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BLACK KNIGHT
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The Black Knight is a prototype unmanned ground combat vehicle (UGCV) designed by BAE Systems. It weighs approximately 12 tons and is deployable from a C-130; thus, the Black Knight can be airlifted by military transport aircraft. Similar in appearance to a tank, it is armed with a turret-mounted 30 mm gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. The vehicle is fitted with a 300-horsepower Caterpillar Corporation diesel engine. The vehicle is currently being evaluated by the US Army. It is a proof of concept for military unmanned vehicles, specifically as a combat asset.
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The Black Knight is capable of being used off-road meaning that it go through any type of terrain such as rocks or water. The vehicle is used in military tests that allows Soldiers to figure out the major roles of the tank in order to use it in a more advanced military force. Because of its autonomous and semi-autonomous (being able to control itself and be controlled by someone else) components this helps operators plan an efficient plan of attack as well as avoiding obstacles while finding its way from point A to point B. It also consists of three modules: the Robotics Operator, the Mission Commander, and the Safety Officer each serving their own purpose.
The Black Knight is basically operated through the Robotics Operator Control Station(ROCS) which is inside an armed vehicle. Meaning that it controls the remote and autonomous operations while the Mission Commander has the task of reading the data and then transferring it to the whole system allowing it to better direct the robotics operator. The Safety Officer controls the remote hand controller which is used when there's an unsafe situation and an emergency stop command is needed. Its main role is to insure the safety of those around the vehicle and after each task, it needs to be remotely parked in a certain location like a garage or onto a truck.
Source:
Wikipedia
