3. … It [sic] not arbitrary, but it is a fact that no weapons system possessed by the UK is fully autonomous. Existing highly automated weapons meet the stringent standards of Article 36 legal weapons reviews.
6. … Focus on the level of human control in weapons systems, as required under the four fundamental principles of IHL — distinction, proportionality, necessity and humanity — would prevent rapid changes in technology driving a constant requirement to review our approach. … The mechanisms and means of regulation should remain governed by IHL and be delivered through Article 36 Legal Weapons Reviews, for which the element of human control is essential in the legal assessment of autonomous or highly automated weapon system. Weapons Reviews should be universalised and rigorously followed for all lethal technologies.
7. The conduct of a legal weapons review will enable a State to consider how predictably a weapons system responds in complex and changing environments. … It is worth recalling that predictability, precision and reliability are already parts of the lawful Article 36 weapon reviews that the UK conducts for all weapons entering service; a practice that we believe is wholly appropriate to deal with evolving technologies in warfare.
Statement by the United Kingdom under agenda Item 6(a): characterisation of the systems under consideration (10 April 2018)
