Primarily we must know what we mean by unmanned vehicles, unmanned vehicles refer to all mechanic organisms capable of movement without direct human control. Although the birth of this unmanned human technology has reduced the chances of errors, the risk of human life (for the attacker) and has given wide access to attacking units it has created a negative image of these unmanned vehicles. According to an article by CNN Robotic Warfare expert Peter Singer says that although this technology has allowed the US to target an increasing number of terrorist leaders, perhaps it has also given them a better recruiting ground. As not only is robotic warfare seen as cowardice in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan but it is also seen as fighting without honor . On the other hand, unmanned combat vehicles have given a sort of psychological edge to warfare for countries employing this technology. Most of the Al-Qaeda personnel say that they do not fear death, tanks, or armor but have learnt to fear drones .
Although less attention is given to unmanned ground vehicles, they also present a great aid to warfare; they can be used just as effectively. Especially since in the physical world they are the real show of force as they are much more imposing as compared to a dot in the sky, because today’s wars are more about prevention and intimidation than actually fighting.
Furthermore, this technology has revolutionized not only how operations are conducted but also the entire concept of warfare. Additionally it has given a new meaning to the phrase stealth operations, most of these vehicles are designed to sneak in and out of a country without being spotted which gives not only a cover to your workings but may also be used to maintain stability in international relations. Especially where doing something for the greater good takes precedence over the right to know or national sovereignty. Also with the technology under development (like the SR-72 by Lockheed Martin, i.e. the stealth drone capable of flying at six times the speed of sound), it will present an unprecedented speed of action. It will literally give rise to a new meaning of the word immediately, as counter measures will become possible within seconds.
This is certainly a viable option for future warfare, we live in a time where the enemy is often faceless and we do not know what we are up against, and often our enemies are as powerfully equipped as we are. All of this presents a need of proactive and preemptive measures. With the technology that is currently under development, like the micro drones capable of tracking down and assassinating individuals inside a building, can present them as highly detrimental in war prevention .
We must also keep in mind that when we talk about viability we must look at the broader picture. When we talk about using tactics like these to not only win you wars but also to prevent them, you talk about an investment that will save you billions of Dollars that would have been used in fighting that war. This money saved can be utilized in a much more productive and resourceful manner, i.e. in education (to name one of the many alternatives). Then there are factors like the preservation of international images and diplomacy. On the other hand, we must also consider that eventually everyone is going to get ahold of this technology because that is the evolution of humanity and then there will be a level playing field. Unless some saint of an organization comes up with proper control and regulation methods, which is unlikely.
For the time being, it is essential that we use these tools to control the troubling issues. For the matters mentioned above, they will always exist and we must not let fear of them stop us from working towards a better tomorrow. Adding to that the fact, the unmanned vehicles are the most viable and strategically necessary tool of the modern age.
Lastly, we are never going to have any actual unmanned vehicles (at least in the near future) because of the directive issued by the United States Defense Department that requires a human Being in the “loop”
Works Cited
Admin. "'Killer robots' to be debated at UN." 2014. http://www.bbc.com. Web. 8 June 2014. <http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27343076>.
Barry, Brigadier Ben. Rise of the Machines? The Increasing Role of Unmanned Ground Systems in Land Operations. 2014. Web. 8 June 2014. <https://www.iiss.org/en/events/events/archive/2014-0f13/may-05c8/rise-of-the-machines-9100>.
Robertson, Nic. "How robot drones revolutionized the face of warfare." 2009. http://edition.cnn.com. Web. 8 June 2014. <http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/07/23/wus.warfare.remote.uav/index.html?iref=24hours>.
Weinberger, Sharon. "The ultra-lethal drones of the future." 14 May 2014. http://nypost.com. Web. 8 June 2014. <http://nypost.com/2014/05/17/evolution-of-the-drone/>.
