Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: The dangers of fully-autonomous weapons discussed at World Economic Forum for first time; UK government’s draft surveillance legislation threatened by European Court of Human Rights ruling and parliamentary committee criticism; UAE and Saudi Arabia pledge special forces to confront Islamic State and support Syrian armed opposition; and more.
Tag: Scott Hickie
Hostile drones: Supplementary risk assessment
This briefing is provided as a supplement to the Open Briefing/Remote Control Project report Hostile drones: The hostile use of drones by non-state actors against civilian targets. Our findings are based on a risk assessment involving 270 individual likelihood/impact judgements taking into account the type of threat group, the type of unmanned vehicle, the theatre, the nature of the threat and the target.
Hostile drones: The hostile use of drones by non-state actors against British targets
In this groundbreaking report for the Remote Control project, Open Briefing has analysed over 200 commercially-available drones and assessed known drone use by non-state groups, including terrorist organisations, insurgent groups, organised crime groups, corporations and activists. The report sets out a series of recommendations to mitigate the threat from the hostile use of drones, including specific regulatory, passive and active countermeasures.
Securing change: Recommendations for the British government regarding remote-control warfare
The United States has led the way in developing a new way of conceptualising and executing war. With the rise of austerity in Europe, other Western states have adopted part or all of this ‘remote-control warfare’ approach. However, the assessment of recent trends contained in this report makes it increasingly clear that remote-control warfare has its limits. As such, this report makes 31 specific recommendations to the British government.
Remote-control warfare briefing #11, April 2015: US special operations forces withdraw from Yemen, advocacy groups seek halt to autonomous military vehicles and weapons, China’s cyber operations acknowledged by PLA
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: US special operations forces withdraw from Yemen, severely limiting US counter-terrorism campaign; advocacy groups seek halt to autonomous military vehicles and weapons; China’s cyber operations acknowledged in influential People’s Liberation Army publication; and more.
Interview: Scott Hickie discusses health corruption
Open Briefing senior analyst Scott Hickie was recently interviewed for the International Affairs Forum, published by the Center for International Relations in Washington DC. In the interview, Scott discusses some of the findings of our July 2013 report into corruption within the pharmaceutical supply chain to the developing world.
Remote-control warfare briefing #10, March 2015: Regional powers contemplating deploying special forces against Islamic State, proliferation of drones leads to calls for international regulation, UK surveillance laws need overhaul
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: Key countries in Middle East and North Africa contemplating special operations forces deployments against Islamic State; proliferation of drones leads to calls for international regulation; UK surveillance laws need overhaul according to parliamentary committee; and more.
Remote-control warfare briefing #9, February 2015: US president acknowledges cyber security challenges, surge in private security in Yemen, US urges Europe to develop more advanced military technology
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: US president acknowledges cyber security challenges in State of the Union address; deteriorating security situation sparks surge in private security spending in Yemen; United States urges Europe to develop more advanced military technology; and more.