Killer Robots: Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems Legal, Ethical and Moral Challenges

Nearly 45 countries are at different stages of developing robotic weapons or lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). The United States, for example, has recently test launched its robotic vessel Sea Hunter, a self-driving, 132-foot ship designed to travel thousands of miles without a single crew member on board. As reported, the vessel has the capability to detect and destroy stealth diesel-electric submarines and sea mines. However, though the militaries of the developed countries are in a race to develop LAWS to perform varied functions on the battlefield, a large section of robotic engineers, ethical analysts, and legal experts are of the firm belief that robotic weapons will never meet the standards of distinction and proportionality required by the laws of war, and therefore will be illegal. This book provides an insight into lethal autonomous weapon systems and debates whether it would be morally correct to give machines the power to decide who lives and who dies on the battlefield.

Dr U C Jha is an independent researcher. He has an extensive academic experience in the fields of military law, international humanitarian law and human rights laws. He has been teaching these subjects for more than a decade and is a resource person for the United Service Institution of India, New Delhi. He has served in the Indian Air Force for 24 years. He obtained a Ph D degree in Law and Governance from Jawaharlal Nehru University, where his dissertation was on the Indian Military Justice System. He also holds master's degree in law, life sciences, business administration, and defence and strategic studies; with post-graduate diplomas in environmental laws, intellectual property laws, and international humanitarian law, refugee law and human rights laws.