By: Ingvild Bode and Tom Watts
Published by: Center for War Studies, University of Southern Denmark
Date: May 2021
Type: Report
Summary
Autonomous weapons systems (AWS) are the subject of growing debate. At the heart of this debate is whether such systems reduce meaningful human
control over the use of force. Much of the current debate on AWS focuses on future technological developments. Yet, a closer examination of how automated
and autonomous features have already been integrated into the critical functions of air defence systems highlights that, in some situations, human control has
become effectively meaningless. This report argues that air defence systems, whose importance has been neglected in the discussion of AWS, have set
important and problematic precedents for the development and regulation of AWS.