For over a decade now, when we've heard about military drones, we've likely been hearing about the Predator-- that peculiar, pilotless aircraft, patrolling the deserts and preying on its targets below. Indeed the iconic image of this modern day killer and tales of its near-autonomous deeds have been featured in the news, magazines and even Hollywood movies.
But despite its prominence in both the news and pop culture alike, the Predator is far from the only bot on the battlefield. Aside from numerous other aerial varieties, there are currently land, sea and even a secretive space-based drone in operation.
And it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing any less of them going forward. According to the Air Force's Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III, the U.S. Air Force is currently training more drone “pilots” than traditional fighter and bomber pilots combined.
So what will this mean for the future of warfare? Certainly some thoughtful policy to guide us is called for. But beyond that, it would seem a bit of soul-searching is also in order. As the famous 19th century freemason, Sir John Abbot once said, "War is the science of destruction." And with the science he spoke of so destructive as it is now, are we truly ready for what it could become?
GUESTS:
- David Axe- A writer and journalist focusing on war and technology. He’s the co-author of War Bots: How U.S. Military Robots Are Transforming War In Iraq, Afghanistan, And The Future
- John Kaag- Assistant Professor of Philosophy at The University of Massachusetts, Lowell where he directs the Global Studies PhD. Program. He’s the co- author of Drone Warfare: War and Conflict in the Modern World
- Alfred Gates- A professor in the college of engineering at Central Connecticut State University. His research has included the development of several unmanned aircraft systems for the Army, Air Force and for NASA
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John Dankosky and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
