DOI: 10.47743/jss-2025-71-5-11

Faculty of Law, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași

Abstract: This article examines the need to reinterpret and restructure the principles of international humanitarian law applicable to lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). It explores the foundations of this technology, its impact on the concept of legality, and the dilemmas raised by the unpredictability of autonomous military operations. The central proposal advocates for a coherent hierarchy among the fundamental principles—necessity, proportionality, and distinction—where validation through the principle of necessity, as understood within Just War Theory, should take precedence. This approach allows for a more consistent legal and ethical assessment of the use of autonomous weapons in armed conflicts. Ultimately, the paper argues that a conceptual and hierarchical clarification of these principles can reduce normative uncertainty and contribute to shaping a more predictable and coherent framework for the application of international humanitarian law in the current technological era.

Keywords: Restructuring of legal principles under IHL; Just war theory; Principle of necesity; Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS)

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