A cutting edge weapon that uses artificial intelligence to scan the battlefield for enemy movements has been successfully tested for the first time.

The system, that was developed by British experts, uses space age technology to monitor and track opposing forces in built up areas.

It can then rapidly flag dangers to soldiers, giving them an “edge” in a warzone, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

The technology, developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and UK industry partners, known as SAPIENT, also reduces human error and frees up other soldiers who currently have to man live CCTV-type feeds to monitor enemy movement, it is claimed.

It was tested by Canadian soldiers on a mock urban battlefield in Montreal alongside a range of experimental military technology created by other nations, including robotic exoskeleton suits, night vision, and surveillance systems.

Stuart Andrew, the defence minister, said: "This British system can act as autonomous eyes in the urban battlefield.