Annex A. Possible outline
1. The following is one possible outline for an IHL Manual as proposed by the UK, by way of illustration of the overall concept. It is based on eight headings, many of which reflect the concept, development and use cycle (‘lifecycle’ ) of a weapons system (adapted from the Sunrise diagram from the 2018 report of the GGE). Within each of these headings is a series of sub-headings and questions, which when answered or expanded upon would increase understanding of the ways in which – at each stage of a system’s life – compliance with IHL can best be assured. Human-machine interaction, which is relevant to all aspects, is included throughout.
2. We recognise that agreement on each element may not be possible – where this is the case, such a document could include a collation of the potentially different methods of good practice, as long as those methods are designed to enable overall compliance with IHL.
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Article 36 Weapon Reviews
- In the context of autonomous systems what information and level of understanding is necessary to inform an effective weapons review?
- Does the inclusion of AI functionality make a difference in relation to the scope of the review or the resulting authorisation?
- Does machine learning necessitate re-review and authorisation? If so how is this built into the review process and operationalised to ensure that the system does not exceed authorities?
- How should the approval parameters applied to the system as a result of a weapons review be best effected through the authorisations process and through into Rules of Engagement (RoE) ?
Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) document on the application of International Humanitarian Law to Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS): submitted by the United Kingdom (8 August 2022) CCW/GGE.1/2022/WP.1
