Russia’s Kalashnikov arms manufacturer has unveiled a robotic weapon that resembles an action film character that observers suspect has no moving parts.
The 4 meter, 4.5 metric ton prototype was among several robotic systems presented at the annual ARMY-2018 military and technical forum held outside Moscow. The concept design resembles a pod-like structure that stands in a chicken-walker pose and is designed to “solve engineering and combat tasks.”
According to a Kalashnikov source cited by the RBC news website, the anthropomorphic creature was dubbed “Igoryok,” a diminutive of the Russian name Igor. The company’s press service denied that the walking weapon had been given a name.
Social media users seized on Igoryok’s close resemblance to pop culture staples, including armed robots from the “Robocop” and “Pacific Rim” action franchises.
International news outlets saw similarities with the “Metal Gear” video game and the “Alien” sci-fi horror franchise.
The tech website Gizmodo likened Igoryok to “just a statue.”
“It’s one thing to build a ‘concept’ walker. It’s something else entirely to build a walker that actually... walks,” it wrote.
