Rob McLaughlin

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Rob McLaughlin is a leading scholar in the law of naval warfare and military robotics, with a particular focus on the intersection of international humanitarian law and emerging maritime technologies. His work critically examines how unmanned systems and autonomous naval platforms challenge long-standing legal protections for the shipwrecked, wounded, and medical personnel at sea. In his highly cited paper "Naval robots and rescue" (2017), McLaughlin provides a rigorous analysis of how Article 18 of the 1949 Geneva Convention II—requiring parties to take "all possible measures" to search for and collect the wounded and shipwrecked—may be interpreted in an era of robotic combatants. While his citation count reflects a specialized, policy-engaged audience rather than broad metrics, his influence is deeply felt in defense legal circles and among scholars of armed conflict at sea. McLaughlin’s work bridges the gap between classic law of the sea and cutting-edge military technology, making him an essential voice for anyone studying the future of naval warfare and the ethical-legal boundaries of robotic rescue operations.