Strategy in the robotic age: a case for autonomous warfare

Abstract

The advent of a Robotic Age in combat has set the stage for a renewed style of warfare: autonomous warfare. The outstanding feature of this new era is the arrival of robotics on the battlefield, but the significance of the new warfare style is that it mandates a shift in the way humans approach modern combat. In 2010, the Department of Defense restated autonomy as the single greatest theme for today’s unmanned systems. Autonomy, however, has long been a theme in warfare and weapons; therefore, the concept should apply to both those who fight and to their machines. Autonomy is the current buzzword for improving technology, but increasing autonomy for the soldier or combatant is the defining characteristic of autonomous warfare. With a view to this development, this study suggests changes in the character of war, and proposes autonomous warfare as an operating concept that empowers, rather than replaces, humans in battle.