The Dogo robot, pictured, was designed by the Israeli high-tech firm General Robotics Ltd. Photo: General Robotics Ltd.

An Israeli high-tech company has developed an armed robot for use in combat and counter-terrorism operations, industry publication Defense News reported on Sunday.

General Robotics Ltd., located south of Tel Aviv, named the Dogo Robot after the Dogo Argentino, a fearless hunting dog trained to protect its human companions.

The tactical combat robot comes equipped with a standard Glock 26 9mm pistol and can also hold pepper spray, blinders and other less harmful means of engagement, said Shahar Gal, vice president for business development at General Robotics and son of the company’s founding executive, retired Israeli Col. Udi Gal. According to the company’s website, the Dogo is “the ultimate robot for SWAT and special operation teams, law enforcement agencies, and first-responders.”

“No robot out there on the market is organically designed to engage the target,” said Shahar.

The battery-powered Dogo can fire off 14 rounds of ammunition per deployment, with the help of a remote control touch pad interface to help users aim and shoot. Each Dogo has inbuilt micro-video cameras on each side, enabling the device 360-degree, night-and-day vision, and two boresight cameras for precise aiming and firing of the pistol.

The robot, which weighs 26.5 lbs., can climb stairs, move past obstacles — such as rubble or branches — in its path and quietly maneuver indoors or underground for about four hours at a time, according to Defense News. It also relays two-way voice commands, which can help when conducting hostage negotiations.

“We put a lot of emphasis on safety, starting with the software and extending to the hardware and firm ware,” said company CEO Udi Gal, a former deputy director of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s research and development directorate. “Our slogan is risk the Dogo; not personnel.”

He said the Dogo was designed with input from the Israel Police’s Counter-Terror Unit and the Defense Ministry’s Research and Development Directorate. He added, “All the software is running on the robot itself. The server is on the robot itself and the tracking is done intuitively by the robot itself. … Within this 12-kilo system, we’ve packed very complex technology.”

Shahar told The Algemeiner on Monday that it took years to develop the robot because of the “excruciating” process of building its intricate mechanisms, which ensure safe activation of the weapon and minimize ammunition jams. He added that his team hopes the robot will help minimize the risk of combat forces getting injured in battle. He said his own brother-in-law, who serves in the Israeli Navy, was seriously injured after being shot during an operation in the West Bank.

“Unfortunately, many personnel around the world are still entering very dangerous places as part of their daily jobs. Think of all the SWAT teams who break into dangerous places 80,000 times a year in the US alone, not to mention all the other fighting forces in the army, and federal units like the FBI, CIA, DEA [and] border patrols,” he told The Algemeiner. “Although we do not believe that technology will be able to replace boots on the ground in the near future, we will do our best to provide robots that can reduce the risks in many cases for our fighting forces — robots that can work together with our forces in an intuitive manner.”

The father and son said their 15-employee-strong company has conducted several demonstrations of the Dogo in Israel and abroad, and is ready to begin production. They plan to formally unveil the system next month at the Eurosatory Exhibition in Paris, according to Defense News.

Before founding General Robotics in 2009, Udi established a small firm called ODF Optronics, which developed the world’s first throwable robot and provided advanced devices to SWAT teams and special forces around the world.

Watch the video below to see the Dogo Robot in action: