States and some organisations have expressed their views about the utility, purpose, scope and process of the legal review of weapons in various different contexts. Some of these views have been recorded domestic documents, such as military manuals on the law of armed conflict. Increasingly, however, States and organisations have articulated their positions in a range of international fora, either through written submissions or oral interventions.
This database compiles and organises publicly expressed views in relation to legal reviews, without prejudice to their relative significance or effect (for example, in terms of the development of customary international law). The database aims to comprehensively reflect the views of states but only covers the positions of a small number of selected organisations.
This database currently contains 379 positions and is continuously updated. Any corrections, or suggestions to add material, are welcome.
1 position United States (remove filter) GGE LAWS 2026 (remove filter) Clear all
2026 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems
2026
Statement by the United States
For example, the obligation in the 1977 Additional Protocol I mentions specific stages of the life cycle. We also think it is critical to add the word new, which is used in the 1977 Additional Protocol I. Legal reviews are conducted of new weapons. Rather …