China's Military Unveils Rifle-Toting Robot Dogs
During joint drills with Cambodia, China's military shows off rifle-toting robot dogs. In urban combat circumstances, robot dogs can carry out reconnaissance, detect opponents, and strike targets. China's advances in robotic technology demonstrate a high level of technical maturity.
Who's the star of the show? A robot dog with an automatic weapon placed on its back transforms man's best (electronic) buddy into a lethal killing machine.
A video produced by state broadcaster CCTV shows a soldier, identified as Chen Wei, describing the capabilities of the robot dog. According to him, "It can serve as a new member in our urban combat operations, replacing our (human) members to conduct reconnaissance and identify (the) enemy and strike the target."
The two-minute video shows the robot dog's astonishing range of motion, which includes walking, hopping, lying down, and even moving backwards, all controlled by a remote operator. In one drill, the rifle-firing robot leads an infantry battalion inside a fake building to demonstrate its combat capabilities.
Notably, the film includes an airborne drone with an automatic gun installed beneath its six rotors, demonstrating China's wide spectrum of intelligent unmanned equipment.
While the employment of robot dogs and tiny aerial drones in military operations is not novel, China's advances in this area are gaining traction. Last year, a CCTV video showed China's rifle-armed electronic canines participating in a joint exercise with several Southeast Asian military. The display aimed to highlight cooperation efforts to improve military capabilities.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the use of robotic dogs and drones in combat has increased. These technologies have shown to be excellent equalisers, allowing governments with minimal defence expenditures to efficiently combat more heavily equipped rivals.
China, one of the world's biggest drone exporters, has taken efforts to limit drone technology exports to protect national security and interests. However, the appearance of robotic canines in joint drills with foreign military indicates that China has reached a high degree of technical maturity in this area.
The People's Liberation Army's deployment of robotic dogs continues to gain attention, with these futuristic machines appearing on China's strictly regulated social media channels for more than a year. Experts believe that the integration of these advanced robotic canines in joint exercises represents a big step forward in their development.
As military technology evolves at a rapid pace, the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in warfare is becoming more common. While these developments open up new opportunities for military operations, they also bring ethical and strategic considerations that must be properly addressed.
China's military demonstrates rifle-toting robot dogs during drills with Cambodia
Robot dogs can conduct reconnaissance, identify enemies, and strike targets in urban combat scenarios
China's advancements in robotic technology indicate a significant level of technical maturity
Source: CNN