Use of AI in optical sights, unmanned robots, etc.
“Gaza War, Opportunity to Test Israel’s New Weapons”
“At the same time, AI autonomous weapon system risks are raised.”
AFP reported on the 10th (local time) that Israel is using new military technology using artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time in the war in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
“AI-based technology is destroying enemy drones and mapping Hamas’ vast network of tunnels in the Gaza Strip,” an anonymous senior Israeli Defense Ministry official told AFP.
Military technologies that first appeared in this war include sights using AI and unmanned robots.
The Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) used AI sights created by Israeli startup Smart Shooter for the first time on rifles and machine guns.
An official from the Israeli Ministry of Defense said, “This technology helps intercept drones, which are often used by Hamas,” and added, “It turns all soldiers, even visually impaired soldiers, into snipers.”
Another technique to neutralize drones is to deploy friendly drones with nets on enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “This is a battle of drones versus drones,” the official explained. “We call this ‘Angry Birds.’”
The Israeli military also used AI technology to map Hamas’ massive tunnel network, the so-called ‘Gaza Metro’. According to a recent study by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, this tunnel is known to be comprised of about 1,300 tunnels spanning 500 km.
Israeli startup Robotican has made it possible to operate underground by placing a human-detecting drone in a robot case. It determines the interior terrain up to the maximum distance allowed for communication within the tunnel.
Previously, during the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ operation on October 7 last year, which directly triggered this war, Hamas also used a drone to drop explosives as one of the surprise attacks on Israel.
AFP pointed out that the Gaza war raised issues about human rights, but also served as an opportunity for Israel to solidify its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of cutting-edge defense systems.
“The war in Gaza is generally a threat, but it is also an opportunity to test new technologies in the field,” said Avi Hasson, CEO of Israeli startup Nation Central. “Technologies that have not been used before, both on the battlefield and in hospitals. “They are being used this time,” he said.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported last month that the United States is training its soldiers to shoot down drones using smart shooter optical sights.
However, AFP pointed out that this also poses a risk to AI-based autonomous weapon systems.
Last December, more than 150 countries supported a UN resolution that outlined “serious challenges and concerns” about new military technologies, including “AI and the autonomy of weapons systems.”
“The rising number of civilian deaths shows the need for much greater oversight of the use of new forms of defense technology,” said Mary Wareham, a weapons expert at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.