Non-combatant casualty value

Non-combatant casualty value (NCV), also known as the non-combatant and civilian casualty cut-off value (NCV or NCCV), is a military rule of engagement which provides an estimate of the worth placed on the lives of non-combatants, i.e. civilians or non-military individuals within a conflict zone. It has become an element of strategic planning and policy-making during a number of armed conflicts, providing a quantification of the proportionality principle as interpreted by the military command, and thus influencing decisions regarding the use of force and "acceptable" collateral damage.^[1]^[2] It has been described as a "central value in contemporary Western war"^[3] and "perhaps our starkest rule of engagement".^[4]

The value is used as a threshold for delegated authority at the operational level; the threshold can be exceeded if the military commander is able to request and achieve sign-off from higher echelons within the military or political framework.

International law's historical prohibition against intentionally targeting civilians has been said to be poorly suited to modern warfare, due to its notion of "intent". This is because modern warfare techniques are able to predict likely civilian losses from any military action, such that it could be argued for any action where civilian losses are expected, that such civilian losses are "intended" even if considered "unavoidable".^[5]

NCV calculations are possible in modern warfare due to the availability of wider information sets and advanced weaponry with more accurate targeting, reducing collateral damage. The targeting process has been systematized and proceduralized, allowing for the rationalization of the killing of non-combatants.^[5]

^ Graham, Scott (2018-11-10). "The Non-combatant Casualty Cut-off Value: Assessment of a Novel Targeting Technique in Operation Inherent Resolve". International Criminal Law Review. 18 (4): 655–685. doi:10.1163/15718123-01804002. ISSN 1567-536X.
^ Auchter, Jessica (2023). "Counting the dead: CTS and the politics of dead bodies". Contemporary Reflections on Critical Terrorism Studies. London New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-003-26670-9.
^ Delori 2020, p. 317: "…a concrete and operational translation of the 'proportionality' principle by stating how many 'non-combatants' the Western military are authorized to kill - or put at risk - in order to destroy a given military target. In this regard, the so-called 'non-combatant casualty cut-off value, or NCCV, is a central value in contemporary Western war: the 'non-combatant casualty cut-off value' (NCCV). A NCCV = 0 means that that the soldiers/air force pilots should put no 'non-combatant' at risk. A NCCV = 10 means that they are allowed to open fire if they estimate that they will not kill more than 10 civilians."
^ McDonell 2017.
^ ^a ^b Smith, Brian (2021-01-02). "Civilian Casualty Mitigation and the Rationalization of Killing". Journal of Military Ethics. 20 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1080/15027570.2021.1949783. ISSN 1502-7570.

[Graham_2018_pp._655–685-1] Graham, Scott (2018-11-10). "The Non-combatant Casualty Cut-off Value: Assessment of a Novel Targeting Technique in Operation Inherent Resolve". International Criminal Law Review. 18 (4): 655–685. doi:10.1163/15718123-01804002. ISSN 1567-536X.

[2] Auchter, Jessica (2023). "Counting the dead: CTS and the politics of dead bodies". Contemporary Reflections on Critical Terrorism Studies. London New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-003-26670-9.

[FOOTNOTEDelori2020317-3] Delori 2020, p. 317: "…a concrete and operational translation of the 'proportionality' principle by stating how many 'non-combatants' the Western military are authorized to kill - or put at risk - in order to destroy a given military target. In this regard, the so-called 'non-combatant casualty cut-off value, or NCCV, is a central value in contemporary Western war: the 'non-combatant casualty cut-off value' (NCCV). A NCCV = 0 means that that the soldiers/air force pilots should put no 'non-combatant' at risk. A NCCV = 10 means that they are allowed to open fire if they estimate that they will not kill more than 10 civilians."

[FOOTNOTEMcDonell2017-4] McDonell 2017.

[Smith_2021_pp._47–66-5] Smith, Brian (2021-01-02). "Civilian Casualty Mitigation and the Rationalization of Killing". Journal of Military Ethics. 20 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1080/15027570.2021.1949783. ISSN 1502-7570.

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