The Unmanned Warfare.

The Unmanned Warfare.

A.I. BASED ROBOTS IN WARFARE

Name: Sharon John D’Souza

Registration Number: 210970110
2nd MCA - Section B, 3rd Semester

Under the Guidance of:

Dr. Dashrathraj K Shetty
Associate Professor
Dept. Of Data Science and Computer Application
 The Unmanned Warfare. 2

Table Of Contents

1. Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------3

2. Introduction & Literature Review --------------------------------4

3. A.I. --------------------------------------------------------------------7

4. A.I. in the military --------------------------------------------------8

5. The Fear Factor: Ethics and Laws --------------------------------10

6. Military Market------------------------------------------------------13

7. India ------------------------------------------------------------------14

8. Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------15

9. References-----------------------------------------------------------17
 The Unmanned Warfare. 3

Abstract:

Presentation Title: The Unmanned Warfare.

Sharon D’Souza, 2nd MCA Sec-B, 210970110;
Manipal Institute Of Technology, MAHE.

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence(A.I.) are two different fields yet the

combination of technology and cognitive intelligence can help build machines that

can imitate human behavior. Robots have been manhandled for centuries but bringing

A.I. to it can lead to tremendous applications. Such intelligent technology is not alien,

it’s existence can be seen in unmanned vehicles, delivery drones, complex surgical

robots, industrial robots, etc.

Today, the world is in a new arms race. A.I.-based military robots are used for

logistics, surveillance, and defensive - offensive based unmanned automated

machines. But all this raises questions on “how humanely will the war be fought?”.

Human ethics and laws are the major setbacks governing the production and usage of

automated unmanned vehicles.

But, amongst all the controversy the world hasn’t stopped production and usage

of A.I. based military robots for their own advantage. In just 12 countries there are

over 130 military systems that detect and fire when incoming projectiles, loitering

munitions in the sky, searching areas for categories of targets, and sentry weapons at

military borders. Besides its inhuman side, the technology also seems to favor the

reduced risk factor in terms of human life along with the possibility of low human

error.

AI technology has the potential to transform India's economy and national

security, but strict policies are needed to promote AI adoption and innovation. Along

with Prime Minister Modi's vision of transforming India into an AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
 The Unmanned Warfare. 4

Unlike the past, India no longer desires to take a chance on relying on foreign

countries, such as Russia, for 45–50% of its ammunition supply.

Many countries around the world are spending more percentages of their

military-based R&D budget on military robots that work on A.I. especially robots that

can sustain inhabitable geopolitical grounds and help minimize human casualties,

facilitate military decisions and enhance the combat potential of their forces.

The controversy around human ethics and the fear factor of the A.I. taking over

humanity leads to a lower possibility of us humans fighting the arms race purely on

lethal unmanned systems. But with recent development on A.I. based warfare robots,

it’s possible for us to go with hybrid systems.

Keywords: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence(A.I.), lethal unmanned systems, ethics and

laws, AatmaNirbhar Bharat, minimize human casualties, inhabitable geopolitical

grounds, enhance combat potential, fear factor, hybrid systems.

Introduction & Literature Review

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence(A.I.) are like two sides of the same coin, yet

each face serves its own purpose and can function independently of the other. The

difference between an automated and an autonomous system is that, unlike automated

systems, an autonomous system reasons probabilistic-ally given a set of inputs and

will not necessarily produce the exact same behavior every time; rather, such systems

will produce a range of behaviors. And hence, balancing tasks between humans and

robots in warfare is important until certainty is reached where warfare robots have

self-learned to procure low to none casualty based results in concern to both living

and the environment surrounding the test-case studies. A lot of money and time is
 The Unmanned Warfare. 5

hence needed to be spent on A.I. based robots to repeatedly test their functioning and

at the same time present a higher likelihood of favorable results in the test outcome.

The main focus of our topic is to know the significance that A.I. based Robots

hold in warfare and how much of a concern or/and help it is in terms of casualties to

the life. The development in defense technology and the geopolitical environmental

(geographical area at borders) necessities have increased the defense spending of

many nations as we progress. The varied trends in the ammunition in warfare have led

to unpredictable expenditures along with the breathtaking innovations.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, sometimes known as drones, are increasingly being

used in warfare, which has sparked a heated discussion about whether or not these

"killer robots" should be completely outlawed. The issue, which has numerous facets,

mostly revolves around whether or not A.I. Robots should be permitted to carry out

such military missions, particularly if there is a chance that any human life could be in

danger. As a result, regulations, laws, and policies must be properly implemented

throughout the development and use of such robots, as each step in their creation and

testing is what determines how well they will work in practice. Policy talks regarding

autonomous weapons will become more difficult as a result of the transfer of

expertise from the military to the business sector. This will make it difficult for

governments to deploy and manage these systems. This stands as one of the

drawbacks.

However, despite all the anxiety and terror surrounding artificial intelligence (AI)

military robots, these machines can be extremely useful in combat situations due to

their increased attack precision, decreased danger of civilian collateral damage, and

decreased risk of "friendly fire." A.I. robots are utilized by the military today for

precise airstrikes, monitoring enemy activity in coastal seas, and reconnaissance

 The Unmanned Warfare. 6

(surveying), but they are also most likely deployed in non-combat duties. AI is also

being incorporated into training simulations. Robot bomb disposal reduces risk to

humans as robots become more dexterous and agile, there will be no need for a human

to be next to a bomb to defuse it. Tactical Robots are already capable of entering

buildings, climbing stairs, and moving over obstacles to search buildings for traps and

enemy fighters seeking to ambush troops. Robots help maintain perimeter security.

They could stop war criminals from killing innocent civilians at minimal danger they

could shield unarmed civilian refugees from genocidal attacks and unauthorized

bombardment. It is debate-ably appropriate to allow robots to carry out a legitimate

military role if they can do so more accurately and with a lower risk of error than

humans.

Since the end of the last global war, the power balance has always favored

countries with greater economic, military, industrial, and technological might. AI

technology has the potential to transform India's economy and national security, but

strict policies are needed to promote AI adoption and innovation. Along with Prime

Minister Modi's vision of transforming India into an AatmaNirbhar Bharat. Unlike the

past, India no longer desires to take a chance on relying on foreign countries, such as

Russia, for 45–50% of its ammunition supply. On July 11, 2022, the Ministry of

Defence conducted the first-ever "AI in Defence" symposium and exhibition in New

Delhi, where the Defense Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, unveiled 75 AI devices. These

goods include blockchain-based systems, autonomous/unmanned/robotic systems, and

AI platform automation. The Defence Minister said that Ministry of Defence research

platforms, DRDO, and DPSUs are providing support to institutes in AI research. The

Union budget has also kept 25% of our R&D budget separately for funding Defense

based Start-ups.
 The Unmanned Warfare. 7

Future uses of AI and robots for national security must balance the dual goals of

promoting economic growth to support the development of military technologies and

having a powerful military to defend the interests of the country's economy. In the

games Go, Jeopardy, and Chess, machines have outperformed humans. Superhuman

performance in ethics may also be feasible with enough investigation. Robots have

two contrasting sides. When misused, they are capable of committing war crimes and

genocide, but when properly used they can also be prevented.

A.I.

https://www.algotive.ai/blog/machine-learning-what-is-ml-and-how-does-it-work

Google Deepmind’s AlphaGo defeated South Kore’s Master Lee Sedol in the

board game go. The talk revolved around, A.I., Deep Learning, and Machine Learning.

The easiest way to think of their inter-relationship is to visualize them as concentric

circles, with AI as the parent set, then Machine Learning AI’s subset, and finally

Deep Learning subset of ML.

 The Unmanned Warfare. 8

1. AI, or artificial intelligence, is a method that enables computers to emulate human

intelligence and behavior.

2. A subset of AI called "machine learning" aims to create computer programs that

can adapt to new information by searching through data for patterns and changing

programming behavior accordingly.

3. Subset of machine learning called "Deep Learning" consists of algorithms that let

computer programs "train" themselves by exposing multi-layered neural networks to

massive amounts of data.

https://www.algotive.ai/blog/machine-learning-what-is-ml-and-how-does-it-work

There are three main components to making a Robot work like a human. The brain

should be the software algorithm that works on data available, the body is the

hardware and the heart or the soul is the computing power that runs the algorithm.

A.I. in military

Modern battlefields have seen a rise in A.I. based technologies over the past two

decades. Though hybrid and not fully autonomous systems have been deployed the
 The Unmanned Warfare. 9

debate around the human ethics on the battlefield where such systems are in place are

always questioned. As LAWS - Lethal Automated Weapon systems have shown

increased combat precision and capabilities of much lower to no errors the System

still is seen as a threat due to casualties it threatens to impose if not treated properly.

This system though is highly precise it is programmed to target “groups” - groups that

have chances of being innocent civilians taking shelter. In Afghanistan, the estimates

are around 3000 for casualties due to LAWS. LAWS are programmed to select,

engage, detect and most importantly recognize the target and follow and predict its

movements.

But the army is not all about war and A.I.-based robots can be used in ample fields in

this vast organization like logistics, rescue operations, surveillance, etc apart from

their use on operational grounds.

As the countries are keeping pace with the 21st-century warfare here are some

scenarios that unmanned systems are being deployed:

1. Anti-IED Operations:-

An improvised explosive device (IED) is a type of explosive weapon that can take

many forms and is prone to be activated in a variety of ways. They target soldiers and

civilians alike. Autonomous Systems used to disarm such IEDs are already in place.

Such disarming systems also tend to be non-lethal and defensive in nature to LAWS.

2. Unmanned borders: Swarm of Surveillance Robots

An AI enabled swarm surveillance drones are used to boost the surveillance

capabilities and detect unusual activities instantly, placing a warning of intervention.

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Such systems are also not lethal but can help in both offensive and defensive

operations.

3. Autonomous armed UGVs/UAVs/USVs : Offensive and Defensive Systems

UGVs - Unmanned Ground Vehicles, UAVs - Unmanned Ariel Vehicles, and UGVs -

Unmanned Under-sea Vehicles are all manually piloted as of recent but research is

being conducted to have them majorly automated. Such Systems are classified as

lethal and offensive as they will be automated to navigate, search, detect, evaluate,

recognize, track, predict and engage/kill the target.

4. Search and Rescue Detect operations:

During the peacetime, the defense forces also help in the internal turmoil like terror

attacks and conduct search and rescue operations when a place is hit with natural or

man-made calamities. Drones are used to detect the target and plan the operations.

5. Logistics Management:

To ensure an optimal level of inventory management at such a large scale with low

costs, optimized and automated initiation using pattern analysis is done. Predictions

on needs for now and the future are both attended to optimally and resource is used at

its best.

The Fear Factor: Ethics and Laws

The major issue pertaining A.I. based robots is that there isn’t much access to

data let alone robust data. Without data, the algorithms can’t be tested and precise
 The Unmanned Warfare. 11

results can’t be generated and hence strong conclusions can’t be made. Another

biggest challenge is the Cyber-War. A.I. technologies aren’t well researched and

developed and most of the technologies are prone to hacking/breaching and hence

have very low-security systems intact. The security issue is one of the major reasons

why the defense forces can’t entirely rely on unmanned automated systems but rather

on hybrid versions. The biggest challenge we have is to ensure that these LAWS are

safe and cannot be breached.

There is an increased demand to completely banned such lethal systems as they

don’t stand in line with the international humanitarian laws under Geneva. The

constant debate lies around three factors:

1. Principle of “Distinction”:

The Robots need to be able to distinguish civilian populations and assets from

military assets and to target only the latter.

2. Principle of “Proportionality”:

If the cause to humans is more than the military benefit.

3. Legal Review:

Not all nations in the war race are at the same pace. The weapons used in warfare

should strictly adhere the international laws and should be used in a fair sense.

Counter-Views:

As much as there is controversy, there are also people supporting the concept of A.I.

in warfare. The deployment of LAWS - Lethal Automated Weapon Systems would in

fact lead to saving of human lives. It can self-sacrifice itself to save lives and conduct

operations successfully. They are designed without human emotions and hence can

perform well and don’t have the “cloud judgment” factor, unlike humans. Swarm
 The Unmanned Warfare. 12

robots that function like a troop of soldiers can display well-controlled group

decisions. The development of robotic sensors stands superior to human capabilities

and can withstand inhabitable human conditions. It is too early to argue over the legal

issues surrounding autonomous weapons because even though the technology is

researched immensely, it has not been completely developed.

ALAN TURING

Alan Mathison Turing was a British logician and computer pioneer.

London, 1947: “What we want is a machine that can learn from experience,” and

that the “possibility of letting the machine alter its own instructions provides the

mechanism for this.”

Turing test: Determine whether a computer or a machine can think intelligently

like humans”?
 The Unmanned Warfare. 13

Military Market

Manned military machinery and vehicles cost much higher than the unmanned

military systems. The expenditure of money and human life is both reduced

drastically. Hence various countries and organizations have been investing in the

research and development of A.I. based Robots for warfare throughout the world.

Especially demand is increased for weapons that will be much more useful in

inhabitable and less habitable grounds like Underwater Unmanned vehicles that

conduct underwater surveillance and hence reducing the workload and workplace

accidents of military divers. Surveillance drones used in higher altitude areas and

risky areas are small in size and hence less noticeable than human or military infantry

making it even better to conduct operations.

Key Players:

 BAE Systems plc

 Elbit Systems Ltd.

 General Dynamics Corporation

 Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

 Lockheed Martin Corporation

 Northrop Grumman Corporation

 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.

 Rheinmetall AG

 SAAB AB

 Thales Group
 The Unmanned Warfare. 14

India

India faces many challenges along its borders. It has a long history of territorial

disputes with both Pakistan and China, But in today's day and age, defense is no

longer limited to just geographical borders. Cyber threats are all supposed a danger to

national security. We have a Cyber-war. We have threats at airports or infrastructures.

Our cities are more threat than they ever were. The biggest tech threats are actually

going to be on the lines of A.I.

The days of protecting the borders by human eyes alone are long over

enter technology. India is moving to smarter ways of surveillance. It is adopting

cutting-edge technologies to counter cross-border terror attacks, and most

importantly, the country is using new-age gadgets that can go beyond the reach,

vision, and capabilities of humans.

India usually depends for their 40-50% of its military resources on other nations

like Russia, India now under the vision of the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra

Modi wishes to Make India AthmaNirbhar Bharat – A self-reliant Nation and Many

of these high-tech gadgets and innovative tech solutions are indigenously

developed. As India completes 75 years of Independence, the union budget set 25%

of its R&D - research and development funds for the Defence Tech Start-ups that will

help in empowering and supporting the country's defense efforts. Development and

deployment of various indigenous automated unmanned A.I. based Robots are already

in action in the Armed forces.

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Conclusion

Since the end of the last global war, the power balance has always favored

countries with greater economic, military, industrial, and technological might. In

regards to future warfare and its link with A.I., the large gap between commercial

versus military R&D spending could directly reflect on the military development and

deployment outcome. For example, the Civilians might have unmanned vehicles

before the soldiers. If the people's thought hasn't changed about the A.I. in Warfare

being unsafe, it must be noted that as development and research increases these

LAWS become safer and safer and are more compliant towards our goal of achieving

low human casualties and more higher rates in military operation success in-turn

ensuring a safer environment.

Noted that research and development has a long way to go, and so is the issue

with cyber security in these lethal systems but we have already started walking the
 The Unmanned Warfare. 16

path of no turning back. The potential A.I. still holds in non-lethal systems is also

being acknowledged and being used to get much better results in both offensive and

defensive operations like the use of surveillance robots, transport robots, logistic

robots, etc.

The market of A.I.based military robots is slowly showing an opening for

competitive market and investments. There is constant growth in investments

observed past decade and the stats show no signs of it going down. The interest of

major powerful armed forces to make their defense more unmanned than manned for

better output and better conduction of operations on all ground, water and air is what

make A.I. have the potential to lead into the trend of future unmanned warfare.

We will also have to constantly collect data as we progress further into research

and development and ensure that the data is safe and so is the system safe and

unbreachable from the cyber threats. The roads ahead look promising for human

safety and security. As with any transformation, the warfare A.I. transformation too

won’t be an easy task, only a determined effort with special researches on board is

likely to produce the desired results. The insistent resonance between power-driven

nations for the development and implementation of A.I. based robotics towards

concurrent growth of both economical and military progress might also lead to a

favorable power balance between research-based power21 nations including India in

both defensive and offensive status.

 The Unmanned Warfare. 17

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