China unveiled advanced military technology including robot dogs and an AI-enabled underwater system that can neutralise mines at a defence expo.
The 2026 Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo in mid-April featured autonomous underwater vehicles designed to be launched from submarine torpedo tubes. The vessels conduct high-precision deep-ocean surveys and seabed mapping, with the larger variant reaching depths of up to 3,000 metres.
They can be fitted with modules to detect and neutralise underwater targets and carry weapon modules to eliminate threats such as mines, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The report said: “It is essentially an autonomous underwater robot with its own ‘brain’, which does not need any external software support or human escorts.”
The show also featured tactical robotic dogs or wolves, which have been widely used by the People’s Liberation Army.
