A new Chinese study claims that robotic dogs equipped with machine guns are as accurate as trained human shooters. If true, we may be about to witness a revolution in urban warfare.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the research conducted by Xu Cheng and his team "proves the feasibility of a leg-striking platform".
The findings were published last month in the peer-reviewed journal Chinese Journal of Engineering. Mr. Cheng is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Nanjing University of Science and Technology.
Urban warfare, including counter-terrorism operations, hostage rescue missions, and clearing streets and buildings, has risen steadily as a fundamental aspect of contemporary conflict," the Chinese researcher explained.
He is also the vice president of the China Light ** Society. While other countries, notably the United States, have also been experimenting with gun-wielding robot dogs, the study suggests that U.S. trials may not be the best way to assess their potential.
To test their claim, Xu's team mounted a 7 on the back of an unnamed domestic four-legged robot dog62 mm machine gun. The chosen gun, which has also not been determined, can fire up to 750 rounds per minute.
In addition, the ** is equipped with an optoelectronic sight, a shock mount and an automatic reloading system. To assess the precision and accuracy of the setup, the robot dog was ordered to fire 10 rounds at a human-sized target at 328 feet (100 meters) away. The results are fascinating.
After multiple shots, the semi-dispersion radius is about 2 inches (5 cm). This is the maximum distance between the center of the target and the five nearest bullet holes. This is impressive and comparable to the standard small** (e.g. M4) commonly used by the U.S. Army.
This means that the Robot Dog Platform can shoot with precision, which is known for its fierce recoil and fast rate of fire. For this reason, machine guns are often used for suppressive fire on the battlefield.
Impressive, but how is this achieved? According to the research team, they have developed a special ** bracket specially designed for this task. This is in stark contrast to the attempts of the United States, which, in reality, are simply strapped to the back of a robot dog.
The ** bracket developed by the team is specifically designed to allow the gun to be freely pointed while absorbing recoil to minimize muzzle jumps during sustained fire. The team believes that China's expertise in designing and manufacturing robot dogs also gives them an edge in this area.
This lack of knowledge hampered the efforts of the United States to carry out similar tasks, as they used imported troops. According to the South China Morning Post, since China knows how to make them, the team has some "insider knowledge" on how best to design and integrate gun mounts into robot dogs
If the results of the survey are true, this could have a revolutionary impact on urban warfare, which is known for its high ** rates.
The cityscape, intricate streets, and towering buildings huddled together pose unique challenges for unmanned combat platforms. These platforms must negotiate unstructured terrain and perform complex maneuvers such as maneuvering, zooming, and jumping, which makes traditional wheeled and tracked designs inadequate," the team added.
Quadruped platforms based on the principle of biomimetics can use independent ground support points, providing enhanced mobility and adaptability in complex urban combat environments, "the team concluded.