Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles PDF Author: School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781511645409
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 68

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Book Description
There will likely be political, moral, and social implications of UCAV employment that strategists and military commanders will need to pay attention to as they craft strategies for future conflict. UCAVs are a very appealing option for the politician faced with use-of-force decisions due to reduced forward basing requirements and the possibility of zero friendly operator casualties. The flexibility of the weapon system offers the politician a seemingly high degree of control over the process of war. Together, these advantages may make a politician more inclined to use force first rather than last. In the moral realm, UCAVs are neither immoral nor illegal simply because risk to one of the combatants is removed. Additionally, notions of chivalry and fairness are not good standards by which to judge this technology. The social impact of widespread UCAV employment on the operator is an area of further concern. Remote-control war, however, does not change the underlying assumptions that have been the basis for the military ethos in the past. The final chapter highlights the dynamic between political, moral, and social issues as it addresses a range of possible unintended consequences resulting from extensive UCAV employment. Ultimately, the purpose of this thesis is to provide strategists greater clarity on the political, moral, and social issues surrounding UCAV employment. Doing so allows them to more effectively address, both objectively and subjectively, the implications of this new technology.

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles PDF Author: School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781511645409
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 68

Get Book Here

Book Description
There will likely be political, moral, and social implications of UCAV employment that strategists and military commanders will need to pay attention to as they craft strategies for future conflict. UCAVs are a very appealing option for the politician faced with use-of-force decisions due to reduced forward basing requirements and the possibility of zero friendly operator casualties. The flexibility of the weapon system offers the politician a seemingly high degree of control over the process of war. Together, these advantages may make a politician more inclined to use force first rather than last. In the moral realm, UCAVs are neither immoral nor illegal simply because risk to one of the combatants is removed. Additionally, notions of chivalry and fairness are not good standards by which to judge this technology. The social impact of widespread UCAV employment on the operator is an area of further concern. Remote-control war, however, does not change the underlying assumptions that have been the basis for the military ethos in the past. The final chapter highlights the dynamic between political, moral, and social issues as it addresses a range of possible unintended consequences resulting from extensive UCAV employment. Ultimately, the purpose of this thesis is to provide strategists greater clarity on the political, moral, and social issues surrounding UCAV employment. Doing so allows them to more effectively address, both objectively and subjectively, the implications of this new technology.

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles: Examining the Political, Moral, and Social Implications

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles: Examining the Political, Moral, and Social Implications PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
There will likely be political, moral, and social implications of UCAV employment that strategists and military commanders will need to pay attention to as they craft strategies for future conflict. UCAVs are a very appealing option for the politician faced with use-of-force decisions due to reduced forward basing requirements and the possibility of zero friendly operator casualties. The flexibility of the weapon system offers the politician a seemingly high degree of control over the process of war. Together, these advantages may make a politician more inclined to use force first rather than last. In the moral realm, UCAVs are neither immoral nor illegal simply because risk to one of the combatants is removed. Additionally, notions of chivalry and fairness are not good standards by which to judge this technology. The social impact of widespread UCAV employment on the operator is an area of further concern. Remote-control war, however, does not change the underlying assumptions that have been the basis for the military ethos in the past. The final chapter highlights the dynamic between political, moral, and social issues as it addresses a range of possible unintended consequences resulting from extensive UCAV employment. Ultimately, the purpose of this thesis is to provide strategists greater clarity on the political, moral, and social issues surrounding UCAV employment. Doing so allows them to more effectively address, both objectively and subjectively, the implications of this new technology.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combat

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combat PDF Author: William Kealey
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3656588074
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 17

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Book Description
Professorial Dissertation from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict, Security, grade: 78, University of Lincoln, language: English, abstract: The increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has proven to be a catalyst for contentious dialogue (Valavanis et al: 2008; 3) between those whom acknowledge the suggested advantages of deploying UAVs and those who disagree on the basis that there are unjustifiable moral implications, especially in the context of warfare (Boyle. M :2013; 21). I remain impartial with regard to these arguments, however full justification shall be provided in due course as to why. This paper therefore, shall be written from the perspective of my own. To accurately evaluate these contrasting arguments we must first identify the meaning of morality in the context of warfare. Devlin. P (1965) acknowledges that definitively stating the confines of morality remains a hugely subjective issue, and so for simplicity, one broadly suited definition shall be accepted throughout the scope of this work. I believe Meisels. T's (2012: 932) notion whereby the laws of warfare, such as those presented in the Geneva conventions and the theory of 'just war'; which establishes humane 'rules' of conducting warfare, are inextricably linked with the notion of preserving morality during war. This perception on morality will therefore provide the parameters for the entirety of this essay to be argued from, and so whether warfare is 'moral' or not shall be decided by the extent to which war conforms with both the Geneva conventions and more importantly the theory of just war.

The Drone Debate

The Drone Debate PDF Author: Avery Plaw
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442230606
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 355

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Book Description
The Drone Debate offers a thorough investigation of the where, why, how, and when of the U.S.’s use of UAVs. Beginning with a historical overview of the use of drones in warfare, it then addresses whether targeted killing operations are strategically wise, whether they are permissible under international law, and the related ethical issues. It also looks at the political factors behind the use of drones, including domestic and global attitudes toward their use and potential issues of proliferation and escalation. Finally, the use of drones by other countries, such as Israel and China, is examined. Each chapter features a case study that highlights particular incidents and patterns of operation in specific regions, including Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, and Libya and strike types (signature strikes, personality strikes, etc.).

Drones and Global Order

Drones and Global Order PDF Author: Paul Lushenko
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000528804
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
This book explores the implications of drone warfare for the legitimacy of global order. The literature on drone warfare has evolved from studying the proliferation of drones, to measuring their effectiveness, to exploring their legal, moral, and ethical impacts. These "three waves" of scholarship do not, however, address the implications of drone warfare for global order. This book fills the gap by contributing to a "fourth wave" of literature concerned with the trade-offs imposed by drone warfare for global order. The book draws on the "English School" of International Relations Theory, which is premised on the existence of a society of states bounded by common norms, values, and institutions, to argue that drone warfare imposes contradictions on the structural and normative pillars of global order. These consist of the structure of international society and diffusion of military capabilities, as well as the sovereign equality of states and laws of armed conflict. The book presents a typology of contradictions imposed by drone warfare within and across these axes that threaten the legitimacy of global order. This framework also suggests a confounding consequence of drone warfare that scholars have not hitherto explored rigorously: drone warfare can sometimes strengthen global order. The volume concludes by proposing a research agenda to reconcile the complex and often counter-intuitive impacts of drone warfare for global order. This book will be of considerable interest to students of security studies, global governance, and International Relations.

Legitimacy and Drones

Legitimacy and Drones PDF Author: Steven J. Barela
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317105885
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 433

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Book Description
Unmanned combat air vehicles, or in common parlance 'drones', have become a prominent instrument in US efforts to counter an objective (and subjective) cross-border terrorist threat with lethal force. As a result, critical questions abound on the legitimacy of their use. In a series of multidisciplinary essays by scholars with an extensive knowledge of international norms, this book explores the question of legitimacy through the conceptual lenses of legality, morality and efficacy, it then closes with the consideration of a policy proposal aimed at incorporating all three indispensable elements. The importance of this inquiry cannot be overstated. Non-state actors fully understand that attacking the much more powerful state requires moving the conflict away from the traditional battlefield where they are at an enormous disadvantage. Those engaging in terrorism seek to goad the ruling government into an overreaction, or abuse of power, to trigger a destabilization via an erosion of its legitimacy. Thus defending the target of legitimacy”in this case, insuring the use of deadly force is constrained by valid limiting principles”represents an essential strategic interest. This book seeks to come to grips with the new reality of drone warfare by exploring if it can be used to preserve, rather than eat away at, legitimacy. After an extensive analysis of the three key parameters in twelve chapters, the practical proposition of establishing a 'Drone Court' is put forward and examined as a way of pursuing the goal of integrating these essential components to defend the citizenry and the legitimacy of the government at the same time.

Vertical

Vertical PDF Author: Stephen Graham
Publisher: Verso Books
ISBN: 1781689954
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 534

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Book Description
Vertical will make you look at the world around you anew: this is a revolution in understanding your place in the world. Today we live in a world that can no longer be read as a two-dimensional map, but must now be understood as a series of vertical strata that reach from the satellites that encircle our planet to the tunnels deep within the ground. In Vertical, Stephen Graham rewrites the city at every level: how the geography of inequality, politics, and identity is determined in terms of above and below. Starting at the edge of earth's atmosphere and, in a series of riveting studies, descending through each layer, Graham explores the world of drones, the city from the viewpoint of an aerial bomber, the design of sidewalks and the hidden depths of underground bunkers.

An Examination of Latency and Degradation Issues in Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Environments

An Examination of Latency and Degradation Issues in Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Environments PDF Author: Shane A. Dougherty
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics, Military
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
There are two basic ways to control an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) as it searches for targets: allow the UCAV to act autonomously or employ man-in-the-loop control. There are also two target sets of interest: fixed or mobile targets. This research focuses on UCAV-based targeting of mobile targets using man-in-the-loop control. In particular, the interest is in how levels of satellite signal latency or signal degradation affect the ability to accurately track, target, and attack mobile targets. This research establishes a weapon effectiveness model assessing targeting inaccuracies as a function of signal latency and/or signal degradation. The research involved three phases. The first phase in the research was to identify the levels of signal latency associated with satellite communications. A literature review, supplemented by interviews with UAV operators, provided insight into the expected range latency values. The second phase of the research identified those factors whose value, in the presence of satellite signal latency, could influence targeting errors during UCAV employment. The final phase involved developing and testing a weapon effectiveness model explicitly modeling satellite signal latency in UCAV targeting against mobile targets. This phase included an effectiveness analysis study.

Defense Science Board Study

Defense Science Board Study PDF Author: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781500731854
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
Lessons from recent combat experiences in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that UAVs can provide vastly improved acquisition and more rapid dissemination of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data. They are one of the principal contributors to successful outcomes for the United States, in these campaigns. The benefits and promise offered by UAVs in surveillance, targeting and attack have captured the attention of senior military and civilian officials in the Defense Department (DoD), members of Congress, and the public alike. Indeed, these recent combat operations appear to indicate that unmanned air systems have at last come of age. There is no longer any question of the technical viability and operational utility of UAVs. The success of UAVs in recent conflicts represents a historic opportunity to exploit the transformational capabilities inherent in UAVs/Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). Transformation is not a term, it is a philosophy. Transformation is a predisposition to exploring adaptations of existing and new systems, doctrine and organizations. True transformation is not the result of a one-time improvement, but of sustained and determined effort. For example, the American forces used multiple Predator UAVs during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) to provide a far more comprehensive operational perspective across the theater to the Combined Air Operations Center by integrating the Predator common operating picture with the Falcon View mission planning system. There is now another mission imperative and that is distance. During this review the new concept of Global Persistence Surveillance has specifically focused on the contributions of UAVs and UCAVs. During OIF Predator UAVs also enabled time-critical targeting via streaming video to strike platforms. Likewise one Global Hawk in the Iraqi theater from 8 March 03 to 23 April 03 accounted for 55% of the Time Sensitive Targets generated to kill air defense equipment. In 16 missions, Global Hawk located 13 Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) batteries, 50 SAM launchers, over 70 SAM transport vehicles and over 300 tanks. Notwithstanding the success of UAVs in OIF, UAVs have not been fully "embedded" in current Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) or valued with effects driven methodology. Future UAV programs must be conceived with this mix in mind, i.e. predefined operational concepts and effects driven methodology. UAVs are ideal systems to support the emerging joint character and the asymmetric nature of warfare. The Task Force feels it is time for DoD and the Services to move forward and make UAVs and UCAVs an integral part of the force structure, not an "additional asset." To do so requires appropriate planning, appropriate budgeting, and continued management attention of DoD and Service leadership. The DoD and the Services have already started to integrate UAVs into their force structure plans. Currently there are UAV plans and roadmaps within the DoD and Services and the FY 04 budget also shows substantial increases in funding of UAV programs. While progress has been made in planning and funding for UAVs, the Services need to move from deconfliction to integration to interdependence. UAV capabilities should be assessed in the larger context of the Global Persistent Surveillance. UAVs can ideally complement current architectures for Future Imagery Architecture, New Imagery System, and Space Based Radar. This study identifies steps the Department of Defense and Armed Services can take to field a robust UAV and UCAV capability. The recommendations in his executive summary indicate the Task Force's top level recommendations. Additional recommendations can be found in the body of the report. The Task Force's findings and recommendations fall into eight subject areas and are described in this executive summary in order of importance.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles PDF Author: David Glade
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Drone aircraft
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
The development of uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) could potentially revolutionize how military force is used in the future. While the early operational experiences with UAVs show great promise, their full range of capabilities is largely unknown. However, it is clear that these technologies will enable military forces to use aerospace power more efficiently, which means at lower cost and with less risk to the humans who pilot aircraft. The broader question is the wisdom of using unmanned aerial vehicles for employing lethal force, and in particular which air power missions are best accomplished by uninhabited, piloted, and autonomous vehicles. The corollary is to examine the essential roles of human pilots or operators in aerospace operations in the twenty-first century. Since it is common to draw distinctions between vehicles with an on-board pilot, vehicles with off-board operators, and autonomous vehicles, this study explores the essential role of pilots and contrasts it with the roles of remotely piloted and autonomous vehicles. The assumption is that piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous vehicles have advantages and disadvantages in military operations, and that these vary in strategic significance for different levels of conflict. Since it is essential for the U.S. defense establishment to consider the strategic and technological implications of these types of aerial vehicles, this study is devoted to addressing the issues raised by the new generation of aerial vehicles.