The Jaguar is “one of the first military robots in the world that can substitute combat soldiers on Israel’s borders.”
By United With Israel Staff
It won’t be long before Israel’s restive Gaza border is patrolled by a ground-breaking, semi-autonomous robot.
The Jaguar, so-named for its maneuverability, “is one of the first military robots in the world that can substitute combat soldiers on Israel’s borders and make the IDF a more efficient and technologically advanced military,” the IDF said in a statement.
And now the vehicle — developed by Israel Aerospace Industries with the cooperation of the IDF’s Ground Forces Command’s technological department — is being integrated into the Gaza division.
The Jaguar is equipped with a 7.62-mm MAG machine gun, high-resolution cameras, transmitters, powerful headlights, and a remote-controlled PA system. Commanders can operate the vehicle remotely should it encounter anything suspicious. It can also self-destruct if it falls into enemy hands.
But what makes the Jaguar truly unique is its ability to self-drive to a set destination, and spot and bypass obstacles.
“We have led a groundbreaking technological development––an independent robot that reduces the combat soldier’s friction with the enemy and prevents risks to human life,” remarked Lt. Col. Nathan Kuperstein, head of Autonomy and Robotics at the IDF’s Land Technology Division. “It even knows how to charge itself––almost like an iRobot”. He concluded, “there is no greater pride than defending your country”.
Jaguar’s development comes amidst the backdrop of the IDF’s Momentum Plan, a multi-year program to create what some call a “sharper, more lethal” IDF. The plan, unveiled in 2019 by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, will digitally network the fighting units and see major investment in drones, precision-guided munitions, air defense systems and artificial intelligence.