Chinese Army Deploys New Bomb Disposal Robot

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has commissioned a new bomb disposal robot which debuted at a recent human-robot integration tactical training held in east China.

China wants unmanned equipment and drones to be part of its military by 2027, the 100th anniversary of the forces' founding, a military expert told the Global Times on Wednesday. Other types of robots for purposes like reconnaissance, ammunition carrying, assault, fire support and minesweeping are also entering service with the PLA.

The bomb disposal robot was inducted by the engineer and nuclear, biological and chemical defense brigade under the PLA 71st Group Army, CCTV reported Tuesday.

Remotely controlled by an operator, the robot crossed a contaminated zone, climbed over steep slopes of nearly 40 degrees and used water cannons to dispose of explosives. The robot is equipped with six cameras that can monitor the battlefield environment in all directions, can turn 360 degrees on the spot and overcome obstacles in complicated environments like mountains and snow fields.

It can be used for missions like detecting, locating, transferring and defusing explosives.

In another training scenario at a residential building, the caterpillar-tracked robot showed its capability to walk stairs and dismantle the explosives with its robotic arm rather than setting it off with water cannons.