# Blockchain Applications in the Military Domain:
## 5 Discussion
### Ethical Considerations of Blockchain Technology in Military Applications  
The integration of blockchain in military applications raises several ethical concerns. These should be very well considered, especially as its integration increases in critical areas such as command and control, supply chain management, autonomous systems, and intelligence operations. Ethical considerations range from privacy and accountability to security and potential misuse of technology. This would give rise to a very serious moral concern in the effects it would have on privacy; whereas blockchain is fied for its transparency and immutability, these could inadvertently lay bare sensitive military data. For example, using blockchain to maintain personnel or track supplies might give up information that could compromise operational security or put military personnel at risk if an adversary accessed the data. Even in the so-called permissioned blockchain systems, problems of unauthorized access or accidental disclosures are among the critical ethical concerns [72]. Another great ethical challenge will be accountability and decision making within autonomous military systems. Blockchain-enabled frameworks, combined with AI and the IoT, may create decentralized decision-making systems where responsibility for specific actions becomes hard to trace. For example, if a blockchain-audited autonomous drone makes a critical decision in combat, tracing who is accountable--a developer, an operator, or a system architect--becomes very difficult. This lack of clear accountability might undermine trust and create moral dilemmas in military operations [91]. Although operational transparency is considered an advantage, it can also become an ethical conflict. The immutable records of blockchain are ideal for accountability, but the transparency requirement may come into conflict with the need of the military to keep some operations confidential. Balancing accountability and operational secrecy remains challenging, especially in coalition or joint-force operations where access levels may have to be differentiated [77]. Another concern is that the blockchain might be misused. Characteristics of blockchain--all upholding promises to provide secure, anonymous, and decentralized systems--may be used by malicious actors or rogue states to obscure illegal or unethical activities within military operations. For instance, blockchain could be used to launder arms transfers not approved by the United Nations, fund covert operations, or obscure accountability in human rights abuses [72]. Automation and smart contracts elevate ethical questions around issues of proportionality and discrimination in combat scenarios. It becomes ambiguous whether international humanitarian laws can be followed once the smart contracts trigger automated actions according to predefined conditions, for instance, starting an autonomous strike due to sensor data. One of the critical ethical imperatives is how blockchain-based systems maintain the principles of distinction and proportionality, specifically in the decision between life and death [65]. Blockchain technologies, especially those dependent on energy-intensive consensus mechanisms, such as proof of work, pose an ethical issue in military contexts due to their environmental impact. If implemented in resource-scarce environments, these could further drain energy supplies needed for other critical operations, which raises questions on the responsible use of resources [63]. Another challenge in coalition operations includes trust and equitability. Where multiple nations or entities are involved, the blockchain-enabled military system will need to ensure equitable access and assurance of transparency in trust and decision making. Lopsidedness in capability, technology, or control over the blockchain systems could create unequal power dynamics and undermine trust between allies [78]. Lastly, there are long-term risks of technological dependency that raise ethical concerns.