BY ORDER OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 51-401
3 AUGUST 2018
Law
THE LAW OF WAR
COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY
ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at
www.ePublishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering.
RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication.
OPR: HQ USAF/JAO
Supersedes: AFI 51-401, 5 Sep 2014;
AFI 51-402, 27 Jul 2011
Certified by: AF/JAO
(Mr. Edward J. Monahan)
Pages: 14
This Instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 51-4, Operations and
International Law; Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 3000.03E, DoD Executive Agent for
Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW), and NLW Policy; and AFPD 63-1/20-1, Integrated Life Cycle
Management. It prescribes law of war compliance requirements, and it establishes training
guidance and investigating and reporting procedures for alleged law of war violations. It also
prescribes guidance and procedures for the review of Air Force weapons and cyber capabilities
prior to acquisition or development to ensure legality under domestic and international law
including the law of war. This instruction applies to all Regular Component, Air Force Reserve,
and Air National Guard military and civilian personnel and to contractor personnel assigned to or
accompanying the force. The authorities to waive wing/unit level requirements in this
publication are identified with a Tier (“T-0, T1, T-2, T-3”) number following the compliance
statement. See AFI 33-360, Publications and Forms Management, for a description of the
authorities associated with the Tier numbers. Submit requests for waivers through the chain of
command to the appropriate Tier waiver approval authority, or alternately, to the requestors
commander for non-tiered compliance items.”
Refer recommended changes and questions about this publication to the Office of Primary
Responsibility using the Air Force Form 847, Recommendation for Change of Publication; route
Air Force Forms 847 from the field through the appropriate functional chain of command.
Ensure all records created as a result of processes prescribed in this publication are maintained in
accordance with Air Force Manual 33-363, Management of Records, and disposed of in
accordance with the Air Force Records Disposition Schedule located in the Air Force Records
