Army drills robot mule for Afghanistan duty

If a new robotic mule can pass an Army trial test in the New Mexico desert without overturning or going astray, the military service plans to send it to Afghanistan this fall to haul gear and equipment for soldiers, reports Spencer Ackerman at Wired’s Danger Room blog.

The Lockheed Martin-build Squad Mission Support System does not have a quirky design, like some robot mules under development, but has a rather conventional look to it, resembling a six-wheel vehicle you might see on a loading platform.

The robotic vehicle, which can haul up to 600 pounds of equipment and recharge soldiers’ battery packs under way, uses laser radar to identify the unit it needs to follow.