We have discussed various versions of this exact combo. It is a reality.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/china-pairs-armed-robot-dogs-with-drones-that-can-drop-them-anywhere
QuoteThe footage begins with a shot of the drone as it approaches the rooftop of a building in a nondescript urban area with the compact armed robot dog being carried under the drone's frame. The drone, acting as a robotic dropship of sorts, then lands atop the roof, releases the robodog, and flies away. Shortly thereafter the robodog unfurls from its folded position and begins navigating its new surroundings with what looks to be a Chinese QBB-97 light machine gun (designated as Type 95 LGM in the United States) mounted on its back.
That said this is, IMO at this stage, simply an expensive terror weapon since it cannot reload the weapon. Once out of ammo it's effect is limited. That said making multiple drops of these behind the lines or on soft civilian targets would result in a lot of chaos.
They got the idea for those from the video game I've been playing for the last year. Or visa versa?
Battlefield 2042's Ranger Drones. :smiley_clap:
I know it's not supposed to be funny, but between the music and the way that thing minces around, I actually laughed out loud.
Would I be laughing if I was exhausted, returning to the FOB, and pulling security as the rest of my squad crossed an intersection, and a couple of those dogs came out from around a corner or over a rooftop? Probably not.
We're in a truly weird and tenuous spot; everyone fielding drones seems to agree that humans should be part of the OODA loop, and that truly autonomous battlefield drones are off the table for now. Kamikaze drones seem to be opening the door/breaking down that barrier.
I wonder who the first one to disagree will be?
I wonder why they went with the 95 instead of the new 191. Oh. Never mind... (https://www.reddit.com/r/Chinesium/comments/wcrxad/brandnew_chinese_qbz191_assault_rifles_cant_put/)
At the start of WWII, nobody, even the US, could wrap their heads around what the industrial capabilities of the US really were. Especially after a decade of crippling economic depression.
I suspect China is in a similar position right now. The potential of China mobilizing to a wartime economy and mass producing drones should be scary.
Drones with limited ammo don't have to be used for terrorism to convince civilians to stop throwing molotovs at advancing troops. I'm not giving the PRC the benefit of the doubt they'd restrain themselves, but such drones could still be useful if they did restrain themselves.