The US Army is closer to unleashing robots on the battlefield after sending one dubbed ‘Lone Wolf’ to the Middle East.
The robot dog features an AR-15/M16-pattern rifle on its back that is attached to an AI-powered rotating mount capable of spotting aerial targets.
The armed machine was sent overseas for rehearsal drills at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center in Saudi Arabia.
The military shared a photo of Lone Wolf last week, showing a Korean-made Ghost Robotics Vision 60 Quadrupedal-Unmanned Ground Vehicle (Q-UGV) at an undisclosed location.
The US Army recently carried out testing of a new war machine in the Middle East. The Lone Wolf robot dog was designed to take down enemy drones
A US Army Central spokesman told Military.com that the armed robot dog was one of several ‘non-counter-UAS’ systems tested in September.
The other platforms included Apaches helicopters and remotely operated weapon stations.
The Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center is part of the strategic relationship between the US and Gulf Arab states, which opened in 2022.
The spokesperson only shared that the robot’s gun engaged several static ground targets, but declined to elaborate on its potential applications.
DailyMail.com has contacted the US Army for more information.
Lone Wolf’s rifle has a large electro-optical targeting system to locate aerial targets with infrared or thermal vision capabilities.
While the Army has not named the robot Lone Wolf, the name was etched on the large objective lens.
The armed four-legged machine would be ideal for maneuvering in and out of spaces not accessible to human soldiers, allowing them to take down drones out of harms way.
There is also a laser aiming device on the robot’s side, along with a GoPro-like video camera mounted on the mast at the rear.
The armed robot made a previous appearance in the US at New York’s Fort Drum on August 1 for the Army’s Operation Hard Kill that provided a demonstration of the branch’s ability to use counter-unmanned aircraft systems UAS equipment.
Spectators at the ‘live fire exercise’ watched as Lone Wolf walked around an open, grassy area, moving its AI-powered camera to focus on targets.
The Pentagon has added robot dogs to its arsenal in recent years, with the Marines testing quadrupedal robots with remote weapon systems and anti-tank rocket launchers.
The Army also staffed its branch with the four-legged machines, fitting them with powerful rifles.
However, the US is not the only nation with robot dogs.
Russia, China and the UK are also experimenting with the eerie tech.
The exercises in the Middle East are part of the US’ partnership with the Gulf states. However, the robot dog was previously spotted running drills in New York this past summer
The robot dog is fitted with an AR-15 rifle mounted to an AI-powered rotating platform. While the Army has not named the robot Lone Wolf, the name was etched on the large objective lens
In May 2024, machine gun-toting robohounds were unveiled by China during a military training exercise conducted by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Cambodian forces.
In a video shared by state broadcaster CCTV, the creatures are able to operate for between two to four hours, plan routes, approach targets, and avoid obstacles.
The Ministry of Defense has also been testing similar tech, trialing the ‘potential use cases’ of the Ghost robotic dog in 2022.
Developed by Ghost Robotics, it can navigate complex urban and natural terrains, carry up to 22 pounds and even be deployed by parachute.
Discussing its capabilities, Lance Corporal Heath of 16 Air Assault Brigade said: ‘As airborne engineers we would definitely use this as our eyes and ears. If we were approaching a compound or an uncertain area we would be looking for a piece of kit to enable us to push forward, to scope out the area.
‘With things like thermal imaging, you are able to attach “LIDAR” so you’d be able to map out a 3D image. So, commanders would be able to assess the dangers and mitigate those moving forward. The sole purpose of a piece of kit like this is to keep soldiers out of danger.’
Russia has also put its robot dog on display, showing one in 2022 strapped with a rocket launcher.
