US Army tests AI-enabled armed robot dogs in Middle East
The US Army tested a quadrupedal robot dog equipped with an AI-enabled rifle turret system at a military facility in Saudi Arabia in September 2024. The armed system, developed by Ghost Robotics, engaged static ground targets as part of counter-drone exercises alongside other autonomous platforms.
What happened
The US Army sent at least one Ghost Robotics Vision 60 Quadrupedal-Unmanned Ground Vehicle (Q-UGV) armed with an AI-enabled gun turret to the Middle East for testing in mid-September 2024. The robot dog, equipped with what appears to be an AR-15/M16-pattern rifle on a rotating turret with an electro-optical targeting system labeled 'Lone Wolf', underwent rehearsals at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center in Saudi Arabia.
The armed robot dog was tested as part of counter-drone operations alongside 15 counter-drone platforms. According to the Army Central spokesman, the gun engaged several static ground targets during the exercise, with the system described as one of several 'non-counter-sUAS' systems tested at Red Sands.
Governance controls
The Defense Department has been gradually incorporating robot dogs into its formations over several years for functions including explosive ordnance disposal, perimeter security, and intelligence gathering. The Army has previously tested similar armed systems during Operation Hard Kill in August 2024 at Fort Drum, New York, led by DEVCOM and the 10th Mountain Division.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.