The Drone Warriors

This article explores the role of robots in military operations in the coming future and challenges posed by it. Military personnel believe that robots may not replace soldiers; however, as automated systems become more capable, they will certainly supplement human troops. On the ground, soldiers deploy robots to search dangerous locations, and to find and defuse roadside bombs. New models that carry weapons have already entered service. Robotic warfare is open-source warfare; enemies cannot only probe robots for technological vulnerabilities, but they can also build robots themselves. Some commanders worry that distancing soldiers from the results of their actions makes it easier to commit war crimes. Robot-based warfare might well change the types of skills the military looks for in future soldiers. While it takes years to train an F-15 pilot, drone pilots achieve comparable results with just months of training, and they pilot far cheaper aircraft. The development of robot-based warfare has been a great asset to the American military. However, there is a profound risk inherent in this technology should some other force discover a better way to employ robot warriors.