The Rise of Robots: The Military's Use of Autonomous Lethal Force - Legal, Ethical, and Professional Implications, Tactical and Strategic Issues, Recommendations for Path Forward

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This excellent report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction - this is not a print replica, and thus it is suitable for all devices. Humanity's quest to find innovative ways to deal with difficult, monotonous and dangerous activities has been an ever evolving and unending endeavor. The current proliferation of robotic technology is just the next step in this evolutionary sequence. Both civilian and military agencies alike are vying for this new round of technology. Most civilian applications of robots are innocuous and generally perform menial tasks. The same cannot be said for the military. Currently there are numerous systems in each branch of the military that have some autonomous lethal engagement ability. As military professionals, we have a duty to ensure the legal framework, proper policy, moral and ethical considerations, as well as proper tactics and doctrine are in place to ensure compliance with the Rule of Engagement (ROE) and the Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC) before embarking down a path to fully automated autonomous lethal force. This paper will investigate some of the more pressing issues and present recommendations for potential paths forward. To facilitate the discussion, the paper is divided into three major areas: the legal implications, ethical implications and professional implications of use of robots in warfare.

This compilation includes a reproduction of the 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

The giant leaps in technology during the past decade have also led to some very sophisticated robot technology. In fact, the 2013 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotics Challenge showcased some of the most advanced robots seen to date. The winning robot, SCHAFT, developed by Japanese company SHAFT Inc., attained an impressive 27 of 32 possible points during the challenge. The challenge consisted of eight distinct tasks: driving a vehicle, maneuvering the robot over rough terrain, going up an industrial ladder, removing debris from a pathway, opening different types of doors, cutting through a wall in a certain pattern, closing different types of valves, and finally, unwinding and connecting a hose to a spigot. While the DARPA robots are intended for peaceful and innocuous purposes, there are other robots being developed for uses that are more threatening.

There are many governments and associated defense contractors working on various robots for use in combat situations. Some of these machines have the ability to autonomously target and engage adversaries. Recently, Rear Admiral Matthew L. Klunder, Chief of United States Naval Research, debuted a new swarming boat technology where as many as 20-30 autonomous boats can be designated to surround a single target. The boats can carry a number of different payload options including spotlights, high powers speakers, or even offensive weapons. Of course, the U.S. Navy is not the only service researching autonomous weapon systems. The U.S. Air Force and Army also have active programs. The Air Force developed the MQ-9 Reaper and deployed it successfully to both Iraq and Afghanistan.