Autonomous Weapon Systems and the Law of Armed Conflict : Compatibility with International Humanitarian Law

For policymakers, this book explains the ramifications under international humanitarian law of a major new field of weapon development with a focus on questions currently being debated by governments, the United Nations and other bodies. Based on a clear explanation of the principles of autonomous systems and a survey of technologies under active development as well as some that are in use today, it provides a thorough legal analysis grounded on a clear understanding of the technological realities of autonomous weapon systems. For legal practitioners and scholars, it describes the legal constraints that will apply to use of autonomous systems in armed conflict and the measures that will be needed to ensure that the efficacy of the law is maintained. More generally, it serves as a case study in identifying the legal consequences of use of autonomous systems in partnership with, or in place of, human beings. Présentation de l'éditeur : "Militarily advanced States are devoting significant resources to develop increasingly autonomous weapons for use in armed conflict. The prospect of 'killer robots' being deployed on future battlefields has sparked controversy and has led to efforts by the United Nations and other bodies to regulate their development and use. Much opposition to autonomous weapons has been based on the beliefs that their use would violate international humanitarian law and that an 'accountability gap' would mean that nobody could be held responsible when a robot breaks the law. Drawing on a mixture of technical and legal sources, this book demonstrates that IHL as it stands today can adequately regulate use of autonomous weapons. Individual forms of accountability may be less effective though, and a focus on collective accountability would be beneficial. The book explores the interface between the technologies of weapon autonomy and the principles and rules of IHL. It discusses the impact of autonomous weapons on rules of weapons law, targeting law and accountability regimes. It offers suggestions for ensuring accountability and for advancing the international debate about regulatory responses." "Militarily advanced States are devoting significant resources to develop increasingly autonomous weapons for use in armed conflict. The prospect of 'killer robots' being deployed on future battlefields has sparked controversy and has led to efforts by the United Nations and other bodies to regulate their development and use. Much opposition to autonomous weapons has been based on the beliefs that their use would violate international humanitarian law and that an 'accountability gap' would mean that nobody could be held responsible when a robot breaks the law. Drawing on a mixture of technical and legal sources, this book demonstrates that IHL as it stands today can adequately regulate use of autonomous weapons. Individual forms of accountability may be less effective though, and a focus on collective accountability would be beneficial. The book explores the interface between the technologies of weapon autonomy and the principles and rules of IHL. It discusses the impact of autonomous weapons on rules of weapons law, targeting law and accountability regimes. It offers suggestions for ensuring accountability and for advancing the international debate about regulatory responses"-- Provided by publisher Relevant for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, this book explains the legal ramifications of a major new field of weapon development with a focus on questions actively debated at the UN. It serves as a case study in identifying the legal consequences of using autonomous technologies and robotics in armed conflict. Cover CONTENTS List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements 1 Introduction 2 Legal Background 3 Understanding Weapon Autonomy 4 Identifying Legal Issues 5 Weapons Law 6 Targeting Law 7 Accountability 8 Recommendations Index