ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the legality of AW according to international law and the question of their compatibility with generally accepted principles and customs of war. The issue of legality of autonomous military robots is hotly debated and some people such as David Isenberg, a military analyst and independent writer, and Gary Chapman, a computer scientist and former head of the public interest organization Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, claim that they are, or would be, illegal (Isenberg 2007; G. Chapman 1987, 95-100). This is rather difficult to prove and would be even more difficult to determine what it means. Should states be prevented from developing or deploying autonomous robotic weapons? Is this already an arms control issue? Should they be punished through sanctions? What degree of autonomy in robots would still be permissible? International law is simply not quite clear, as the terms ‘robot’ or ‘autonomous weapon’ do not appear in relevant international treaties. So the critics of AW have to argue on the basis of generally accepted fundamental principles and customs of warfare.