Author Archives
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British military drones in 2016: Strikes continue as future drone programmes progress
The UK continued to use its current drone fleet while progressing future armed drone programmes during the year. Here’s a round-up of some of the main news from 2016 UK drones in Iraq and Syria British Reaper drones continued to… Read More ›
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Drone strikes spread as proliferation surges
A new wave of users have launched drone strikes either on their own territory or across borders over the past 15 months. While the majority of attention on armed drones has focused on US use (and to some extent on the… Read More ›
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Where are Britain’s armed drones? And why it matters we are not allowed to know
At the first stage of what is likely to be a lengthy appeals process, the Information Commissioner has upheld the Ministry of Defence’s refusal to reveal to Drone Wars UK the number of Britain’s armed drones currently deployed. Despite the… Read More ›
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Armed drones control process must be opened to civil society groups and drone victims
Details of a US-initiated proposed control agreement on the export and use of armed drones have been announced. The Joint Declaration on the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), signed by 48 nations including the… Read More ›
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Drone Wars: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Out of Control
New campaigners briefing published by Drone Campaign Network calls for renewed push to challenge the growing use of armed drones Over the past fifteen years unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, have risen from a fringe technology to becoming… Read More ›
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Book Review: ‘Military Robots: Mapping the Moral Landscape’ by Jai Galliott
The use of military unmanned systems, commonly known as drones, has begun to be one of those subjects with which a variety of popular and academic commentators have utilised to discuss a range of divergent topics. The number of books… Read More ›
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Tell us what you think of Drone Wars UK – and win £50!
PLEASE NOTE THIS SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED. Drone Wars UK is undertaking a strategic review of its work in order to build for the future. As part of the review we are evaluating our website and communications and we would… Read More ›
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A new international control regime on armed drones led by the US? What is going on?
The United States has begun moves to develop what amounts to a new international control regime on the proliferation and use of armed drones. US officials presented details of a ‘Proposed Joint Declaration of Principles for the Export and Subsequent Use… Read More ›
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Truth and consequences: One year on what we know (and what we don’t) about the Khan killing
One year ago this weekend (on 21 Aug) an RAF pilot sitting in a Ground Control Station at RAF Waddington pushed a button and Hellfire missiles flashed away from a British Reaper drone loitering a few miles from Raqqa in… Read More ›
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European use of military drones expanding
Two weeks ago a new coalition of European civil society groups (including Drone Wars UK) launched a Call to Action on Armed Drones at a meeting in Brussels attended by, amongst others, US drone whistleblowers Cian Westmoreland and Lisa Ling. The European… Read More ›
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British air strikes in Iraq and Syria increase by 85% – UK approaching 1,000 strikes milestone
Analysis of data released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) shows that British air strikes in Iraq and Syria in the first half of the year increased by an enormous 85% over the previous six months. FoI data as well… Read More ›
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FoI reveals only 5% of British air strikes in Iraq and Syria are pre-planned
A Freedom of Information request by Drone Wars UK has revealed that only 5% of British air strikes in Iraq and Syria are pre-planned. According to the FoI reponse from the Ministry of Defence out of 414 UK air strikes… Read More ›
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BAE Systems pushing ahead with autonomous drone targeting
In a briefing for selected journalists on its military drone projects, BAE Systems revealed that it is pushing ahead with work on allowing future armed drones to undertake autonomous targeting. While current British rules of engagement mean that a human… Read More ›
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Reviewing the current debate on drones
Alongside intense international law arguments, a wider debate on the impact of the growing use of armed drones, within particular current conflicts as well as on long-term global peace and security, continues. To mark our sixth birthday we outline here the current… Read More ›
