The U.S. Army envisions operations by teams of super humans and autonomous combat robots in 2050, while China and Russia are spurring programs to develop combat robots and unmanned editions of the existing armored vehicles. Japan, meanwhile, has unveiled the world’s first armed robot that can carry a seated human pilot.

With world powers racing to gain an edge in the military robotics industry, Seoul should step up investment in the research and development of ground robots, a state-run think tank said Tuesday.

The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality released a book on the global acquisition of defense ground robots, which tracked the industry trends and technology advancement of the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and other countries. 

With the unmanned ground vehicles emerging as a next-generation weapons system, the leading defense powerhouses are speeding up efforts to introduce new military robots or unmanned versions of existing weapons systems.

“As robots have emerged as a human alternative not just for military purposes but also in other various fields, we should actively foster the defense ground robot industry,” said Kang In-won, the paper’s author.

“It’s critical to constantly gather and accumulate information on robot acquisition from around the world and nourish creative imagination that may lay the groundwork for the development of noble military robots.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)