Regulating UAV Threats in Nuclear Security
Regulating UAV Threats in Nuclear Security
Agenda:
Regulating the Emerging Threat of Autonomous UAVs being Used in the Nuclear
Command-and-Control Infrastructure of Nuclear-Armed States.
Table of Contents:
1. Committee Overview............................................................................................................2
2. Mandate of the Committee.................................................................................................. 2
Working Methods................................................................................................................. 2
Landmark Documents.......................................................................................................... 3
3. Agenda Overview................................................................................................................. 4
4. Key Points............................................................................................................................. 5
(i) Understanding ‘Regulate’................................................................................................5
(ii) Emerging Threats........................................................................................................... 5
(iii) Autonomous UAV......................................................................................................... 6
(iv) Nuclear Command-and-Control (C2)............................................................................7
(V) Nuclear Armed States.................................................................................................... 8
(vi) Threats of Cyber-attacks and DDOS attacks on Nuclear System................................. 9
5. Previous Regulations about Emerging Threats............................................................... 11
6. References........................................................................................................................... 20
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1. Committee Overview
Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), the first committee of The
United Nations General Assembly, addresses the critical issues regarding disarmament,
global challenges, as well as the threats to peace that have consequences on international
community. This body holds crucial importance in formulating strategies and proposing
solutions to the challenges in the international security regime. It undertakes a comprehensive
examination on all disarmament and international security matters within the grounds in the
principles of UN charter and the organs of UN. Aiming to establish international peace and
security, a set of overarching principles serve as the foundation for the states to collaborate
collectively, governe disarmament and the regulation of armaments and promote of
cooperative arrangements and measures aimed at strengthening stability through lower levels
of armaments.
Working Methods
As mentioned in the resolution 42/42 [N] (1987), this committee has taken significant efforts
to rationalize the work system, concentrating on rearranging its agenda and improving its
organization of work.
1. Historical Context and Reforms:
During the 48th session of the Assembly, in 1993, the item entitled “Rationalization of
the work and reform of the agenda of the First Committee” was included in the agenda
of the Assembly. Thereafter, the Assembly has focused on improving the effectiveness
of the methods of work of the First Committee (see resolutions 48/87 of 16 December
1993, 49/85 of 15 December 1994, 57/300 of 20 December 2002, 58/41 of 8
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December 2003, 58/126 of 19 December 2003, 58/316 of 1 July 2004 and 59/95 of 3
December 2004).
2. Member States’ Contribution:
During the 59th session, in response to a request of the Secretary-General to seek the
views of Member States on improving the effectiveness of the methods of work of the
First Committee, a report compiling those views was submitted by the Secretariat (see
A/59/132 and addenda 1 to 6).
3. Contemporary Practices:
Since the 60th session, under the item “Revitalization of the work of the General
Assembly”, the Committee has adopted its programme of work and timetable for the
forthcoming session. Please also see the note by the Secretariat (A/C.1/68/INF/4).
Landmark Documents
1. Resolution 1 (I): The very first General Assembly resolution, entitled “Establishment of
a Commission to Deal with the Problems Raised by the Discovery of Atomic Energy”,
was adopted on recommendation by the First Committee on 24 January 1946, in
London.
2. Resolution 1378 (XIV): The very first General Assembly resolution that was
co-sponsored by all Member States at that time.
3. Special sessions on disarmament (resolutions and decisions adopted at the 10th, 12th
and 15th special sessions of the General Assembly)
A/S-10/4 (23 May – 30 June 1978); A/S-12/6 (7 June – 10 July 1982); A/S-15/6 (31
May – 25 June 1988)
4. Wassenaar Agreement 1996.
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3. Agenda Overview
The regulation of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into military operations,
particularly within the nuclear command-and-control (C2) infrastructure of nuclear-armed
states, requires immediate attention. In the nuclear context, lack of proper regulation
frameworks rise potential threat on peacekeeping missions.
Drones and other so-called Autonomous and Remotely Operated Systems (AROS) present a
uniquely challenging terrorist threat. In the wrong hands, regular consumer drones can be
used as lethal weapons, enabling terrorist to plan, coordinate and launch a vast range of
deadly and potentially disruptive attacks against civilians, soft targets, and critical
infrastructure. The number of nonstate actors already using aerial drones has steadily
increased over the past several years. Through rapid advances in drone technology, AROS are
slated to become a primary tactic of terrorist attacks in the future. At the same time, drones
and other AROS have the potential to become tools in counter-terrorism efforts. The Global
Counter-Terrorism Programme on Autonomous and Remotely Operated Systems (AROS
Programme) was created in 2021 to support member states in addressing the threat posed by
drones, UAS, and other AROS.
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4. Key Points
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Survivable and enduring nuclear command and control (NC2) capabilities disseminate
warning information and nuclear control orders and add significant resilience to the NC3
system of systems. NC2 is the exercise of authority and direction by the President, as
Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces, through established national command
authority lines over nuclear weapons, nuclear weapon systems, and nuclear weapon
operations of military forces. NC2 mission essential functions include force management,
planning, situation monitoring, decision making, and force direction.
The proceeding discussion shows how nuclear command and control systems can strengthen
or weaken strategic stability, depending on the operational nature of a state’s command and
control systems. Most concerningly, the analysis shows that countries that delegate the ability
to use nuclear weapons to lower-level military commanders early during a crisis create
pathways through which the likelihood of unwanted nuclear use and crisis escalation
increases. Policymakers have three broad options for how to address this challenge and
promote strategic stability during crises.
Reductions in verbal threats will likely have a limited effect in reassuring adversaries of
benign intent. To more credibly signal a promise not to threaten an adversary’s state or
political regime, policymakers would need to reduce the presence of military forces near an
adversary’s border. This approach would reduce the likelihood of states delegating nuclear
use capability early in a crisis, as those states would have more time to negotiate during the
process of military build-up. Doing so, however, entails further risks.
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Combined, the United States and Russia now possess approximately 88 percent of the world’s
total inventory of nuclear weapons, and 84 percent of the stockpiled warheads available for
use by the military. Currently, no other nuclear-armed state sees a need for more than a few
hundred nuclear weapons for national security, although many of these states are increasing
their nuclear stockpiles.
Globally, the overall inventory of nuclear weapons is declining, but the pace of reductions is
slowing compared with the past 30 years. Moreover, these reductions are happening only
because the United States and Russia are still dismantling previously retired warheads.
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European Union (EU) Signatory to the CSDR (Common security defence policy under EU)
● CSDP considers adopting autonomous weapons in military operations. Minding
regulations and legislations.
● At the national level, several countries attempt to regulate the investigated field of
activities, while others are moving towards a complete ban on the development,
production, acquisition, and transfer of LAWS. For example, on September 12, 2018, the
EU Parliament adopted its first resolution (EUROPEAN, 2019) on the merits of the issue
under consideration, in which it called on all member states to stop the development, use,
and production of lethal autonomous weapon systems equipped with artificial
intelligence, and to start international negotiations for the preparation of a legally binding
document. However, the above resolution, noting the potential danger of autonomous
armed systems, was not binding on the EU member states. This situation is caused by the
fact that there is no unity among the partners on this issue; for example, Belgium adopted
a resolution calling to ban such systems in the same year. On the contrary, Germany,
France, and some other European countries gain traction in the manufacture of weapons,
including those equipped with artificial intelligence.
African Union (AU) - There is an assumption that African states are preoccupied with very
different development and security concerns and that autonomous weapons are simply not a
priority for them. However, in reality, LAWS are as much a pressing security issue for
African nations as they are for the P-5. Between the Somali Civil War, communal conflicts in
Nigeria, the Boko Haram insurgency, and several other instances of armed conflict, Africa is
where some of the deadliest, most persistent violent conflicts in the world take place.
Autonomous weapons, even with their promise of greater policing power and potential to
reduce casualties, would be dangerous if deployed in such conflicts, especially in the absence
of norms and legal frameworks.
This context has shaped the African response to autonomous weapons. For instance, Algeria,
Egypt, Ghana, Uganda and Zimbabwe along with The African Group represented by South
Africa were some of the first countries to have supported a ban on killer robots. Each
statement reflects different priorities: for some, the concern is human control; for others, it is
the potential for a massive number of casualties falling outside the purview of international
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humanitarian law. Ghana and Zimbabwe present arguments that acknowledge that great
powers will continue to develop LAWS for their immense military benefits irrespective of the
views of smaller powers. This last point in particular best reflects the paradox faced by
African actors calling for a ban: no legally-binding instrument on LAWS is possible with the
backing of the P-5. Moreover, while the most prominent non-governmental actors on the
global stage push for a ban, the active pursuit of the same capabilities by the militaries of the
Western countries they originate from, continues in parallel.
LAWS are thus transforming into an arena of geopolitical and strategic competition while
also reflecting the same inequalities that have characterised technology-led military
innovation for decades. In the case of LAWS, there is a strong first-mover advantage due to
exponential increases in lethality provided by even the most incremental improvements in
speed and efficiency. Currently, research and investment in AI/ML and robotics is dominated
by the US, China and a handful of other major powers. In 2016, 80% of the $26-39 billion
invested by private firms in artificial intelligence was by Alibaba, Amazon, Google,
Facebook and Baidu. Similarly, some of the largest seed-funded robotics startups of 2018
were Chinese, American and German. Thus, the great powers control the technologies as well
as the institutions and the agenda.
Most global-level institutions and platforms have a similar approach to the African problem:
they have them at the table, but rarely build and shape the debate on terms that translate to
their countries. Given the stakes state and civilian actors in Africa have in shaping the
development of norms and technologies linked to LAWS, an Africa-centred LAWS debate is
much overdue. For several of these countries, the conflicts are close to home; the distant
geographies and distant futures that concern most of the major powers are not directly
relevant.
ICRC Regulations:
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has, since 2015, urged States to
establish internationally agreed limits on autonomous weapon systems to ensure civilian
protection, compliance with international humanitarian law, and ethical acceptability.
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6. References
1. [Link]
2. [Link]
[Link]://[Link]/africarenewal/web-features/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-are-effective-prot
ecting-civilians%E2%80%94herv%C3%A9-ladsous
4. [Link]
5. [Link]
6. [Link]
7. [Link]
8. [Link]
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