The Commited MAY 2015 | Page 62

TED BURSA COLLEGE / 10-C Robots in the Military Aslı Nur KÖSE 60 With the constantly advancing technological achievements brought by the modern era, automation has found a place in every single aspect of life, and the military is no exception. Robotic equipment is present in the military in the form of numerous different devices from being used as an alternative to human soldiers to utilizing them for battlefield intelligence. Even though they provide great benefits to the countries by which they are being used, they can also bring highly consequential outcomes. Military robots can administer great convenience for the countries whose military programs and budgets allow them to adopt automation. They are able to make faster decisions, scan through various forms of battlegrounds, aim more precisely; therefore, reducing the risk of the loss of human life. In addition, warfare technologies are constantly advancing which means that there are and will continue to be new models of combat autonomy that have progressively improved functions. However, great power comes with great responsibility. These army robots are far than perfect machinery. They carry substantial risks that can determine the well-being of the world with even the slightest action. These appliances can be hacked by opposing forces. Furthermore, these can evolve into powerful, autonomous armament which lead to the worst incidents throughout mankind. As it can be inferred, military automation can carry large amounts of risks if the practice is not regulated efficiently. On the other hand, making army robots illicit in the Laws of War is not a practical solution. When U.S. forces entered Iraq, the initial incursion had no robotic systems on land. By the end of 2004, there were 150 robots on the ground in Iraq; a year later there were 2,400; by the end of 2008, there were about 12,000. This illustrates that banning the usage of automation completely is not a realistic approach. The problem with warfare wars about the topic is that they fall short of keeping up the rapidly evolving technology of the Modern Era. In order to establish fairer grounds in the battlefield and in politics, regulations need to be set as instantaneously as possible in an international council, while still regarding the benefits and risks of military automation.