August 19, 2007: The U.S. Army is ordering another thousand combat robots for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military already has over 5,000 of these small (40-130 pound) robots in service. Most are used to deal with roadside bombs. But combat troops are increasingly using them for battlefield reconnaissance and guard duty. These robots come from several suppliers (iRobot, Foster-Miller and Exponent Inc are the largest.) The army is also considering buying another 2,000 robots over the next five years. Because of their use in Iraq, the robots are now a permanent part of the U.S. armed forces, and new models are under development.