Ever since it decided to intervene in the Syrian civil war back in 2015, Russia has been steadily, if furtively, battle testing some of its latest air and ground equipment to see if they are ready for a 21st century war. Word out of Syria is that they have now introduced the Uran-9 to the crucible of battle, likely deploying it near the capital of Damascus where the bulk of Russian forces are stationed. The Uran-9 is a drone tank that must be within 1.8 miles of its manned operator to function effectively. It boasts a wide array of hi-tech weaponry, which includes anti-tank missiles, an automatic cannon and a machine gun, thereby enabling it to take on a wide variety of targets. It is “equipped with advanced optics and targeting systems including a laser warning system and thermal imaging,” says the World Defence Forum, which has been monitoring the usage and testing of the unmanned weapons system ever since it was officially unveiled several years ago. For more information on the vehicle and its deployment, visit the World Defence Forum.