those kind of ‘forward action’ type missions anyways. With that being the case, we’re going to need these to hone these skills so that they don’t have to worry about you, and they can take care of their mission, you can take care of your mission.


And it needs to be second nature so that you don’t have to worry about learning that while you’re worrying about doing your job in a new scenario. As many things as can be second nature should be second nature.

Sources: 27th SOW Cannon Air Force Base N.M. Youtube, The Caliente SimIS RHTT, Robert Beckhusen, MotoShot