Engineers release video of rifle-strapped robot dogs for military purposes

Robot dogs carrying guns is real, and there are videos posted of these new war machines being tested for upcoming combat missions.

What a time to be alive - quadruped robotic dogs with rifles strapped to their backs is actually something that is a real life thing. The first reports of such a creation come from Agence France-Presse, who covered a video published by state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), which showed Chinese military testing a weaponized robotic dog in various scenarios. The rifle-equipped robotic pooch was shown hopping, diving, leading teams on reconnaissance objectives, and repeatedly firing its rifle attached to its back.

The robotic gun-wielding dogs were created with Unitree's $2,800 Go2 models, which are capable of being active on their own from anywhere between two and four hours depending on the task. The CCTV video shows a Chinese military soldier explaining the new robodogs "can serve as a new member in our urban combat operations" and are capable of "replacing our members to conduct reconnaissance and identify [the] enemy and strike the target."

It appears robotic dogs will become the latest addition to the modern battlefield, and if you are wondering if the US is making its own versions. You can bet on it, but they won't be coming from iconic robotics manufacturer Boston Dynamics as the company has vowed none of its robots will be weaponized. However, the US military said last year that it was exploring the creation of a military applicable robodogs with Ghost Robotics. So, you can bet the US will have its own version of the menacing robotic hound.