Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2184861
UNMANNED COMBAT AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW:
SIMPLIFYING THE OFT
BENIGHTED DEBATE
Michael N. Schmitt*
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....
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Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2184861
UNMANNED COMBAT AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW:
SIMPLIFYING THE OFT
BENIGHTED DEBATE
Michael N. Schmitt*
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
II. UCAS AND THEIR OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597
III. INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND UCAS
OPERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601
A. Applicability of International Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601
B. What and Who May be Targeted by a UCAS . . . . . . . . . . 609
C. Restrictions on UCAS Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614
D. Who May Conduct UCAS Operations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
IV. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
I. INTRODUCTION
As noted by Human Rights Watch, “
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