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Combat drones - killing drones: a plea against flying Robots
Kampfdrohnen - Killing Drones: ein Plädoyer gegen die fliegenden Automaten
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Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik -SWP- Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit
Abstract Medium altitude, long endurance drones are becoming a component of regular air forces. However, the extent to which manned aircraft are being replaced by such "MALE UAVs" (MALE = Medium Altitude, Long Endurance, UAV = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) remains unclear. At present Germany is faced with determi... view more
Medium altitude, long endurance drones are becoming a component of regular air forces. However, the extent to which manned aircraft are being replaced by such "MALE UAVs" (MALE = Medium Altitude, Long Endurance, UAV = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) remains unclear. At present Germany is faced with determining with what means the Luftwaffe should be equipped in the medium term (up to 2020) and long-term (post-2020). Beyond military considerations, there are cooperation and industrial policy issues to be taken into account, since no one individual state in Europe can or wants to provide the financial means to develop a national MALE UAV model. Although European industry has already launched research and development projects, their governments are by no means on board. Likewise it is also unclear whether drones are to be armed in future. Discussion has been continuing for some time as to how far targeted killings are responsible and permissible. In contrast, no fundamental debate has so far taken place about what the ethical consequences are of the trend towards automated combat. Such a debate is now overdue and urgent, as the momentum of technological development conceals the danger that human beings may abdicate moral responsibility in decisions over the use of force. (author's abstract)... view less
Keywords
Federal Republic of Germany; EU; weapon; ethics; military; military policy; warfare; air force; research and development; new technology
Classification
Peace and Conflict Research, International Conflicts, Security Policy
Free Keywords
unbemanntes Kampfflugzeug; Leistungsfähigkeit von Waffensystemen/Waffen
Document language
English
Publication Year
2013
City
Berlin
Series
SWP Comment, 04/2013
ISSN
1861-1761
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications