Air drones in asymmetrical conflicts

Abstract

Today's armed conflicts are becoming increasingly asymmetric in character, which is clearly demonstrated by the conflicts in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are acknowledged as one of the most commonly used and highly technological means of conducting warfare in such type of conflicts. At the same time, their usage fuels discussion on the effectiveness and necessity of this technology employed by the United States and members of the international anti-terrorist coalition. Today the U.S. retains global leadership both in the production of drones and their military applications. However, there are no optimal methods for collecting and verifying information about UAV air strikes that would provide data for their combat effectiveness assessment. In the view of application of this technology for targeted killing of terrorists, questions of ethics and international humanitarian law are also on the agenda. Experts express opinions that the widespread usage of drones only aggravates the asymmetric character of modern conflicts and does not prevent them. Previously drones were used for surveillance and obtaining intelligence, but now are more and more often employed for combat missions as semi-autonomous weapons. Hence, in the first part of the article the authors suggest a possible methodology to define the combat effectiveness of UAV strikes and in the second part - analyze legal and ethical questions connected with the use of this type of weapon. They identify that the attitude towards the UAVs in the places of their deployment and operation becomes increasingly hostile. Meanwhile, some of the U.S. allies have become critical of their operations. The American public have a positive take on UAVs and appreciate their contribution to the decrease of the nation's military losses. Henceforth, U.S. experts are attempting to establish a legal justification for the drones due to their political utility.