UK Considers Allowing Autonomous Lethal Strikes Without Human Approval

The move reflects a broader trend across the West, with nations opening to the possibility of using autonomous weapons on the battlefield.

A DK Union interceptor drone flies near Viesite, Latvia, on May 26, 2026. Ints Kalnins/Reuters

The UK is re-examining its attitude toward allowing autonomous drones to use lethal force, British Armed Forces minister Alistair Carns said in comments published in the Financial Times on May 30.

The current policy of Britain’s military, according to documents published in 2022, states that there would be “context-appropriate human involvement” in the selection and engagement of targets.