Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles

1. Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles Anna K Dupuy American Gov. 2302 Section 3 Wednesday 6-9 4/11/12

2. Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles (UAVs, or Drones)

3. WHAT ARE THEY? • Unmanned assault, reconnaissance and surveillance craft controlled by remote pilots or autonomous (pre-programmed) • Not a new concept: Civil War- Unmanned hot air balloon carrying explosives WWI- Testing/development of unmanned radio controlled aircraft WWII- Nazis used the V-1 (Revenge Weapon 1) 1883- First aerial photo taken using a camera attached to a kite (18) • Vary in size, from tiny to large (about the size of a business plane) • Primarily used for surveillance and assault (18) • Equipped with infrared, radar, high tech computers, cameras, sensors, bombs, missiles, etc.

4. Can fly up to 28,000 ft. at 230 mph (18) • Flight duration up to 83 hours • Developed by the private sector: AeroVironment, Lockheed Martin and Boeing; then bought by the military (7) • Two types of armed drones: Predator and Reaper • Predator (MQ-1B): Surveillance platform with weapons capabilities (15) • Reaper (MQ-9): Hunter-killer with surveillance capabilities • Use of drones to hunt and kill militant targets in other countries has greatly increased under the Obama administration (5) • More fighter pilots are being trained to remote-fly UAVs than planes (13)

5. HOW THEY WORKReapers: • Deployed in groups of 4 • Operated by a couple two man teams at ground control stations: Responsible for navigation, controlling sensors Iraq, Nevada, Holloman Air Force Base, NM • One team in charge of take-offs and landings from the base (Iraq) • Control then handed off to a team in the U.S. for duration of mission • Crews receive visual information about the craft’s surroundings through its satellite link • Color feed camera located in the front portion of the craft allows the pilot to actually fly the craft (15) (8) (14)

6. FINDING TARGETS Aircraft is guided by a SIM card inserted into the cell phone of a suspected terrorist. The SIM card will then send a signal to the satellite which will guide and tell the drone to shoot its missile.

7. U.S. Defense • Obama administration has two drone programs: 1. Military 2. CIA 1.) DECLARED warzones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya UNDECLARED warzones such as Somalia, Yemen 2.) Operated by the CIA in Pakistan’s tribal areas; not publicly acknowledged • Governments in Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan have allowed the U.S. to operate in their countries • A number of Al Qaida and Taliban senior leaders have been taken out by drones. They have been a greatly effective tool for fighting terrorism (10) (11) (12)

8. ADVANTAGES • Spares the pilots’ life in the chances of being shot down • Allows the military to seek out targets in areas soldiers cannot access (Pakistan’s tribal areas are where militants from the Taliban and Al Qaida are located. This area is nominally controlled by the Pakistani government; its own army cannot even operate there). • Able to hit very specific targets, minimizing civilian casualties • Combined use of surveillance allows for more accurate information about targets • Greater speed and maneuverability than conventional fighter planes • Can carry heavier payload (7) (3) (18)

9. ADVANTAGES • Can be used to locate people in disaster zones (destroyed buildings) • Can be sent into other disaster zones (fires) to gather information quickly • Reconnaissance: Respond to intelligence, not attack Ground troops can send them into combat zones for searches Raven: Detects IED’s, patrols perimeters of camps, can see hundreds of feet ahead, easily transportable, long battery life. (18) (

10. DISADVANTAGES Casualties • Hundreds of civilian casualties reported (including children), especially in Pakistan • Government cover-up? • Sparking regular protests in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen • Driving Pakistanis to militancy? Legality • Law of Armed Conflict: Distinction and Proportionality- Attacks limited to military objectives, no excessive civilian casualties Is the U.S. in violation? • CIA- No transparency of activities How are they making target decisions and legal analysis? (1) (5) (6) (12)

11. Legality • Autonomous Control: Preprogrammed routes and targets Drones: Becoming more autonomous, facial recognition software (Lethal autonomy) Technology being pushed out too soon? Geneva Conventions govern the conduct of combatants by limiting collateral damage by distinguishing between civilians and combatants. Making autonomous weapons is problematic because there would be much greater difficulty in determining the difference and assigning accountability. Ethics • Too much like playing a video game? Pilots lack the situational/physical cues they get in the cockpit No human risk By keeping the violence at a distance, do we make war more likely? Would we become more tolerant of civilian casualties? (16) (17) (12)

12. Effectiveness • Some studies have shown that very few drone strikes have taken out important targets (only one out of seven) • Lt. Col. David Kilcullen, former aid to General David Petreaus and a respected counter-terrorism strategist, argues they are completely ineffective • Violence in Pakistan has shot up; tribal violence, suicide attackes • Has not deterred terrorist recruits from travelling to Pakistan’s tribal area to be trained (1) Security Risks: Viruses • 2010: Creech Air Force Base, NV • Logging keystrokes of pilots as they operated UAV’s • Many Reapers and Predators do not encrypt information they send to troops on the ground • Redirected • Remains a risk (2)

13. DEVELOPMENT • Pentagon pouring money into development of tiny drones which will be used for spying and detection of missing persons in battle zones/disaster areas • Inspired by biology: Hummingbird, maple leaf seed, insects (20)

14. DEVELOPMENT • Will most likely end up being used by businesses, the public: • FAA working on final rules governing the use of small drones in U.S. airspace • Cheaper than helicopters • ‘Drone Revolution:’ 30,000 drones in the air by 2015 (19) (20)

15. POLICE DEPARTMENTS: Tracking felons, locate missing children FIREFIGHTERS: Spot wildfires, gather information about a fire before proceeding DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY: Spotting marijuana fields, other drugs BORDER PATROL: Illegal immigrants, smuggling (19) • Other Uses: Geological/environmental surveys Monitor the conduct of police Monitor human rights abuses Business: Flying tacos Advertising Paparazzi Recreation (4) (19)

16. SURVEILLANCE

17. SURVEILLANCE • Drones are already being used to watch suspected criminals • Have great potential to be abused, violating the 4th amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. • Law enforcement must have probable cause and a warrant before using surveillance on someone • Intended to protect citizens from the power of law enforcement (9) (5) (17)

18. SURVEILLANCE • Track comings and goings of people with ease: Where they work, go to school, where they worship, any political involvement, scrutinize any other activities • Can potentially incriminate innocent people • Americans have a right to privacy • Camouflaged, tiny drones, or drones that fly too high to be detected disregard the Fourth Amendment • Drones cannot be used at the discretion of law enforcement; warrants must issued for their use • Otherwise, it is unconstitutional (9)

19. CONCLUSION • NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL COME WHETHER PEOPLE WANT IT OR NOT • CONGRESS NEEDS TO ADRESS THE ISSUE BY PASSING LAWS REGARDING USE OF DRONES/UAV’s • PROTECTION OF 4TH AMENDMENT RIGHT A PRIORITY • CITIZEN AWARENESS • THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO FIGHT TERRORISM

20. Questions?

21. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Bergen, Peter and Tiedemann, Katherine. “Washington’s Phantom War.” Foreign Affairs. July 2011. Web. • Choney, Suzanne. “Military Drones Flying Despite Worries About Computer Virus.” Msnbc. N.d. Web. • Cole, Chris, and Wright, Jim. “What Are Drones?” Peace News. Jan 2010. Web. • “Disaster Zone Robot Competition Announced By Pentagon.” bbcnews.org. April 2, 2012. Web. • Epatiko, Larisa. “Controversy Surrounds Increased Use of U.S. Drone Strikes.” Pbs.org. Oct. 10, 2011. Web. • Finn, Peter. “A Future For Drones; Automated Killing.” Thewashingtonpost.com. Sept. 19, 2011. Web. • Gelling, Peter. “Drone Wars; The Rationale.” Globalpost.com. Oct. 10, 2011. Web. • Gogolak, Emily. “The Journey of a Drone.” Globalpost.com. November 10, 2011. Web. • Jaffer, Jameel. “Keeping Big Brother In His Place.” Newyorktimes.com. Feb. 20, 2012. Web. • Johnson, Douglas. “U.S. Drone Attacks on Suspected Terrorists Stir Controversy.” Pbs.org. Aug. 29, 2011. Web.

22. Bibliography • Lodish, Emily. “Drone Wars: The Humans Behind the Technology.” Globalpost.com. Oct. 10, 2011. Web. • Mackenzie, Jean. “Drone Wars: Is it Legal?” Globalpost.com. Oct. 10, 2011. Web. • Moran, Michael. “Drone Wars: Are Drones Making War Too Easy?” Globalpost.com. Oct. 4, 2011. Web. • “MQ-9 Reaper.” U.S. Air Force. Jan 5, 2012. Web. • Scheve, Tom. “How The MQ-9 Reaper Works.” Howstuffworks.com. Web. • Scales, Robert Jr. “Culture-centric Warfare.” United States Naval Institute. 130.10. (2004): 32-37. ProQuest. Web. April 2, 2012. • Thrower, Mac. “Aerial Drones Hold Great Promise-and Potential For Abuse.” News-journalonline.com. April 8, 2012. Web. • Valdes, Robert. “How The Predator UAV Works.” Howstuffworks.com. Web. • Villasenor, John. “High Altitude Surveillance Drones: Coming To a Sky Near You.” Scientificamerican.com. Feb. 24, 2012. Web. • Watson, Julie. “On The Wings of Technology: Hummingbird Drones.” Msnbc.com. Feb. 28 2011. Web.