China's Rifle-Equipped Robot Dog Shown Firing in Chilling Video

janimonow

May 30

China has unveiled a video of its rifle-equipped robot dogs, and the footage is as frightening as you might imagine.

The clip, released during a 15-day joint military exercise with Cambodia named "Golden Dragon," shows these robotic dogs in action. The state-owned broadcaster China Central Television captured the robots hopping, diving, leading reconnaissance missions, and shooting targets with their back-mounted machine guns.

A soldier featured in the video explains, "It can serve as a new member in our urban combat operations, replacing our members to conduct reconnaissance and identify the enemy and strike the target."

These robodogs, specifically the $2,800 Go2 models from the China-based firm Unitree, can operate autonomously for two to four hours.

Robot Dog Showcased at Joint Military Exercise

Target Practice

The CCTV footage also displayed a series of aerial drones, termed "intelligent unmanned equipment," firing machine guns. While drone warfare is not new, the addition of quadrupedal robodogs to the battlefield is a recent development. Despite some firms, like Boston Dynamics, refusing to weaponize their robots, others, such as the US-based Ghost Robotics, do not share this restraint.

China is not alone in its interest in lethal robodogs. Last year, the US military was reported to be experimenting with Ghost Robotics' armed robots. A spokesperson for the Army confirmed ongoing exploration of "human-machine integration" and the potential for transformative combat capabilities.

In essence, these gun-toting robots signify a new class of AI-powered military tools aimed at supplementing or even replacing human soldiers in combat.

The future of warfare is gradually taking shape, and if the latest video gave you chills, you're not alone.