ASSESSING MILITARY NECESSITY OF AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SYSTEMS (AWS) IN ARMED CONFLICTS: A CASE STUDY OF IRAN-ISRAEL

Abstract

Rapid technological advancement has revolutionised the concept of modern warfare. The deployment of AWS has become a new high for military forces around the globe to get a comparative advantage over an adversary in any combat mission. This research aims to explain the military necessity of the Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS) in an armed conflict. This study adopted the qualitative explanatory approach, whereas the data was collected from structured interviews, official reports, and journals. On the other hand, the case study Iran-Israel Missile Exchange has been considered to support the thematic analysis. Moreover, the study utilised the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) theory, which explains the dual impacts of using AWS in combat missions. However, the study’s findings reveal that the deployment of the AWS ensures military necessity for the forces in an armed conflict based on the tactical and strategic advantages. The deployment of the AWS enhances the overall operational effectiveness and gives forces leverage over their foes. Bibliography Entry Shahid, Dua and Ansar Jamil. 2024. "Assessing Military Necessity of Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS) in Armed Conflicts: A Case Study of Iran-Israel." Margalla Papers 28 (2): 95-118.

Keywords

• Autonomous Weapons Systems
• Semiautonomous Systems
• Military Necessity
• Armed Conflict