The Japanese government intends to study the possibility of using humanoid robots in the defense sector, primarily for guarding bases in the rear and transporting cargo. At present, the deployment of such machines is still under discussion, and their participation in combat operations is not being considered.
According to the Japanese agency Kyodo News, the Japanese government intends to check whether humanoid robots can help the country’s Self-Defense Forces with rear-area tasks. This primarily concerns guarding bases and transporting cargo.
The plan предусматривает the use of so-called physical AI — a technology that equips robots with artificial intelligence and allows them to move autonomously. Their participation in combat operations is not being discussed, but in the future the machines may also be used for reconnaissance and rescue operations.
The feasibility of military use of humanoid robots will be studied as part of a large-scale research project. The Ministry of Defense believes that such systems could become an effective way to compensate for personnel shortages and take on part of the tasks.
The idea is linked to a shortage of personnel in Japan’s Self-Defense Forces: the ministry expects that the number of potential conscripts over the next twenty years will fall by almost a third, by about 30%. To develop solutions, the authorities want to involve private companies and universities so that they can present their robots in a competition.
The labor shortage problem affects not only defense. Back in mid-summer, the government announced that by 2040 it intends to deploy about 10 million AI robots and allocate up to 1 trillion yen, or $6 billion, to develop its own AI model; in the spring, Japanese airline Japan Airlines began an experiment using robots in service operations and is now using two robots made in China.
Sources
