Unleashing the Future of Combat: The Rise of Armed Robot Dogs in Military Warfare

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Unleashing Mechanical Canines in Combat

China's armed forces have recently introduced an innovative combat companion for its troops: a mechanized canine equipped with a machine gun mounted on its back.

Footage released by CCTV, the official broadcaster of China, captures scenes of the People's Liberation Army engaging in drills on a test field, where they are accompanied by a quadruped robot equipped with what seems to be a modified version of the 5.8 x 42-mm QBZ-95 standard assault rifle. These activities were part of the Golden Dragon 24, a recent series of collaborative military exercises with Cambodia conducted in the Gulf of Thailand. In the footage, there are instances where the robot takes the lead into a building, with Chinese troops positioned on each side of an entrance. Additionally, a segment shows the robot discharging a series of shots as it progresses toward a target.

"This can act as a fresh addition to our city warfare tactics, taking the place of our personnel to carry out surveillance, spot adversaries, and hit the target throughout our drills," a Chinese soldier demonstrated using the robot explained to CCTV.

The Chinese military and its associated industries have previously demonstrated their capabilities in deploying armed robotic canines. In October of the previous year, Kestrel Defense, a defense contractor in China, released a video that captured the moment an unmanned drone deployed a four-legged robotic vehicle equipped with a 5.8 x 42-mm QBB-97 light machine gun onto a rooftop as part of an urban combat simulation. Prior to this, there were instances where the company showcased robotic canines fitted with a variety of warfare equipment ranging from smoke grenades to precision-guided munitions. Furthermore, as of March this year, Chinese experts have reported successful trials of robotic dogs armed with a 7.62-mm rifle, which is thought to be a modified version of the Type 56 assault rifle, a derivative of the widely used Soviet AK-47. These trials reportedly demonstrated shooting accuracy on par with China's highly trained snipers, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

China's display noticeably irritated global watchers, leading to a call from an American legislator for the US Defense Department to deliver a report on "armed robotic dogs" and their possible implications for national security. However, if the Chinese armed forces are leading the way in arming robotic dogs, the US military isn't trailing far behind.

Over the last year, the Pentagon has been testing the integration of quadruped robots with various military firearms, including the standard 5.56 x 45-mm M4A1 carbine, the newly adopted 6.8-mm XM7 rifle as part of the Next Generation Squad Weapon program, and even the M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon, a weapon that has been used by U.S. forces since the Vietnam War era. Shortly before the release of video footage showing these robotic dogs equipped with weapons, the Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) disclosed its trials in equipping these robotic canines with gun systems utilizing Onyx defense contractor's AI-powered SENTRY remote weapons system.

U.S. military leaders have quickly pointed out that the current work on armed robotic dogs is still exploratory, aimed at understanding the potential uses of cutting-edge robotic technology in warfare, according to an Army representative last August. Despite this, with the Army already running city attack exercises with robotic dogs and the Marine Corps looking closely at adding robotic four-legged machines to enhance their units with "smart robotics," the possibility of the U.S. military having to think about deploying weaponized robotic dogs in battlefields to stay ahead of China could soon be a reality.

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"Why is this shocking to anyone? It was clearly inevitable," says Peter W. Singer, a prominent senior fellow at New America, a think tank in Washington, DC, and a specialist in cutting-edge military technology, in a conversation with WIRED. "The initial robots used for bomb disposal, both wheeled and tracked, were equipped with cameras to examine bombs by the roadside. Later, they were modified to carry weapons; a similar evolution occurred with the Predator drone, which initially had no weapons until missiles were attached to it. The progression towards weaponized robots has been ongoing for quite some time."

The Faithful Companion

The concept of four-legged robots serving in military capacities is not new. Back in 2005, the leading robotics company Boston Dynamics introduced BigDog, a robotic beast designed as a support unit to carry weapons and essentials for American soldiers across difficult terrains where conventional vehicles struggle. This initiative was backed financially by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and embraced as the Legged Squad Support System by the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. However, despite the significant investment exceeding $40 million and years of development, BigDog was ultimately discontinued due to its high noise levels, rendering it impractical for field operations.

Despite the limitations faced by BigDog, the foundational research that went into its development paved the way for the emergence of Spot, a more compact and less noisy robotic canine unveiled by Boston Dynamics in 2015. Although Spot lacks the size to carry equipment and weaponry, it quickly demonstrated potential military uses ranging from securing the perimeter of bases to conducting inspections in distant locations. Since its launch, Spot has underscored the groundbreaking role of four-legged robots in the field, influencing both partners such as Asylon Robotics with their DroneDog and prompting competition from entities like Ghost Robotics with their Vision 60, all vying for a portion of the Defense Department's expanding budget for robotics.

Information accessible through the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), a media outlet of the Pentagon, indicates that the widespread use of robotic dogs within the American armed forces really took off in 2020. This was when the Air Force began using a select number of Ghost Robotics' devices during a dynamic defense exercise at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. This exercise, known as "agile combat employment," involved airmen teaming up with these robotic canines to defend an airfield from a hypothetical assault. Shortly thereafter, Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida set a precedent by being the first military facility globally to adopt these semi-autonomous robot dogs for its security operations.

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"Major Jordan Criss, the commander of the 325th Security Forces Squadron, highlighted the value of these canine units during their initial trials in late 2020 at Tyndall Air Force Base, stating, 'These dogs will serve as additional observers and listeners, processing vast quantities of data in key areas across the base. This will significantly improve our security teams' capabilities and provide our staff with greater versatility in their deployment and reaction strategies."

Over recent years, the presence of robotic canines has significantly expanded within various branches of the US military, extending their use beyond mere surveillance of high-security areas. In July 2023, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota welcomed these mechanical dogs to assist in handling threats from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear sources, thus protecting personnel from potential dangers. Following this, in August, Patrick Space Force Base in Florida integrated these robotic dogs into their security measures to enhance their ability to detect and warn of potential threats. Concurrently, the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Philadelphia employed these robots to create three-dimensional models of ships within its inactive fleet, a task carried out at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Additionally, the Coast Guard introduced these robotic dogs in Hawaii as a measure to thwart threats from weapons of mass destruction. Lastly, in November, Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana rolled out their use of robotic dogs designed to deal with explosive devices, showcasing the military's growing reliance on these advanced technological aids.

Even with their intended non-military uses, various robotics firms have considered arming their creations. In October 2021, at an annual Army weapons showcase in Washington, DC, Ghost Robotics unveiled what it called the “Special Purpose Unmanned Rifle” (SPUR), a four-legged robot equipped with a 6.5-mm Creedmoor assault rifle made by SWORD International, marking the first time a robotic dog with a gun was publicly displayed. The year after, a clip featuring a robotic dog armed with a PP-19 Vityaz submachine gun by Russian innovator Alexander Atamov gained widespread attention on YouTube and Twitter. By 2023, a U.S. company introduced a robotic dog with a flamethrower attached, though it was not specifically marketed for combat purposes (it’s worth noting that, despite flamethrowers no longer being issued to U.S. troops, their use against combatants is not officially banned). This pattern of arming robots, reminiscent of the Predator drone's evolution, suggests a trend where new robotic innovations frequently end up being weaponized.

Alarm Bells Ring

The general reaction to the deployment of armed robotic canines is predominantly characterized by apprehension and unease, particularly in light of the emergence of autonomous or semi-autonomous weaponry capable of tracking and recognizing targets on their own. This sentiment extends well past the usual fears sparked by Terminator-like dystopian scenarios, with the robotic dogs striking a disturbingly similar chord to the formidable robotic hounds featured in Black Mirror.

Singer mentions that the unsettling feeling people get can be attributed to the "uncanny valley," a concept referring to the eerie sensation experienced when robots resemble humans closely but not perfectly, making them seem bizarre to onlookers. Singer explains that on the technical front, these robots are modeled after natural organisms because animals, like dogs, are through natural selection, excellently adapted for outdoor activities. "Therefore, when we encounter robots that mimic biological entities, our preconceived notions about these beings are projected onto these 'bioinspired' robots. The closer they get to behaving like living creatures without actually being lifelike, the stronger our sense of unease or revulsion becomes," Singer elaborates.

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Worries about the potential militarization of robot dogs led to a significant move in October 2022, when six top robotics firms, with Boston Dynamics at the forefront, issued a statement. They committed to not allowing their military clients to equip their robotic products with weaponry for use in battle. Notably, SWORD International, the company behind SPUR, did not join this pledge.

The companies have expressed their concern that equipping robots, which can be controlled remotely or operate on their own and are readily accessible to the general public, with the ability to reach areas previously unreachable to humans, introduces new dangers and significant moral dilemmas. They further stated that the militarization of these advanced robots could undermine public confidence in this technology, negatively impacting the vast advantages they are expected to provide to society.

In the interest of caution, both American military forces and robotics companies in the United States have been careful in how they approach the development of autonomous weaponry. When Ghost Robotics' then CEO, Jiren Parikh, introduced the SPUR, he underscored the fact that the weaponized robot operates under human supervision, lacking any AI or autonomous features that might malfunction in extreme situations. Similarly, the SENTRY turret, which is currently being evaluated by MARSOC and can be mounted on robotic dogs, does incorporate AI to detect and identify potential threats. However, the firm has made it clear that any decision to use the weapon system is entirely up to a human controller. Although the concept of weaponized autonomous dogs may seem like a nightmare scenario to some, the stance of the US defense sector remains solidly in favor of maintaining human oversight over such technologies at all times.

Despite legitimate worries about their increasing involvement in military operations, fears about groups of weaponized robot dogs in combat scenarios might be unfounded at this stage, says Sam Bendett, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses in Virginia, specializing in robotics and unmanned systems. Although videos of weaponized robot dogs might unsettle many people, Bendett points out that these machines are far from being sufficiently nimble or adaptable to be effectively used in the disorderly environment of warfare.

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During an AI conference in the Netherlands last year, I had the opportunity to control a robotic dog, and its agility wasn't up to par with what one might anticipate from a four-legged machine," Bendett shared with WIRED. "It lacks the same level of agility, adaptability, and speed in its movements. Besides the clips showcasing them performing push-ups and similar activities, it’s incapable of running. At best, it can jog but doesn’t manage to turn as swiftly as unmanned ground vehicles equipped with tracks or wheels."

"He further explains that the battlefield is riddled with both artificial and environmental defenses. This doesn't imply that the US and China will abstain from testing their capabilities, but rather, they will do so on a smaller scale."

CCTV's coverage of the Chinese military drill might raise eyebrows, yet it's important to note that it is a supervised drill within a relatively secure setting, according to Bendett. He believes that until robotic canines prove their ability to traverse "battlefield rubble" in challenging circumstances, they will continue to be considered more of a technological curiosity by those in military strategy.

"Indeed, they are impressive and captivating," Bendett remarks. "However, I’d be more convinced if there was footage of a group of them autonomously navigating through a forest, not merely ambling along by touching their feet to the ground at every pace but truly sprinting among the trees as I might do with a dog. That's when we can start to consider them genuine combat canines."

The future role of robotic canines within the military forces of the United States and China remains uncertain. Although these mechanized dogs have demonstrated their value in enhancing security measures on bases and executing dangerous tasks such as dealing with explosives, the extent to which they could be used in combat is still unclear. However, considering the continued trials by both American and Chinese military strategists in equipping robot dogs with weapons, it's possible that the sounds of warfare could expand to include the clanking steps of these quadrupedal machines on far-flung fronts.

Updated: June 16, 2024, 7:24 AM Eastern Standard Time: Contrary to previous reports, SWORD International, the company behind SPUR, has not endorsed the open letter.

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