PLA demonstrates robotic dogs for reconnaissance, combat

Vong Pisen, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and Gao Xiucheng, deputy chief of staff of the PLA's Southern Theater Commander, attend a demonstration of a machine gun-equipped robotic dog during Exercise ‘Golden Dragon'. During this exercise, the PLA demonstrated robotic dogs that can be used for reconnaissance and combat. (AFP via Getty Images)

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has demonstrated few of its robotic dog assets that can support reconnaissance and combat operations in an ongoing military exercise with Cambodia.

The PLA deployed two robotic dogs – one weighing around 15 kg and the other about 50 kg – at Exercise ‘Golden Dragon' in Cambodia from mid to late May, the state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported on 25 May. ‘Golden Dragon' is an annual joint military exercise initiated in 2016 between the PLA and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

The 15 kg robotic dog has an endurance of two to four hours and is equipped with a 4D wide-angle sensing system. It can transmit reconnaissance footage to command posts in real time, CCTV said.

Batteries and the power system are placed in the abdomen of this robot. The robot can move forward and backward, lie down, and jump. It can also autonomously plan routes, avoid obstacles, and approach targets during operations, CCTV said.

A report by China's state-run Global Times newspaper on 26 May said that during the exercise, the PLA demonstrated the capabilities of this smaller robotic dog in a simulated urban environment. The robot was controlled remotely to conduct reconnaissance on streets and send back data on obstacles in its path.

The 50 kg robotic dog can be used for reconnaissance and to strike targets, CCTV said. The Global Times