It’s bots like this machine gun-equipped Ripsaw MS1 UGV that make us poop our pants in fear at the inevitable robot uprising. It tears across terrain like it was nothing. It’s an unmanned tank that tops 60 mph, and can be fitted with a remote gun system. It also treats concrete barriers like they were a wall of foam.

Built by twin brothers, Geoff and Mike Howe of Barwick, Maine, the Ripsaw can careen at high speed over obstacles that would leave a vehicle’s crew dazed and bruised. It is operated by a driver in another vehicle using a modular crew station that can be unbolted and placed in a range of Army vehicles, including the Stryker and all the MRAP models.

A weaponised version, modified by the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, includes a remotely operated M240 machine gun. The gun is operated by a separate person using another modular station that can be put in a range of vehicles.

Let’s all go change our pants now.

[Defensetech]

We told you about the cool Transforming RCRC car earlier this month. Here’s a video of the vehicle/bot in action. Makes you look forward to driving a real Transformer one day on the road.