This report will be available for download on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
This publication is a field manual comprising multi-domain catalogues of scenarios that depict realistic operational contexts in which lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) could be used for targeting purposes.
This manual offers a comprehensive, neutral and technical resource for States, organized around realistic illustrations of how international humanitarian law (IHL) principles and obligations may be considered in practice. The scenarios explore situations of both international and non-international armed conflict, organized into three domains of warfare: air, land and naval domain. Each scenario is accompanied by questions regarding IHL compliance relevant to the (potential) use of LAWS in that context.
The field manual provides a framework to consider operational and legal questions on the use of LAWS and it can be leveraged for two main purposes:
- At the national level, the field manual may support efforts to carry structured legal analysis, which can contribute to the development and refinement of IHL interpretation, as well as the stress-testing of existing, or the development of, new policies, tactics, rules of engagements, etc.
- At the international level, the field manual can be leveraged for capacity building and confidence building. First, the scenarios provide ready-made constructs to explore legal and operational questions, especially useful for States with limited modelling capabilities. Second, in international discussions, the manual can serve as a common analytical reference to compare and discuss interpretations of IHL and identify areas of convergence and divergence.