Pandora's Box Opened Wide

Integration of emerging technologies in Micro Unmanned Air Vehicles (MAVs), Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Nanotechnology, Biomimetics, and genetic research may enable the creation of very small (inch or less) MAVs carrying powerful and precise genetic weapons, possibly within twenty years. The precision effect created by precise MAV delivery and/or target-specific genetic weapons will challenge existing paradigms that currently ban biological weapons. It is not clear whether such a weapon is banned by the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention or violates self-defense doctrines. This hypothetical weapon may represent an attractive asymmetric means for potential adversaries to counter conventionally powerful nations. A review of open source material shows that the basic science of the required enabling technologies already exists, and is likely to mature rapidly on its own merit for dual use applications in commercial industry, medical therapy or conventional military systems, making counter-proliferation difficult.