All States are required by international law to determine the legality of its weapons before they are used in armed conflict. International law does not however require a particular method of review. The legal review obligation is one of result and is fulfilled by the State’s assessment that its weapon capabilities comply with its international legal obligations.
States Party to the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the the Geneva Conventions of 1949 generally recognise four steps that form the basis of a weapons review.
Weapon reviews are often conducted during the State capability acquisition process to inform acquisition or adoption decisions.
