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.