Attempts to regulate weapons were a common theme in the 20th century. A number of regulations and treaties were developed in response to fears that weaponry would cause greater harm than good. These include the bans of nuclear weapons in orbit and on earth, as well the bans of chemical weapons and the bans against landmines. These treaties were driven not only by civil societies but also the general population.
Future weaponry could be very different to what we have seen in the past. The advent of miniaturized computing means that we will soon see machines that can be made from molecular components. This is a technology that could be mass-produced and will allow us to develop weapons that are smaller and more effective. Nanotechnology can be used to replace chemical weaponry and may also allow for the development of new types of deadly weapons.
One idea that has been floated around is the creation of autonomous weapons. These autonomous weapons would be able to attack any terrain. They would have sensors aboard, which could detect enemies and relay information back to commanders. They would also have no radio signals, so it would be difficult to pinpoint who launched them. They would be harder to distinguish noncombatants from combatants. Also, they could be used against civilians and non-combatant ships.
In April, China made a strong pitch for a ban on autonomous weapons at the UN. According to the Chinese, such weapons can have a destabilizing affect on countries. They also see the need for international law to regulate fully autonomous weapons. These ideas can be difficult to translate to technical terms because they are so abstract.
The US Navy's autonomous first ship was intended for searching for mines and sub-marines. But it is now being discussed as a place where weapons might be placed. There have been five meetings on drones at the United Nations in Geneva in the past four years. These meetings have not been able to bring everyone together. Although the meetings were brief, they enabled the creation of parameters and explored the notion of human power over weaponry.
Another idea that has been floated is the development of killer satellites. These machines could shoot balls of "brilliantpebbles" that can knock out ballistic rockets. They can also be used for attacking targets in caves and bunkers. They could be used to hunt human targets, or to eat humans alive.
The future of weaponry will likely be a mix of many ideas. Many envision machines capable of consuming people alive, while others envision superhuman robots. It is clear that computing and robotics will shape the future of war. This will make the battlefield safer and more humane. It will also make the war safer and more beautiful.
Future robots could fight on the ground. Commanders could also control robots from far away. There will be thousands sensors in the battlefield equipped with microphones and relaying information. These sensors will be used to provide intelligence and real-time information on enemy movements, as well as seeding the battlefield with data.