US Army Tests AI-Driven Robot Dogs Armed with Guns in Middle East

Cutting-edge robotic canines equipped with AI-enabled weaponry mark a new era of military automation.

The US Army has initiated groundbreaking tests of AI-powered robot dogs equipped with advanced weaponry at a military facility in the Middle East. Recent images released by the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) showcased one of these four-legged unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) undergoing rehearsals at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center in Saudi Arabia. The tests were part of a counter-unmanned aerial system (counter-sUAS) exercise conducted in mid-September.

The AI-enabled robot dog features a turret-mounted rifle, resembling an AR-15/M16 weapon, similar to systems trialed by the Army at Fort Drum, New York, earlier this year. During the exercise, the armed UGV engaged multiple static ground targets, though further specifics regarding its operational capabilities remain undisclosed.

This initiative aligns with the US Department of Defense's broader exploration into the integration of autonomous systems into military operations. The Army and Marine Corps have both tested robotic systems, with the latter experimenting with robots armed with the SENTRY remote weapon system and anti-tank rocket launchers. The Army is also considering the deployment of the 6.8mm XM7 rifle on these robotic canines as part of its Next Generation Squad Weapon program.

The US is not alone in this endeavor; the Chinese military unveiled its own armed robot dogs in May, raising global questions about the future of warfare and the expanding role of automation on the battlefield.