Up to 25% of the British Army could be made up of robots by the 2030s, a UK General predicts.

In a recent interview with Sky News, General Sir Nick Carter said though it was difficult to set a firm target, robots could play a major role in the future at and near the front lines of a given conflict.

In a five-year defence review that was postponed earlier this year, the UK government was expected to allocate more funds for robotic warfare.

During the interview, General Carter urged the government to move forward with the review.

Military observers say the General’s predictions are not surprising given the current difficulty the UK army is having meeting its recruitment targets.

More reliance on drones and robotic vehicles

They believe robots could fill the gap or even expand the military while reducing the dependency on human soldiers.

The British Army is not alone. Numerous militaries globally are relying more on drones and other robotic vehicles.

However, there has been strong opposition to autonomous “killer robots” that don’t require human intervention.

Drones require operators to either directly control them or make judgment calls on attacks. They could require more humans in the long run.

If there are any truly automated robotics in the British army, they may be limited to cargo trucks, scouts and other unarmed machines, experts say.