In recent years, advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence have led to the development of highly sophisticated robot dogs. These machines, once envisioned solely as tools for assistance and exploration, are now being adapted for military and security purposes. The latest and most controversial iteration of this technology involves robot dogs equipped with rifles mounted on their backs. One such model was showcased by the Chinese military recently, during recent military drills with Cambodia, as per a report in CNN.
The video of the robot dog was released by state broadcaster CCTV.
"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," a soldier named Chen Wei said in the video, as reported by CNN.
The video also shows the dog walking, hopping, lying down and moving backwards while being controlled by a remote operator.
A soldier in the clip says that this robot dog is China's "variety of intelligent unmanned equipment".
This is not the first time that China has released such a video. Rifle-armed robotic canines appeared in a video of joint exercise involving the Chinese, Cambodian, Lao, Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese militaries held in China last November.
In 2020, the US Air Force also demonstrated robot dogs in its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
Another video on X shows a Chinese soldier walking with a robot dog equipped with a machine gun in Cambodia.
The military drill, called 'Golden Dragon', is the largest-ever joint military exercise between China and Cambodia. The 15-day exercise, which started on May 16, will continued till May 30. It involves 14 warships, two helicopters, 69 armoured vehicles, and tanks and includes live-fire, anti-terrorism, and humanitarian rescue drills.
