---
title: "The Maker Of The AK-47 Just Released Footage Of Its Robot Tank In Action"
date: "2018-03-08"
modified: "2018-03-08"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/kalashnikov-bas-01g-soratnik-video/"
categories:
  - "Around the World"
  - "News"
  - "Russia"
  - "Tanks"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
  - "Vehicles"
tags:
  - "European Command"
---

# The Maker Of The AK-47 Just Released Footage Of Its Robot Tank In Action

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/18987324-1.png>)

Kalashnikov Concern may be known for its ubiquitous and durable AK-47 assault rifle, but the Russian defense contractor’s been cooking up some other exciting weaponry and vehicles in recent months. A slick new handgun! A pop-up riot shield! [Toy guns, even](<https://kalashnikov.com/press/news/news_291.html>)!

But the most exciting futuristic murder gadget on the legendary weapons manufacturer’s radar might be its [BAS-01G Soratnik](<https://nevskii-bastion.ru/soratnik-army-2016/>) “Comrade-in-Arms,” an autonomous unmanned combat vehicle designed to tear assholes every which way — at least, according to a new sizzle reel published on March 6.

With a top speed of 25 mph and maximum range of roughly six miles, the seven-ton tank-like murderbot isn’t nearly as fast or imposing as, say, the beloved M1 Abrams. But she’s semi-autonomous — i.e. not putting living, breathing humans in harm's way — and she definitely packs a wallop beyond the 12.7mm main gun.

The video shows what looks like a 30mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher mounted on the Soratnik’s turret. In addition, this Death Cab For Putin has four weapons stations, offering space for armaments that include a 7.62mm machine gun, [various hand-grenade launchers](<https://www.army-guide.com/eng/product5488.html>), and [potentially](<https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a25696/kalashnikov-tank-drones/>) up to eight Kornet-EM anti-tank missiles. That’s a whole lot of boom for one little bot.

None

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/image-placeholder-title-165.gif>)

The Soratnik isn’t a first-of-its-kind robotank: A Russian defense contractor [unveiled](<https://www.army-technology.com/projects/uran-9-unmanned-ground-combat-vehicle/>) the Uran-9 multipurpose unmanned ground combat vehicle, designed for fire support and recon operations, back in 2016; the U.S. Army was [prototyping](<https://www.wired.com/2007/11/black-knight/>) the so-called “Black Knight” semi-autonomous skull-crusher with BAE Systems way back in 2007. But to see *this* bad boy blowing shit up on a test range is, well, delightful — and horrifying.

There’s one big question, though: Can it Build The Wall?

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## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

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