Robotics

Robots are autonomous machines that carry out the often dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks traditionally assigned to human laborers. In the context of sectoral mapping, CNS examined robotics in the context of manufacturing, remote manipulation in areas where manual labor is dangerous for humans, and autonomous weapons systems. With both industrial and battlefield applications, these devices have direct applications to geostrategic competition as they convey economic and military advantages to the states able to wield them at scale.[1]

In the world of industrial robotics, advanced multi-axis machines are able to perform complex labor and manufacturing tasks. Such technologies if used at industrial scale and with precision could increase the manufacturing capacity of the relevant country. Russian entities such as Almaz Antey subsidiaries are working on multi-axis general use robotics arms. These robotic arms would provide Russia with the ability to replace humans with robots in production lines. Other applications for industrial robots include pick-and-place, a less sophisticated, but still important industrial task. For a country like Russia with a declining population and stagnating industrial base, the commercialization and wider application of industrial robotics could aid with managing its competitiveness.[2]

In the Russia context, the Russo-Ukrainian war has seen the extensive use of autonomous devices from both the commercial and military markets. These drones range in sophistication, and are often built and maintained using commercially available electronics, often from the United States and Europe. These drones have proven fruitful in both the creation of propaganda for the internet age and guiding munitions to target.[3] Russia has developed unmanned ground systems that have received a great deal of interest and boosting from Kremlin propagandists, however these technologies have found themselves of very little use in high-intensity combat and are relegated to the rear echelons.[4] Despite the massive manpower problems Russia faces in its attempt to conquer Ukraine, the use of robotics and drones remains relatively small.

Takeaways

Russian entities involved in its autonomous weapons projects may seek goods, software, training data (for machine learning) and know-how from abroad. Any approaches from Russian strategic entities should be referred to national export licensing agencies for advice.