US Marines add an anti-drone AI turret capable of hitting ground targets: Can it be hacked?
A short demonstration video shows a Bullfrog switching from targeting aerial drones to ground targets.
Image by Cybernews.
- Bullfrog gives Marines a cheaper AI-powered defense against drones, using existing firearms and sensors
- Demonstrations suggest Bullfrog can also engage ground targets, raising autonomy and civilian safety concerns
- But cyber interception appears difficult because Bullfrog uses passive sensors and limited operator-controlled firing
Wars in Ukraine and Iran are accelerating the US military’s efforts to find cheaper and more effective ways than expensive interceptor missiles to fend off drone attacks.
The US Marines, thousands of whom are deployed in the Middle East, are adding AI-powered, gun-based anti-drone systems. The issue is that they could be directed to target ground targets – humans.
These systems, made by defense robotics firm Allen Control Systems (ACS), are called Bullfrogs. They will be attached to the US Marines’ Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, which is a larger counter-drone platform.
The US Army and US Navy are both already operating the Bullfrogs, but the Marines simply need fresh measures to fend off Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks on American bases across the Middle East.
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Just during the past week, the Pentagon announced the deaths of two US soldiers based in the region. Seventeen US service members have been killed since the outset of the US war on Iran in February.
In its press release announcing the deal with the US Marine Corps, ACS cites the need to “counter the growing threat of low-cost weaponized drones.”
“The Marine Corps requires the most sophisticated and accurate possible capabilities to carry out its critical missions,” said Mike Wior, co-founder and CEO of ACS.
“We are honored to support Marines with fast, scalable, and cost-effective counter-drone solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing platforms.”
A short video on ACS’s YouTube page clearly shows a Bullfrog unit easily switching from targeting a drone in the sky to a ground target.
According to ACS, the Bullfrog combines AI, computer vision, and precision robotics to enable any legacy or modern firearm to detect, track, and defeat incoming threats. It’s capable of engaging groups of up to 3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The company doesn’t say anything about the system’s capabilities to target manned vehicles or human troops.
However, a short video on ACS’s YouTube page clearly shows a Bullfrog unit easily switching from targeting a drone in the sky to a ground target.
This probably means that the system can act as an autonomous human-killer as well. That sounds risky, especially because, like any computerized military hardware, the Bullfrog can theoretically be intercepted using cyber means.
But a cyber intervention would be difficult. One, there’s zero radio frequency input: there are no signals for hackers to track, spoof, or jam.
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Besides, the Bullfrog relies entirely on passive sensors – electro-optical cameras, infrared cameras, and laser rangefinders. Since it doesn’t broadcast radio signals to detect targets, it presents no wireless entry point for external cyber-interception.
Finally, ACS says the Bullfrog can be easily and quickly switched into semi-autonomous mode when and if needed, requiring an operator command to fire.
In other words, a cyber attacker cannot force the machine to fire blindly without overriding the operator’s command.
