Articles & Multimedia
Showing 61-80 of 96 Publications
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Phases of War and the Iraq Experience
The difficulties of applying the U.S. military’s phasing construct to the realities of conflict are rarely more evident than when examining the American experience in Iraq. Th...
By Kevin Shi & Paul Scharre
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A Revolution in Artificial Intelligence
The Cipher Brief spoke with Paul Scharre about the rationale for, and complications presented by, the development of autonomous weapons systems that could eventually choose an...
By Paul Scharre
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American Strategy and the Six Phases of Grief
In War on the Rocks, senior fellow Paul Scharre writes an op-ed discussing the military's phasing strategy and why it's no longer effective for today's challenges....
By Paul Scharre
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The B-21 Bomber Should Be Unmanned on Day 1
While plans for the B-21 — née Long Range Strike-Bomber — have long included an unmanned option, Air Force officials have shown little interest in having that capability on Da...
By Kelley Sayler & Paul Scharre
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Taking the Fight to "ISILSTAN": Displacing and Replacing ISIL in Eastern Syria and Western Iraq
More so than at any time in recent history, last month demonstrated the dichotomous nature of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) current situation. On the one h...
By Ilan Goldenberg, Nicholas Heras & Paul Scharre
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The Smartphone Wars are Coming
We are living today in the midst of the greatest democratization of information since the invention of the printing press. Smartphones transform any person into a citizen repo...
By Paul Scharre
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Yes, Unmanned Combat Aircraft are the Future
Will the next U.S. fighter aircraft be manned, contrary to the predictions of technologists and policymakers like Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus? That is the prediction of Co...
By Paul Scharre
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The Morality of Robotic War
Earlier this month, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was released in theaters across the United States, featuring Marvel comics superheroes battling evil robots powered by artificial...
By Michael Horowitz & Paul Scharre
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It’s Time To Arm the Sunni Tribes
Iraq is collapsing. Last week, another major city – Ramadi – fell to the Islamic State, or ISIS. The loss is particularly painful as the U.S. paid a heavy price to liberate Ra...
By Paul Scharre
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Scharre: Protect the X-47B to safeguard innovation
Last week, the Navy made aviation history for the second time in two years by accomplishing yet another first for unmanned aircraft: a fully autonomous aerial refueling. This ...
By Paul Scharre
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Keeping Killer Robots on a Tight Leash
This week, delegates to the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons will discuss autonomous weapon systems, or what activists call “killer robots.” Colorful ...
By Michael Horowitz & Paul Scharre
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Counter-Swarm: A Guide to Defeating Robotic Swarms
Swarming with a large number of low-cost autonomous systems can be useful for a wide range of applications in warfare, and the U.S. military should move to harness the advanta...
By Paul Scharre
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Commanding the Swarm
Today’s uninhabited vehicles are largely tele-operated, with a person piloting or driving the vehicle remotely, but tomorrow’s won’t be. They will incorporate increasing auton...
By Paul Scharre
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Commentary: The Imperative of Long-Range Strike
Later this spring, the Department of Defense will unveil its decision for the new long-range strike bomber. The program, designed to supplement aging bomber inventories and re...
By Kelley Sayler & Paul Scharre
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The Human Element in Robotic Warfare
The first rule of unmanned aircraft is, don’t call them unmanned aircraft. And whatever you do, don’t call them drones. The U.S. Air Force prefers the term “remotely pil...
By Paul Scharre
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Unleash the Swarm: The Future of Warfare
Could swarms of low-cost expendable systems change how militaries fight? Last November, Under Secretary of Defense Frank Kendall asked the Defense Science Board to examine a r...
By Paul Scharre
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Robots at War and the Quality of Quantity
The U.S. Department of Defense has launched the search for a “third offset strategy,” an approach to sustain U.S. military technological superiority against potential adversar...
By Paul Scharre
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Release the drones
This week, the Obama administration announced a new policy loosening export restrictions for military and commercial drones. This policy shift represents a responsible first s...
By Kelley Sayler, Paul Scharre & Van Jackson
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Ash Carter: Invest in the 3rd Offset Strategy
Ashton Carter, the newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of Defense, will need to articulate his vision of how he intends to lead the Pentagon over the next two years. He would do ...
By Paul Scharre, Shawn Brimley & Jerry Hendrix
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Between a Roomba and a Terminator: What is Autonomy?
Department of Defense leaders have stated that robotics and autonomous systems will be a key part of a new “offset strategy” to sustain American military d...
By Paul Scharre