China uses ‘robot wolves’ in staged beach invasion as it tests new war tactic

The People’s Liberation Army is reportedly looking to emulate the ‘drone swarms’ which have become a central feature of the Russia-Ukraine war

The Chinese army has revealed it has carried out staged ground invasions using ‘robot wolves’ amid growing fears that it is preparing for an invasion of Taiwan.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) revealed it is working on a new warfare tactic involving military-purpose robots, which it first unveiled at an air show in 2024.

Footage on state television shows the “robot wolves” being used as the first wave of attack in a drone-led assault. The four-legged robots are seen deployed in amphibious assault operations, as the PLA looks to develop its capabilities in “integrated manned-unmanned combat”, China’s CCTV state channel said, according to Singapore-based news site ThinkChina.

“What was the most dangerous 200 metres that soldiers risked their lives to breach is now accomplished by ‘wolfpacks’,” the report added.

The ‘robot wolves’ were seen working in sandy surroundings during a Chinese military exercise (China Central Television)

The PLA said it is developing its tactics from employing a large number of soldiers to create a “human-wave” to instead use advanced technology as they look to carry out “intelligent-sea tactics”.

The dogs were able to clear barbed wire and other obstacles with ease, allowing the PLA to use the robots in a similar way to the “drone swarms”. These have become a critical tactic in the Ukraine war in which huge numbers of drones are used to overwhelm air defences, The Times reported.

The exercise also reportedly featured swarms of first-person-view (FPV) kamikaze drones, which launched precision strikes against mock defences, according to engineering website Interesting Engineering.

The technology was displayed in a grand military parade this year (Reuters)

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence issued a report saying it is training soldiers to shoot down drones and actively looking to procure new anti-drone weapons systems.

According to Chinese state media, these four-legged robots can fire precise shots and work in rough terrain. They are designed to assist in complex and dangerous battlefield conditions, with the aim of replacing human soldiers to reduce combat casualties.

Weighing 70kg (154lb), the wolves can hit targets which are up to 100m away, Chinese media states.

Police patrol with a humanoid robot and a robot dog during the Jiangsu City Football League match (AFP via Getty)

“They’re suited for urban reconnaissance, breaching, or remote weapons but are limited by battery life, vulnerable communications, and small payloads,” Lt Col Jahara “Franky” Matisek, a US Air Force command pilot and command centre director at the US Northern Command, told The Independent last month.

“Their value hinges on robust sensors and secure networks, not just the platform. A lot of their drone tech in each domain looks impressive for parades, but is still too niche on battlefields – best for urban recon, not open-field charges.”

Mechanical animals cost thousands of pounds to produce, but they can come as cheaply as the gun-toting robot dogs sold in China by tech company Unitree Robotics for as little as $1,600 (£1,200).