452 Revista del Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos Núm. 2 / 2013 Koreas18. If one day these weapons systems are deployed, experts believe that they will act in tandem with human beings for a certain time, carrying out tasks or specific missions19. It is more than likely that, depending on how the practical applications of drones pans out, these robots will also be utilised to commit “targeted killings”20. 2. Legal and ethical problems that these pose. Autonomous weapons systems, especially those designed to be lethal, raise two essential questions: on the one hand, their capacity to adapt to the standards enshrined in International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and in International Human Rights Law (IHRL) (if deployed in a context of armed conflict) or International Human Rights Law (IHRL) (in other situations); and, on the other hand, concerning allocation of responsibility (of an individual or state) in cases where a lethal autonomous robot carries out an act that breaches the international legal standards in force. Obviously, the use of force by means of these robots is also subject to the rules of ius ad bellum21. 2.1. Autonomous Weapons Systems, IHL and IHRL. While there are robotics experts who welcome the possibility of creating IT programs equipped with an “ethical governor” that forces autonomous robots to respect IHL standards22, other specialists are not certain that this is possible. 18 For other systems and more details and other references on these projects see: Guetlein, Michael A.: “Lethal Autonomous Weapons...” cit., p. 2; ARKIN, Ronald.: Governing Lethal Behaviour: Embedding Ethics in a Hybrid Deliberative/Reactive Robot Architecture (Technical Report GIT-GVU-07—11), pp. 1-117, p. 5 (at http://www.cc.gatech.edu accessed Sunday 8 September 2013); HEYNS, Christof: Report of the Special Rapporteur...Christof Heyns cit., pp. 9-10, paragraph 45; HIN-YAN LIU: “Categorization and legality of autonomous and remote weapons systems”, International Review of the Red Cross, 94 (2012), Number 886, pp. 627-652, pp. 630-632; QUELHAS, Daniela: “Prolifération des robots-tueurs…” cit., pp. 4-5. 19 ARKIN, Ronald: “Governing lethal behaviour…” cit., loc. cit. 20 In this regard, Special Rapporteur Heyns (Report of the Special Rapporteur...Christof Heyns cit., p. 10, paragraph 47). 21 In this regard see the reflections made on the matter concerning drones (infra section 4.4 of this article). 22 MARCHANT, Gary; ALLENBY, Braden; ARKIN, Ronald; BARRETT, Edward T., BORENSTEIN, Jason; GAUDET, Lyn M.; KITTRIE, Orde; LIN, Patrick; LUCAS, George R.; O’MEARA, Richard;
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