The Israel Defense Forces has deployed unmanned armored vehicles in Gaza City to clear booby-trapped streets and buildings in preparation for the entry of land forces, Hebrew media reported on Sunday.
The Israeli army has deployed these robotic APCs at “industrial scale” in recent days, especially at night, according to Israel’s Army Radio correspondent Doron Kadosh. The IDF estimates that this tactic has neutralized thousands of explosive charges throughout the enclave, saving the lives of many troops.
“This system has become one of the most dramatic means of warfare in Gaza,” Kadosh cited a senior IDF officer as saying.
The robotic APC carries a deployable explosive device, according to the report, which it can drop at a designated location, clear out and detonate without being harmed.
Initially the IDF used unmanned bulldozers known as “Pandas,” but this was costly as these vehicles suffered too much damage. The military replaced the bulldozers with old American “Zelda” APCs from the 1970s, having an inventory of about 5,000 of them.
The IDF’s Ground Technology Brigade then developed an upgraded version of the special explosive device that can be deployed without causing damage to the APC.
The tactic’s reported success has led to the IDF considering the system as a candidate for the Israel Security Prize.
The Israeli army is further planning to use robotic APCs as logistic and even fire support for ground forces, according to the report.
“Imagine what 100 such robotic APCs could do, entering the terrain ahead of a force and opening the route for it. This is the battlefield of the future, and we will be the first in the world to do it,” a senior IDF officer was quoted as saying.
