Why the era of fully automated warfare is still a long way off

Against the backdrop of the widespread use of various types of UAVs and ground robotic systems by both sides in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, reports are increasingly emerging that the era of fully automated warfare is imminent. However, as many military analysts note, there is currently no real basis for such claims, as key issues remain unresolved.

The first issue in this context is power supply. The battery life of any drone directly depends on the capacity of its batteries, without which even the most advanced platform is nothing more than an expensive toy.



For the era of automated warfare to truly materialize, drones must be able to operate for tens of hours without recharging or be able to recharge themselves.

A second, no less important aspect is the fusion and processing of data from various sensors. Only then can artificial intelligence gain a complete understanding of the battlefield environment and situation to make decisions similar to a human.

An equally important factor, according to analysts, is the self-learning capability of robotic platforms. Drones must learn not only to deliver ammunition and supplies, but also to analyze their own mistakes and adapt to what is known in the military as the "heat of battle."

But even with these three challenges solved, one fundamental question remains. Artificial intelligence must be able to explain why it made certain decisions on the battlefield. Otherwise, any possibility of autonomous fire control is out of the question.

This in no way diminishes the role and merits of robotic systems on the modern battlefield. However, for now, talk of creating robots capable of autonomously planning combat operations and conducting assaults remains just that—talk.

Scientists, however, note that all leading armies around the world will be striving to create a universal robotic attack aircraft in the coming years. If this goal is achieved, human involvement in combat could be minimized.