During recent joint drills with Cambodia, China’s military featured a robot dog equipped with an automatic rifle, showcasing the country’s advanced unmanned intelligent equipment. The demonstration is part of China’s effort to enhance its technological capabilities in the military sector, amidst a backdrop of increasing global reliance on drones and robotic devices for warfare.
China’s military showcased a robot dog equipped with an automatic rifle during recent joint drills with Cambodia. This demonstration was part of the “Golden Dragon 2024” exercise, held by China and Cambodia. A video from state broadcaster CCTV featured the robot dog performing various tasks, such as walking, hopping, lying down, and moving backwards, all controlled remotely. In one scenario, the robot led an infantry unit into a simulated building.
The video also displayed an automatic rifle affixed to a six-rotor aerial drone, underscoring China’s diverse array of unmanned intelligent equipment. Although the military use of robot dogs and drones is not new, China is advancing the technological capabilities of these devices. A similar joint exercise last year with Chinese, Cambodian, Lao, Malaysian, Thai, and Vietnamese militaries also highlighted these robotic canines.
The U.S. Air Force used similar robotic dogs in 2020 as part of its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) to detect and counter threats. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drones have played a significant role on the battlefield, proving to be cost-effective and potent against advanced military assets.
China is a leading exporter of drones but imposed export controls on drone technology last year for national security reasons. The presence of robot dogs in joint exercises signals their technical maturity, according to an expert cited by the state-run Global Times.
