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War Without Oversight : Why We Need Humans on the Battlefield - Paddy Walker

War Without Oversight

Why We Need Humans on the Battlefield

By: Paddy Walker

Paperback | 24 January 2025

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Amid the fanfare around AI and autonomous weapons, decision-makers - both military and political - are imagining an augmented future for warfare that minimises human influence and connection. But in their rush for speed and lethality, leaders have failed to understand the behavioural and technical challenges that accompany these new weapon types, as well as the detail of their operation and the practicalities involved in deploying these assets on tomorrow's battlefields. Indeed, as autonomy starts to flood fighting practices, the classical concepts of combat, tactics and strategy may no longer be fit for task. We are not ready and, as this book makes clear, human oversight over lethal engagement is critical if we are to do more than suffer defeats faster.

Industry Reviews

'...a must-read for military professionals and defense analysts.'

Maj. Gen. Simon Bernard, Deputy Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command

 

'...an indispensable reference point for discussing the impact of automated warfare in the 21st Century and beyond.'

Prof. Anthony Downey, Birmingham City University

 

'Don't turn a blind eye, read this book; discover what you must do to make future generations thankful you lived.'

Air Vice-Marshal (Ret'd) Michael Harwood CB CBE, Former Head of British Defence Staff US

 

'Paddy Walker yet again uses his shrewd analytical skills to delve into one of the thorniest challenges posed by modern warfare...'

Karin von Hippel, Former Director General RUSI

 

'An excellent book that emphasises the critical need for meaningful command and control...'

Michael Holm, Founder, owner & Chairman of Systematic

 

'Some believe the future of war will look like SkyNet or the Matrix... Walker's conclusions may surprise readers.'

Prof. Sean McFate, Georgetown University, U.S. National Defense University

 

'Whilst recognising the complexity of the challenge, this book makes a detailed case for rules to keep humans on the battlefield.'

Richard Moyes, Director, Article 36

 

'Even those readers who have been following the debates over autonomous weapons closely will find much to consider here.'

Laura Nolan, International Committee for Robot Arms Control

 

'This thoughtful and well-researched analysis of one of the greatest challenges now facing allied forces should be required reading...'

Maj. Gen. Bill Robins CB OBE, Former Director General UK Defence Information & Communication Services, Senior Research Fellow RUSI

 

'...I have not come across a text that manages so well to combine fine-grained technical detail with historical context and philosophical depth.'

Prof. Elke Schwarz, Queen Mary University of London

 

'There are those that would present the unsupervised use of autonomous technology in war as a utopian ideal. I challenge them to read this book.'

Nicholas Valentine, Lead Engineer, Human Machine Teaming, Defence Equipment & Support, UK MoD

 

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