The Israeli Army has rolled out a new remote-controlled engineering vehicle said to transform the “paradigm of war” in Gaza.
A robotic version of the D9 bulldozer, the “Robdozer” is designed to carry out frontline tasks like clearing roads, removing rubble, and leveling terrain — all without exposing operators to danger.
It also enables troops to carry out other essential engineering operations without physically entering hostile territory.
Rani, the lead engineer behind Robdozer at Israel Aerospace Industries, emphasized that the platform’s enhanced precision and endurance allow it to handle high-risk missions “even better than a human.”
“The idea is to eliminate the person from the cockpit of the dozer,” he said, withholding his last name for security reasons.
Israel plans to make the engineering vehicle fully autonomous in the future, removing the need for any human control entirely.
‘A Big Development’
The Robdozer has already seen limited deployment in operations against Hamas militants in Gaza.
An Israeli military official noted that while robotic vehicles have been used in combat before, this marks their first documented use in large-scale warfare.
Andrew Fox, a retired British Army major, also suggested that the Israel Defense Forces appear to be the first to deploy remote-controlled machinery in an active war zone.
“It’s a really big development,” he told local media. “It’s changing the paradigm of warfare” by allowing tasks to be carried out effectively while reducing risks to personnel.
For John Spencer, a fellow at the Modern War Institute, the Robdozer represents a step into the future of combat.
“Many have been experimenting with it, but nobody has seen direct deployment into active modern combat. It’s very unique,” he added.
