PROTECTING PEOPLE WITH TECHNOLOGYPROTECTING PEOPLE WITH TECHNOLOGY::Modernizing Peace OperationsModernizing Peace Operations
Dr. Walter Dorn Canadian Forces College & Royal Military College of Canada
29 May 2013
“Concern for man himself
and his fate [humanity and its fate]
should be the chief interest of all
technical endeavors.
Never forget this in the midst of
your diagrams and equations.”
– Albert Einstein
Save lives and alleviate Save lives and alleviate sufferingsuffering
Protect the vulnerable by Protect the vulnerable by monitoring & actionmonitoring & action
UN Peace OperationsUN Peace Operations
Concern of humanity for humanity
May 29
Original vision …Original vision …
“The League of Nations … should be the eye of the nations to keep watch upon the common interest, an eye that does not slumber, an eye that is everywhere watchful and attentive.” – Woodrow Wilson, Paris, 1919
PeacekeepingPeacekeeping
The human Eye ... The human Eye ... sometimes aided by binoculars
Monitoring Mandates
• Cease-fires and peace agreementsCease-fires and peace agreements Early warning and confidence-building, supervisionEarly warning and confidence-building, supervision
Armed groups, violators and spoilersArmed groups, violators and spoilers
• Protected areas and persons (POC)Protected areas and persons (POC)
• Elections Elections
• Human rightsHuman rights
• Sanctions, borders, resource exploitationSanctions, borders, resource exploitation
• Safety & security of UN personnel (dilemma)Safety & security of UN personnel (dilemma)
““A MONITORING GAP”A MONITORING GAP”
Problems of Unaided MonitoringProblems of Unaided Monitoring
Limited capabilities ...Limited capabilities ...
• over large areasover large areas
• at nightat night
• for underground detectionfor underground detection
• in remote/difficult terrainin remote/difficult terrain
• information recording, analyzing, sharing information recording, analyzing, sharing
and storageand storage
Monitoring TechnologyMonitoring Technology
Increases Increases rangerange and and accuracyaccuracy of of observationobservation
Permits Permits continuouscontinuous monitoring monitoring Increases Increases effectivenesseffectiveness (including (including cost-cost-
effectiveness effectiveness in some cases)in some cases) Decreases Decreases intrusivenessintrusiveness Enhances Enhances safetysafety of staff in field of staff in field Provides Provides recordings/evidencerecordings/evidence
W.Dorn
How How has the UN used technology?the UN used technology?
How How could the UN use technology? the UN use technology?
Examples ….
Satellite imagerySatellite imagery
UAVsUAVs
Israeli
AustralianCanadian
AmericanJapanese
No UN UAVs yet ….
EUFOR UAV Support to MONUC (2006)EUFOR UAV Support to MONUC (2006)
B-Hunter
-Belgian contribution
-DRC (2006) 300 flight hrs
Congolese Arms race Congolese Arms race
President Kabila vs President Kabila vs Vice-President BembaVice-President Bemba
Tanks shipped by railTanks shipped by rail
Dugout canoes filled with Dugout canoes filled with small arms across Congo small arms across Congo RiverRiver
Kinshasa, 20-22 August 2006 Kinshasa, 20-22 August 2006
Useful imageryUseful imagery
Operational problemsOperational problems• 1 shot down1 shot down• 1 crashed causing fatalities on ground1 crashed causing fatalities on ground• Info-sharing EUFOR/UNInfo-sharing EUFOR/UN
Political problemsPolitical problems• Host-state info demandsHost-state info demands
UN Procurement of UAVs …UN Procurement of UAVs …
Unmanned Aerial Unmanned Aerial ImagingImaging Systems Systems (UAIS)(UAIS)
DRC: 2007; 2009DRC: 2007; 2009 EOI: January 2013EOI: January 2013 Political leadershipPolitical leadership Modest systemModest system Manage expectationsManage expectations Recommendations: different typesRecommendations: different types
Commercial progress Commercial progress (drone demo)(drone demo)
Quadricopter droneQuadricopter droneCameras: forward (HD) and Cameras: forward (HD) and downward downward Wireless –tablet/smartphoneWireless –tablet/smartphoneAltimeter (ultrasound), Altimeter (ultrasound), accelerometer, accelerometer, magnetometer, magnetometer, pressure sensorpressure sensor Gyroscopic stabilizersGyroscopic stabilizersAutomated takeoff & Automated takeoff & landinglanding
AerostatsAerostats
Tethered balloonsTethered balloons CompartmentalizedCompartmentalized InexpensiveInexpensive Surveillance payloadSurveillance payload
Night Vision
Thermal ImagingThermal Imaging
www.imaging1.com
RadarsRadars
Ground
Aerial
Underground
Airborne
Sea-based
Ground SensorsGround Sensors
Acoustic and seismicAcoustic and seismic
Sinai Field Mission Sinai Field Mission (SFM)(SFM)
Commercial systemsCommercial systems
(Source: www.cmc.sandia.gov)
Video CamerasVideo Cameras2006 Nepal Comprehensive Peace Agreement2006 Nepal Comprehensive Peace Agreement
Webcams in conflict areas?
Electronic Eyes on Electronic Eyes on the Green Line (UNFICYP)the Green Line (UNFICYP)
Cost comparison: 10x cheaper (first year), 100x (subsequent)
Multisensor SystemsMultisensor Systems
Reconnaissance vehiclesReconnaissance vehicles• MobileMobile• Extendible mastExtendible mast• GSRGSR• Low light TVLow light TV• IR sensorsIR sensors• Laser range finderLaser range finder
Canadian Coyotes in Ethiopia-EritreaCanadian Coyotes in Ethiopia-Eritrea
CF C
ombat C
amera, ISD
01-0030a, Bernier, 4, 2001
• Secure checkpoints
• Temporary Security Zone
• Night observation
CarlogCarlog
www.e-drivetech.com
““Public Peacekeeping”Public Peacekeeping”
Social media & crowdsourcing Social media & crowdsourcing • Info gathering & disseminationInfo gathering & dissemination
Crisis mappingCrisis mapping
Protection of Civilians (POC)Protection of Civilians (POC) Early warning Early warning
and rapid and rapid responseresponse
Prevention, Prevention, enforcement, enforcement, criminal criminal evidenceevidence
Solar-powered motion-activated illuminators
Mi-35 helicopter with FLIR and rocketsR
eu
ters
/L.G
nag
oA
mazo
n.c
om
Problems & ChallengesProblems & Challenges OperationalOperational
• E.g., bandwidthE.g., bandwidth PoliticalPolitical
• Information powerInformation power Legal Legal
• SovereigntySovereignty Ethical Ethical
• PrivacyPrivacy Manipulation & Manipulation &
misusemisuse
ConclusionsConclusions
1. No technological fix … but technology can 1. No technological fix … but technology can
be of immense value in monitoring, be of immense value in monitoring,
preventing and mitigating conflict, in preventing and mitigating conflict, in
protecting people.protecting people.
2. Technical monitoring can increase the 2. Technical monitoring can increase the
safety and security of peacekeepers as safety and security of peacekeepers as
well as the effectiveness of the mission.well as the effectiveness of the mission.
3. UN lacks the equipment, resources, 3. UN lacks the equipment, resources, preparation/training needed for preparation/training needed for
effective and efficient use of moderneffective and efficient use of modernmonitoring technologymonitoring technology
somesome monitoring technologies in monitoring technologies in somesome
missions but missions but ad hocad hoc and and unsystematicunsystematic• radarsradars• NVE (Gen 2+)NVE (Gen 2+)
no thermal imagers, seismic or acoustic no thermal imagers, seismic or acoustic
ground sensors (as mission assets)ground sensors (as mission assets) absence of policies & doctrine (until 2012)absence of policies & doctrine (until 2012) absence of SOPs and training materialsabsence of SOPs and training materials need to re-engage capable contributorsneed to re-engage capable contributors
4. UN is4. UN is capable of incorporating capable of incorporating advanced technologiesadvanced technologies
Communications and information Communications and information technologytechnology
CarlogCarlog GIS progress GIS progress
• Commercial satellite imageryCommercial satellite imagery Aerial recce in DRCAerial recce in DRC
5. Technology is advancing5. Technology is advancing
CheaperCheaper More capableMore capable More widespread in the marketMore widespread in the market
Peace and protection are lagging Peace and protection are lagging ……
Monitoring technologies Monitoring technologies not yet “tools of the trade,” not yet “tools of the trade,”
but they can and should be.but they can and should be.
IF THIS TECHNOLOGY-AIDED IF THIS TECHNOLOGY-AIDED
PRESENTATION DIDN’T WORK …PRESENTATION DIDN’T WORK …
FORGET EVERYTHING I SAIDFORGET EVERYTHING I SAID
Source: W.Dorn