Colchester soldiers fighting robots which 'shoot and talk back'

Troops with 16 Air Assault Brigade will be put to the test with training exercises making use of SimStrikers – robotic targets which shoot back and even shout in foreign languages.

British defence supply firm 4GD has delivered ten of the robot targets to Colchester-based soldiers.

In reality, the robots look like mannequin models, but in virtual reality they appear to soldiers as avatars of enemy fighters.

The target is fitted with “hit-zone” sensors capable of accurately recording the precision and fire rate of soldiers.

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High-tech instruments inside the mannequin can also pick up movement, light and sound and enable the target to vocally respond, raise the alarm, shoot back with non-lethal ammunition and drop on its base when engaged.

The Mail Online reports SimStrikers can emit shouts and screams in various languages, including in Russian and Arabic.

BB pellets are fired from the head and hip of the robotic humanoid, while sensors pick up on soldiers’ fire rate and accuracy during training exercises.

In another room at the Colchester training complex, paratroopers can look out a window and see a virtual war zone.

Rob Taylor, founder of 4GD, said: “When you get into a building and clear a block of flats, you then go to the windows and look into the virtual world.

“Then you can be in Kyiv and firing javelins and sniper rifles.”

Soldiers with 16 Air Assault Brigade are putting the robots to the test

The virtual reality technology will reportedly also use audio and scents to enhance the experience – for example the sound of church bells or the smell of a desert.

4GD told the Gazette it has been awarded a contract to supply “smart urban warfare training targets” to the British Army.

The firm said the SimStalker is now in service with 16 Air Assault Brigade, with the units compatible for “upgrades”.

Mr Taylor said: “We are excited to officially introduce SimStriker to the market and continue supporting the British Army with high-tech solutions for impactful and data-driven close combat training.

“4GD’s SimStriker takes a bold step away from traditional wooden targets towards a new generation of smart-adversaries which add realism to simulations, can assess the effectiveness of our soldiers with mathematical precision and, ultimately, help boost their urban warfare capabilities.”