Following on from earlier attempts to reduce US army combat losses in Iraq, such as the deployment of anything up to 200 000 mercenaries, is a rush to digitise the slaughter through the use of armed robot drones and now robotic infantry.

Robots have been used extensively by the occupying forces but now they are to be armed with a potentially devastating array of weaponry including grenade and missile launchers. For more details see the link below:

 http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/08/httpwwwnational.html

Behind their development is Talon Robots, part of Foster Miller who in turn are a subsidiary of Qinetiq Group. As some may be aware Qinetiq emerged from the privatisation in 2001 of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), which was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence. QinetiQ is now one of the largest defence research organisations in the world and employs over 11,400 people.

According to Talons website:

"TALON SWORDS robots can be configured with M240 or M249 machine guns or Barrett .50 caliber rifles for armed reconnaissance missions. The system was evaluated by the 5th Special Forces in Iraq and three systems have completed evaluation with the 3rd Infantry Division and will likely deploy to Iraq in 2007. Additional systems are deployed and being evaluated by military units throughout the United States. Alternative weapons, including 40 mm grenade launchers and anti-tank rocket launchers, continue to be evaluated by the U.S. Army."

And as Qinetiq and Foster Miller make clear they are happy to supply the private sector which includes the mercenary companies such as Aegis and Blackwater operating in Iraq.

 http://www.qinetiq.com/home/aboutqq/closer_look.html

The good news is that Qinetiq employ over 8000 employees throughout the UK so there is probably a unit close to where you live.

 http://www.qinetiq.com/home/aboutqq/our_business/locations.html