Spy fish: The future of underwater military espionage

Military technologies are developing exceptionally rapidly. It's no wonder—many armed conflicts worldwide require modern technologies and devices. The new hit in underwater espionage is an artificial fish that looks remarkably similar to its living counterpart. Even an angler would have trouble distinguishing it.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and clashes in Sudan. At the end of December 2023, scientists reported that there were 183 armed conflicts on Earth. Only a portion of them receive attention from international media. In all these places, both old, proven methods of warfare and modern technologies like drones are used. The military equipment market is constantly evolving to meet the needs of consumers—in this case, governments and terrorist organizations.

During the Beijing Military Equipment Exhibition, Boya Gongdao presented its new invention—a spyfish. The metal device looks strikingly similar to a freshwater fish of the silver arowana species or osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Due to the origin of its living counterpart, the underwater spy will be used in rivers and lakes.

The metal fish is equipped with various sensors and global visual control technology. Its battery allows 6 to 8 hours (6 to 8 hours) of operation. The creators of the robo-fish emphasize that its realistic appearance will be ideal for marine biology research and education. Conversely, the military highlights its potential in espionage—an untrained eye won't notice the difference between an ordinary fish and a robot.

An experienced angler or aquarist will notice that in the case of turns on the body of the robo-fish, the segments from which it is built are visible. However, the differences would be practically unnoticeable if the robot were in a natural environment, i.e., a river or lake, where the water is not as straightforward as in a pool.