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