Latest news with #TNW
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This ‘dual-use' electric tractor can sow fields and run guns
A Spanish startup called Voltrac says it is building a new breed of smart tractor—one that could sow fields by day and run weapons to soldiers by night. And while the Hot Wheels-looking, fully electric tractor is currently remote-controlled, Voltrac is working to make its next version fully autonomous. This 'dual-use' tractor, first spotted by The Next Web, reportedly weighs 3.5 tons—roughly the size of a young African elephant—and has a carrying capacity of nearly 8,900 pounds. It can reach a top speed of around 24 miles per hour and operate for anywhere between 8 to 20 hours, thanks to two large 200kW batteries. The Voltrac comes equipped with a suite of sensors and onboard cameras that can be used to monitor a crop field—or a mine-filled battlefield. Currently, the Voltrac is remotely controlled by a human operator who steers the machine through a first-person point of view. The company told TNW it's currently awaiting EU regulatory approval to allow the machine to operate fully autonomously. In theory, they say, one remote operator, be it a farmer or a military commander, could oversee multiple shiny steel tractors working simultaneously. Voltrac says its low-profile tractor uses distributed electric propulsion via per-wheel motors, which it claims helps eliminate around 70 percent of traditional tractor components. That increased efficiency, they say, should reduce annual maintenance and operating costs for the owner by roughly 30 percent. Voltrac did not immediately respond to Popular Science's request for comment. As a farming tool, the Voltrac features a hitch that can be used to attach common tools of the trade like plows, mowers, or cutters. It also supports a large, attachable flatbed add-on for transporting containers full of tools and gear. The machine's cameras can be used to conduct what the company calls 'live experiments' on crops. The tractor could, for example, treat different parts of a field in slightly different ways to observe how plants respond to various treatments. For military applications, the tractor could be used to remotely inspect areas for signs of mines, improvised explosive devices, or other unexploded ordnance. Its hefty carrying capacity means it could also be deployed to troops in difficult or dangerous-to-reach areas. Voltrac told TNW it is in early talks with several NATO departments regarding the tractor's potential use in military scenarios. 'It's built for tough terrain, and it doesn't risk human life. It can do the same job whether it's hauling crops or carrying ammo,' Voltrac's co-founder and CTO Francisco Infante Aguirre said in a recent interview with TNW. Using farming equipment for war might sound odd, but it's not a totally novel idea. In Ukraine, farmers are already using basic tractors retrofitted with abandoned Russian tank parts to scour crop fields for unexploded mines. Others have reportedly built DIY radio-controlled tractors to clear mines and debris from contested farmland. Major militaries around the world—such as those of the US and France,—have already demonstrated the use of remote-controlled robots, similar in shape and size to the Voltrac, to aid in resupply efforts. Voltrac likely still has hurdles to clear before reaching that stage. The company is still raising money and says it plans to start shipping its first tractors in early 2026.
India.com
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India.com
What are tactical nuclear weapons that coward Pakistan is threatening India with? Pakistan has total..., India can respond with...
Tactical nuclear weapons: Pakistan has been continuously intimidating India with threats of nuclear bombs, especially after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Sky News, has attempted to warn the world about the use of nuclear weapons. Pakistan is confident that due to nuclear bombs, India will not attempt to attack. Experts believe that Pakistan possesses small tactical nuclear weapons. Former Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has also mentioned these small nuclear bombs before. Therefore, it becomes essential to understand what these bombs are. According to the Observer Research Foundation report, Pakistan has developed Tactical Nuclear Weapons (TNWs) in recent years. These have been specifically designed with India in mind. Pakistan has developed TNWs because it knows it does not have the capability to win against India in conventional warfare. India's vast military capability can easily crush Pakistan, which is why it has added a new arrow to its quiver. These are referred to as strategic nuclear bombs. They are different from conventional nuclear bombs. These bombs are designed to devastate a specific area to prevent widespread destruction in larger regions, but that small area is completely obliterated. What kind of tactical nuclear weapons Pakistan has? Pakistani defense experts have claimed that these strategic nuclear bombs can play a vital role against traditional attacks from India. However, critics argue that strategic nuclear weapons lower the nuclear threshold and that the extent of destruction they could cause cannot be estimated. Nuclear weapons are believed to have a highly destructive capacity and emit nuclear radiation for years. However, strategic nuclear bombs can spread devastation in a specific area. According to the information available, the command and control of these bombs has been entrusted to regional commanders and mid-level military officers. It is believed that Pakistan developed them under the 'Cold Start Doctrine.' This means that if Indian soldiers enter Pakistan, they should be stopped immediately. The main purpose of the 'Cold Start Doctrine' is to instill fear. About when and under what circumstances Pakistan will use its TNW weapons, Lieutenant General Khalid Kidwai, head of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), claimed that 'nuclear weapons (whether strategic or tactical) will only be used when Pakistan's very existence is at stake,' according to the Observer Research Foundation. Kidwai cited some conditions for their use which include: When an attack occurs and a large portion of its territory is occupied. When a significant portion of Pakistan's land or air force is destroyed. When there is an attempt to economically choke Pakistan. When Pakistan is pushed towards political instability or internal sabotage. Capability of Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons Tactical nuclear weapons are used to achieve immediate results on the battlefield. Their targets are military installations. They weigh about 100 to 1000 kilotons and can be launched from ICBM and SLBM missiles. Pakistan possesses tactical nuclear weapons capable of devastating an area of about 70 to 100 kilometers, and these can be launched from mobile platforms. Although India's policy regarding nuclear bombs is 'no first use', India's nuclear doctrine says that if Pakistan uses even a small nuclear bomb, India will wipe out the entire Pakistan.
