Robotic Mules, bad idea.

• Author: Kojro, Chester A.
• Position: READERS'FORUM - Letter to the editor

In reference to your October 2010 story, "Move Over Fido: Marines' New Best Friend Could Be a Robotic 'Mule,'" while I have utmost respect for the Marine Corps, I am concerned that its combat development side is clueless. The Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate vehicle (GUSS) is a stupid idea.

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Light infantry do not need robotic or tele-operated vehicles to deliver water, carry cargo and evacuate casualties. They simply need light vehicles since depending solely on manpower is, by definition, labor and manpower intensive.

Marines and Army infantry used to have quarter-ton Jeeps, small light utility vehicles that could go pretty much anywhere. The big mistake was switching to the far heavier and larger...