Articles of War
Modern Attack Balloons and the 1907 Hague Balloons Declaration
In the days leading up to the 1812 Battle of Borodino, Russia devised a plan to float a large shark-shaped hot air balloon over French forces to drop explosives. The balloon could not be made ready in time for the battle. When later ready, it collapsed as it left its...
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Year in Review – 2025
2025 has been a year of persistent conflicts, evolving law of armed conflict (LOAC) questions, and contrasting views. At Articles of War, we strived...
The Double Qualification of a Single Act of Belligerence
In the complex web of armed conflict classification, a problem has emerged in recent years linked to transnational armed conflicts that are breaking...
Clarity and Consequence: Autonomous Wingmen and the Rising Standard of Feasible Precautions
The U.S. Air Force’s and Anduril’s ambitious wingman program, Fury, has already lifted off. Its designers intend Fury and comparable attritable...
Articles of War Editorial Board Changes
Managing Editor We are pleased to congratulate Professor Jenny Maddocks on joining the faculty of the University of Reading School of Law. She will...
International Humanitarian Law as Jus Cogens
International peremptory norms have received a variety of definitions and constructions. The definition relevant to the law of treaties states: a...
Prisoner of War Repatriation and Interpretive Choice – Part III: A Lesson from Military History?
Parts I and II of this three-part post outlined the legal framework applicable to post-war repatriation of prisoners of war and highlighted two...
Prisoner of War Repatriation and Interpretive Choice – Part II: Involuntary Post-War Repatriation
Part I of this three-part post outlined the law of war applicable to post-war repatriation of prisoners of war. It further recounted how questions...
Prisoner of War Repatriation and Interpretive Choice – Part I: The Legal Framework and Reciprocity
Prisoner of war repatriations have long been thorny, contentious post-war affairs. Disputes over their timing, scope, and implementation have...
Legal Reviews of War Algorithms: From Cyber Weapons to AI Systems
States are obliged to conduct legal reviews of new weapons, means, and methods of warfare. Legal reviews of artificial intelligence (AI) systems...
Gaps and Seams in the Law of Armed Conflict for AI-Enabled Cyber Operations
The continued, robust use of cyber operations in both competition and conflict has inspired many States to express whether and how international law...
Anything Other Than a Classic NIAC: Examining Myanmar’s Legal Battlefield
Myanmar’s civil unrest is traditionally characterised as a non-international armed conflict (NIAC). It arguably represents one of the most enduring...
The Ukrainian Attacks Against Gambian-Flagged Oil Tankers in the Black Sea
On October 28, 2025, Ukrainian so-called “Sea Baby drones” attacked two Gambian-flagged oil tankers, the Kairos and Virat. Whereas the vessels were...
