Bad Dogs

China unveils its new dogs of war:

AFP reported: The hardware on show included the so-called “robodogs” — remote-controlled four-legged robots with automatic rifles mounted on their backs. Handlers kept the dogs of war on the leash, demonstrating only their walking capabilities to watching journalists and top brass — not their shooting skills. Opening the exercises, Cambodian armed forces commander-in-chief Vong Pisen said that they would “enhance the capabilities” of the two armies in the fight against terrorism. Vong Pisen said that Cambodia would never allow a foreign military base on its territory, echoing previous assertions by Cambodian leaders. China is not the only military power interested in manufacturing these somewhat unfriendly pooches. According to Futurism, the U.S. military has also explored the possibility as part of a futuristic approach to warfare. The outlet notes: It’s not the first time we’ve come across quadrupedal gun-toting robots. Last year, the Pentagon announced that the US Army is considering arming remote-controlled robot dogs with state-of-the-art rifles as part of its plan to “explore the realm of the possible” in the future of combat. A US-based military contractor called Ghost Robotics has already showed off such a robot dog, outfitted with a long-distance rifle. However, as far as Boston Dynamics’ popular Spot Mini robot dog is concerned, the company has been adamant that strapping weapons to the robodog is against its terms of service. “We pledge that we will not weaponize our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics and we will not support others to do so,” the company wrote in an open letter. Sadly for America and the rest of the world, China does not share such ethical concerns.

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