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 .