BFBS Radio Sitrep (BFBS Radio)

British ships, planes, and personnel have been sent to Mediterranean, tasked with waiting and watching as war rages between Israel and Gaza.

Professor Michael Clarke explains how they could be used, to stop weapons smuggling and gather intelligence, with the aim of preventing a wildfire spread of the conflict.

Sitrep hears first-hand about the challenges facing Ukraine’s troops as they continue to fight back against Russia, including how some artillery commanders are now limited to just five shells per week.

And General David Petraeus, arguably the most significant military commander of the 21^st century so far, shares some very personal lessons on the evolution of warfare.

RAF Typhoons fired in defence of Israel as part of a multi-national operation to stop Iran’s onslaught with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. A former fighter pilot tells Sitrep about the threats posed to pilots.

The Armed Forces put a lot of effort into leadership training. But what about the other side of the coin – followers? The Centre for Army Leadership has been researching a concept called Followership – Sitrep discovers how it could benefit the service.

When a tank was found on the seabed off Devon in the 1980s it brought worldwide attention to a highly secretive but tragic exercise of the Second World War. 

Thousands of American troops trained along Slapton Sands to prepare for the D-Day landings in Normandy but a tragic turn of events meant hundreds of US Army and Navy personnel lost their lives. Sitrep’s Briohny Williams has been there ahead of the 80^th anniversary.

The Army’s world-renowned Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is undertaking a radical process to modernise. It’s conducting what it calls a ‘Critical Mass Trial’ – huge efforts to ramp up the numbers of women in its platoons in response to a tragedy at the Academy. BFBS Forces News has been given rare and exclusive access to Sandhurst and has documented it in a new series produced by Rosie Laydon who talks to Sitrep. 

Something that’s really getting people fired up in the military is the prospect of paying 20 per cent VAT on private school fees from January. Some personnel are even threatening to leave the Armed Forces if the Government pushes ahead, whereas others claim it will put new people off joining in the first place. Sitrep talks to the RAF Families Federation and retired Army Officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon.

 And former Tornado Navigator and bestselling author John Nichol talks to Kate Gerbeau about the history of the tomb of the unknown warrior and the painstaking efforts of finding, identifying and reburying the fallen, which he explores in his new book.

Sitrep assesses how the 30-day ceasefire, offered by Ukraine, could work in reality.  Would troops just stay in place and dig in, or might they have to pull back from a buffer zone?

It is a tactical trade-off by Kyiv which gives it back US military aid and intelligence, and forces Russia onto the diplomatic back foot.

Professor Michael Clarke explains which side has most to gain from a pause to rest and re-equip while former head of the Army, General Lord Dannatt, shares lessons from Bosnia suggesting even the most junior soldiers will have to fully understand the terms of any deal.

Kate and Mike also talk to former UK National Security Adviser Lord Peter Ricketts to assess the UK’s role in getting to this point, and the possibility of British troops being part of any longer-term peace plan.

Israel declared war because of a Hamas terrorist atrocity, invading from Gaza, killing more than a thousand people, and seizing more than 150 hostages.

But what was Hamas hoping to achieve? Is Israel doing exactly what its enemy wants by launching a war, and did it have any other choice?

Professor Michael Clarke and former senior intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram address the big military questions of this war.

Another gas pipeline under the Baltic sea has been damaged by an apparent explosion, but what can NATO do about it?

And how the Trinity system could soon be providing British forces with ‘battlefield broadband’, for data driven warfare.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s the UK typically spent 4-5% of its national income on Defence, but what did that money buy and what did our Armed Forces spend their time doing?

Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke talk to historian Ian J Sanders, host of the Cold War Conversations podcast, for a history lesson on how we deployed our military capability to protect Europe from a Russian led threat.

Times may have changed a lot, countries like Poland and Estonia which were part of the enemy bloc back then are now staunch allies who we help defend, but some things stay the same.

So Kate, Mike and Ian assess what lessons we should be taking right now from our victory in the Cold War.

[You can see more about the work of British forces in the cold war in our series Real Cold War Spies: BRIXMIS - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeQQkbf45pQM7fhBI5Lv_DvSanxy-bfw0]

[You can listen to Ian’s podcast Cold War Conversations here - https://coldwarconversations.com/]

The Army’s about to test software which, with the help of tiny drones, can give soldiers a 3D model of their battlefield on a phone or tablet in minutes.

The ‘Farsight’ system eliminates the need for network connections, big servers, and long waits. A former US special operations commander who’s helped develop the software tells us what it will mean to troops on the ground.

Russia expert Emily Ferris explains how Moscow’s technology compares, and how military call ups have created a ‘brain-drain’.

And the NHS says three-quarters of its hospital trusts are now ‘veteran aware’. Two pioneers of the scheme tell us what it should mean for the care of those who have served their country.

9 years ago Ukraine’s northern neighbour, Belarus, vocally opposed Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was staunchly a non-nuclear state.

Now it’s host to Russian troops, and is just taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons. We explain the U-turn, and ask if it’s the start of a new ‘Soviet Union lite’?

NATO’s looking for a new leader, and the UK’s Defence Secretary is seen as one of several potential frontrunners. A former NATO insider explains how the whole process is a bit like appointing a new Pope. And we hear from Estonia – where British troops lead NATO deterrence – about the Baltic state’s latest threat assessment

The UK’s first sovereign military satellite, Tyche, is now in orbit.  It’s the first piece of a planned constellation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance orbiters, at a cost approaching one billion pounds.

Former Royal Navy officer Darren Jones, from Tyche’s manufacturer, explains what capability it can offer the Armed Forces, while Professor Michael Clarke and Juliana Suess from RUSI discuss the value of spending in space from a hard-pressed defence budget.

Three years since Afghanistan fell, once again, to the Taliban, Sitrep hears one Afghan commando’s story of trying to fight back and eventually escaping.

And former submarine captain Ryan Ramsay shares the moment that made him, while serving on exchange with the US Navy.

Chris Hunter is a decorated high-threat bomb disposal operator. He had been in Iraq, on operation Telic, for just four days when he was shot in an ambush.

Two decades later he lives in the country that nearly claimed his life and works for a charity clearing explosives left by the Islamic State terror group.

He tells Kate Gerbeau how he now has friends who may have tried to kill him years ago, what life is like in Iraq 20 years after the invasion, and what motivates him to stay for as long as he can.

Russia has the momentum in Ukraine right now, so is it time for a radical rethink of how we help?

James Heappey, who served four years as Armed Forces Minister, tells Sitrep we should be thinking about putting a training mission into Western Ukraine along with air defence support.  Professor Michael Clarke explains the potential risks and benefits of shifting our red-lines.

They also discuss the general election and whether it will mean a shake-up or continuity for defence.

And former RAF Hercules pilot Scottie Bateman shares stories of incredible service across more than half a century by the swiss-army-knife of tactical airlift, and its crews.

The missile that killed two people in a Polish village was almost immediately reported as being Russian, but now is put down to an ‘unfortunate accident’ as Ukraine defended itself.

Sitrep explains how we got to that important truth before a major misjudgement was made.

We also reports from Poland where hundreds of British troops deployed to help the NATO ally have been on exercise.

And we assess the announcement of an abrupt end to Britain’s decade long military presence in Mali, despite the fact no one’s saying it’s ‘job finished’

Andy McNab faced the IRA in Northern Ireland, served on numerous SAS covert operations around the world, and was captured behind enemy lines in Iraq.

But he tells Kate Gerbeau the real moment that made him was reading a Janet & John children’s book at the age of 16.

It unlocked the Army career which took him away from a life of teenage crime, and eventually led him to becoming a bestselling author of more than 50 books, all thanks to a Sergeant Major who he thought was “the world’s oldest soldier”.

As the UK sends tanks and artillery guns to Ukraine the head of the Army has conceded it will temporarily weaken the service.

That’s on top of Army cuts announced in 2021, which are now being reviewed.

Sitrep talks to two former officers to assess what rebuilding the Army needs, and how it can be done.

NATO’s top military commander has declared “hard power is a reality” – but who was his message aimed at?

And we look at a British-designed 3D-printed bionic hand that could help hundreds of injured Ukrainian troops.

At the age of 23 Chip Chapman not only went to war for the first time, but also had to lead his platoon into the first fighting of the decisive battle in the Falklands war.

When Argentinian forces lost at Goose Green they surrendered and the islands were liberated, but it had been a hard fight that could have gone either way.

Chip tells Kate Gerbeau how Goose Green taught him the importance of discipline, cohesion, and always carrying a pistol throughout his 33 years in the Army.

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery with the former Chief of the Army and former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Lord Richards. The interview is recorded in the D-Day Map Room at Southwick House, outside Portsmouth, which was the nerve centre for Operation Overlord.

Glossary for Audio

General Dwight D Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander 1944-1945

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Deputy Supreme Commander to Eisenhower

Field Marshal Herbert Plumer, British First World war general

Field Marshal Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1944

Field Marshal Lord John Gort, Commander of British forces in France, 1940

Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, British general

Field Marshal Harold Alexander, British general

General George S. Patton, US general

General Frederick E. Morgan, British general

General Omar N. Bradley, US general

Field Marshal William J. Slim, British general

Scientists have spent years researching concepts including laser weapons and brain sensors for a new RAF plane called ‘Tempest’.

Now ministers want those ideas turned into a working plane in just 5 years, but is it a gamble with the UK’s air capability?

As British service personnel are banned from buying sex overseas BFBS Sitrep hears how brothels used to be unofficial parts of UK bases abroad.

And we follow soldiers on exercise in an abandoned tower block in Leeds, as the Ukraine war demonstrates the need for urban combat experience which the army has little of.

Kim Hughes was a driver in the Army who’d already quit once and was feeling disheartened again.

But a moment watching a colleague prepare for a potentially deadly duty in Northern Ireland finally awakened his ambition.

He tells James Hirst how that new found drive, a lot of classroom graft, and a childhood fascination with fireworks led to a George Cross for selfless bravery while disarming more than a hundred Taliban bombs in Afghanistan.

Rishi Sunak wanted one of the UK’s top generals to be the next National Security Adviser, but Keir Starmer has decided to readvertise the job.

So far it’s always been a civilian, but would a top-ranking officer make more sense? The UK’s first ever National Security Adviser, Lord Peter Ricketts, tells us what the role involves and shares his thoughts along with ex Royal Navy officer Professor Peter Roberts.

Jamie Gordon from BFBS podcast Mavgeeks reflects on the legacy, and hair-raising flying, of one of the founders of the RAF Red Arrows, Squadron Leader Henry Prince.

And despite a career where he’s been captured and tortured, decorated for his SAS service, and sold more than 15 million copies of Bravo Two Zero, Andy McNab tells us why reading a “Janet and John” book was the moment that made him.

Sitrep looks at the future shape of the Navy as the government talks of a new ‘golden era in shipbuilding’ and assesses what it can learn from current conflicts. Expert analysis from Commodore Steve Prest who’s just left the service and former Naval warfare officer Professor Peter Roberts from RUSI.

Sitrep’s Simon Newton reports from Poland on Exercise Immediate Response, designed to reinforce the Alliance’s Eastern Flank and deter Russia, with 2,500 UK troops taking part and we hear from the Telegraph’s Colin Freeman in Ukraine. 

Finally, Sitrep discusses how soldiers should balance taking ground in conflict with the duty to protect historic sites and artifacts with Dr Peter Caddick-Adams and the Commander of the Cultural Property Protection Unit Roger Curtis.

The Defence Secretary has announced that more than 30 helicopters will be retired early, along with 5 ships, and 46 drones, all of them he calls ‘outdated capabilities’.

Most significant, after years of ‘will they, won’t they’, the Royal Marines amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, get the axe. Critics call it a black day for the Marines but the Defence Secretary insists they have a bright future.

So which is it? Professor Michael Clarke explains how each of the cuts will, or won’t, affect our military capabilities. He also analyses the shake-up at the very top of the forces giving the Chief of Defence Staff more power over all the services.

And why is all this being announced with months of work still to do on the Defence Review, with more big change ahead?

Is it time for a radical rethink of who the Armed Forces allow to join, and at what rank, to fill critical skills gaps?

For centuries most people have only been able serve their country by starting at the bottom and working their way up, after meeting strict elegibility criteria.

But in the 21^st century, amid ever greater competition for top talent, should the forces be embracing neurodiversity, later-life careers, and sideways entry?

And why should you stay with one service for your whole military career?

We talk to former Chief of Defence People, Lieutenant General James Swift, about whether these ideas could help build the forces, or damage their effectiveness.

The World War 2 RAF pilots, dubbed ‘The Few’ by Winston Churchill, could not have achieved all that they did without the support of a huge intelligence operation.

But as more and more men had to go to the front, that intelligence work was increasingly taken on by women, despite huge initial resistance and scepticism from military leaders.

Sarah Louise Miller tells us their story, researched in new detail for her book ‘The Women Behind The Few’

And at an event marking International Women’s Day, some of those veterans have told us what life was like as they laid the groundwork for today’s women to serve in frontline combat. 

The EU is hosting crisis talks, trying to prevent a new conflict between Serbia and Kosovo.

NATO’s KFOR mission, including British troops, still has a UN peacekeeping mandate in Kosovo but what could trigger their intervention?

Has the balance of power shifted in favour of Ukraine, as Russia takes two significant hits in annexed Crimea? A former Commanding General of the US Army Europe gives us his assessment.

And the incredible story of British, Dutch and Australian prisoners of war who survived the Nagasaki atomic bomb, little more than a mile from where it landed.

3 months after invading Ukraine, Russia appears to be on the brink of its first significant strategic victory – taking the whole of Luhansk province.

Is this a turning point in the war, and is Ukraine now fighting a losing battle in that territory?

BFBS Sitrep also digs into what the public at large are asking about the war – and Professor Michael Clarke will provide answers.

Ukraine’s food exports usually feed 400 million people but are now blockaded. The former Commander of a British warship tells us how the Royal Navy might help.

And has Joe Biden let the cat out of the bag on how the US would respond if Taiwan were invaded by China.

The Defence Secretary says his own party has ‘hollowed out’ the forces while in government, but one of his fellow ministers says that’s ‘patently untrue’.

Sitrep assesses if this is this a civil-war in the cabinet over Defence spending, and if so why?

The Defence Secretary says Labour shares the blame for hollowing out, we talk to the Shadow Armed Forces Minister.

Buying Russian missiles, skirmishes with Greece, and now threatening to keep Sweden out of NATO – we ask if Turkey’s a truly committed ally.

And Sitrep’s Simon Newton tells us what life is like onboard a US Destroyer patrolling the Mediterranean.

As winter sweeps across Ukraine the ideal window for its counter-offensive is now closed, with seemingly minimal gains from five months of hard fighting.

 So what happens next? Sitrep assesses whether Ukraine has another chance for a significant fightback next year, and if so how it could do that.

Professor Michael Clarke, Ukrainian researcher Mariia Zolkina, and former infantry officer Ed Arnold discuss the military options, and we hear from Kyiv about the mood there.

And we get an insight into one of Britain’s newest military units, the National Cyber Force, from Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes who oversees their defensive and offensive operations.

Donald Trump’s talk of telling President Putin to “do whatever the hell he wants” to NATO allies who “don’t pay” has been called unhinged, but he could be President again.

So Sitrep examines if Europe could defend itself against Russia without American support, if it really came to that.  

Professor Michael Clarke and Simon Newton explain how European military capability compares to Russia’s and former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller gives an alliance insider's view.

Also on Sitrep we’re at Marchwood sea loading centre as hundreds of British military vehicles head to NATO’s biggest exercise in decades.

And the former climate-change champion for defence, Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, talks us through the practicalities of getting militaries to do more for the environment.

Scotty Mills had an incredible 32 year career in the Royal Marines, but it only happened because he wanted to get out of the rain one day.

He led a daring mission in the opening moments of the Iraq war, has helped England football and Rugby players reach international glory, and marched on the world stage at London 2012.

Scotty tells Kate Gerbeau how he learned a Royal Marines mindset for success, and about becoming a writer to share those lessons with the rest of us.

Sitrep looks behind the headlines of a huge leak of top secret US documents, including on suggesting 50 British special forces troops have been on the ground in Ukraine.

Professor Michael Clarke will assess the damage from the leaks, and explain the official ‘health warnings’ on what’s been revealed.

Ukraine doesn’t just want western fighter jets, it also wants veteran fighter pilots to join its fight. Decorated US Lt Colonel Dan ‘Two Dogs’ Hampton tells us why he wants to sign up.

And we assess America’s new military foothold in Asia, because ‘China has scared the living daylights’ out of the Philippines.

The Army’s future is built around the new Ajax armoured fighting vehicle. After years of delays, faults, and even injuries to troops, ministers say the Ajax programme is now ‘in recovery’.

We take a look for ourselves, from the production line to training on Salisbury plain and hear from soldiers using the first of the vehicles.

Another cold-war treaty has collapsed. It aimed to prevent surprise attacks by limiting Russia and NATO’s options for massing their military might. We assess whether NATO will take advantage of the extra flexibility it’s just got.

Plus the British Army’s former top legal adviser in Iraq talks us through the laws of war, and how the big questions he faced in Basra 20 years ago are mirrored in Gaza right now.

Sitrep hears from the 3 star British General helping to enforce the uneasy armistice on the border between North and South Korea.

The UK is a member of the US-led United Nations Command Korea. Its role is to enforce the armistice and de-escalate tensions. Its Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Andrew Harrison, tells Sitrep that the Demilitarised Zone is a ‘surreal’ and ‘dangerous’ place and warns of the need for constant vigilance.

Also in this week’s podcast, Sitrep will be assessing how the battlelines in Ukraine have changed and why. We’ll be hearing from the Institute for the Study of War, Professor Michael Clarke and Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General US Army Europe.

For the second time in a row a Royal Navy test firing of an unarmed Trident missile has ended in failure.

The government says it was an “anomaly” and that it has “absolute confidence” in the nuclear deterrent, but it hasn’t explained why the missile failed.

It’s called the ultimate insurance policy, but can it still deter Russia after two very public failures?

Professor Michael Clarke explains what could have gone wrong, why the government insists we can have confidence, and whether it’s just an embarrassment or a serious worry.

The new head of the Army has warned the UK has three years to be ready to fight a war or deter conflict.

General Sir Roly Walker’s talked about an “increasingly volatile world” but he said war wasn’t inevitable and the Army had "just enough time" to prepare itself.

He says he wants to double the Army's fighting power in three years (and triple it by the end of the decade) and he’s stressed the need to modernise quickly using technology like AI.

Professor Mike Clarke and former army officer Ed Arnold, who’s now at RUSI, join Kate Gerbeau and reporter Sian Grzeszczyk Melbourne to discuss the plans and the future shape of the battlefield.

And in the latest of our series, we hear about the moment that made Andrew Fox after 8 years in the army… passing P Company to earn his maroon beret and become a Para.

Most servicemen and women are getting a 6% pay rise, twice the rate of inflation.  The government says it’s the biggest increase for more than 20 years.

But in real terms pay has been falling for a decade, and satisfaction with it is at a record low. Sitrep talks to the Defence Veterans and People Minister, Alistair Carns, to ask whether it’s really enough, and why accommodation costs are also rising despite numerous problems.

Ukraine appears to have received the first of its long awaited F16 fighter jets.  We explain the challenges it faces to put them into action, and how much difference they could eventually make.

And Liz McConaghy tells us why, after loving her seventeen year career on RAF Chinooks, the moment that made her was recovering from an attempt to end her own life.  Parts of her story are distressing, but her fightback is also inspiring.  Information about support is available at https://forcesnews.com/audiencesupport

Fragments of a soviet era missile, designed for nuclear war, have been found in Ukraine. Russia appears to be firing the AS-15 Kent with ballast instead of a warhead.

Sitrep explains why Moscow is using these expensive missiles as decoys.

As a new zero-tolerance policy comes into effect in the forces, for unacceptable sexual behaviour, we ask Sarah Atherton MP whether it delivers the change she’s been driving for.

And should Afghan interpreters, who served with British forces, be awarded a medal? We speak to a veteran of Op Herrick, and his interpreter, about their call for medallic recognition.

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of Boudica, Queen of the Iceni. The interview is recorded in Colchester Castle, Essex, which was built on the foundations of the Roman Temple that was sacked and burnt by Boudica’s forces in AD 60.

China says it will punish those who offend it as it launches live fire military drills off the coast of Taiwan. Sitrep looks at China’s tactics and how the United States is responding.  

What role are cyber attacks playing in the war in Ukraine? And what are the lessons for the UK? Sitrep speaks to the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, who also discusses the difference between Russian and Chinese cyber capabilities.

And Sitrep has a tour aboard the Royal Navy’s unique testbed ship which is designed to support trials of the latest tech and autonomous systems.

He’s been called a strategic and tactical genius – but he also abandoned tens of thousands of his soldiers to their deaths.

Sitrep goes behind the Hollywood gloss of the new Napoleon film to assess his true military legacy, and Professor Michael Clarke explains how Napoleonic innovations are still used in wars today.

Japan is on a massive military spending spree aiming to become the worlds 3^rd largest military budget. We assess what military capability it has, and what it needs to face down China and North Korea.

Ukraine’s Commander in Chief has declared the war in his country at stalemate. But why, and what does it tell us about tensions at the top in Kyiv. Simon Newton explains all.

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding with aviation historian, Dr Victoria Taylor. The interview is recorded in Dowding’s former office in Bentley Priory, Stanmore, which was Headquarters Fighter Command during the Second World War.

Finland has entered a ‘grey zone’, defying Russia to apply for NATO membership, but not yet covered by the alliance’s mutual defence guarantees.

Hours before the announcement the UK signed a mutual security agreement with Finland – so what is the risk we’ll be called on to defend the country before it becomes a NATO member?

As we analyse the latest developments in the Ukraine war we’ll explain why the tiny Snake Island, in the Black Sea, has become a key battlefront.

France is pulling its military mission out of Mali after 9 years, but what does that mean for the 300 British peacekeepers deployed there with the UN.

And we go training with Commando Gunners of the future as the regiment marks its 60^th anniversary.

Major General Tim Hodgetts served 41 years as an Army doctor, rising to become Surgeon General.

He’s lived through gunfire and explosions while trying to save lives, from Germany via Northern Ireland, to Afghanistan. 

Throughout much of that time he also wrote poems as a way to help him process those experiences, but now he’s published some of them in an anthology, “Frontlines and Lifelines”

Major General Hodgetts talks to Kate Gerbeau about his poems, the events that inspired them, and his contributions to revolutionising military medicine.

The UK’s ‘defence masterplan’ has been updated after just two years, because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Its conclusions are essentially to stick with the old plan, but it must be done faster and better. Despite being re-examined cuts of thousands of soldiers, and a third of the Army’s tanks, will stay.

Professor Michael Clarke explains the key points, what they’ll mean for the Armed Forces, and for their people.

We also assess whether the promises of faster and better modernisation can be delivered, with one of the military architects of the 2015 Defence Review.

The chancellor has promised an extra £2.9bn for defence next year, but what does that actually mean for our armed forces?

Professor Malcolm Chalmers explains why it amounts to a small increase in spending power and not the step change many want, but why that could still come down the line.

Amid reports that the UK’s top military officer could get sweeping new powers General Lord Richards tells us how, when he had the job, he had to explain to the Prime Minister that the Chief of Defence Staff doesn’t actually command the three services.

And Sitrep’s own Professor Michael Clarke reveals the secrets uncovered for his new book and podcast about great British commanders, including one who had a major sideline writing romantic fiction and another who firmly believed in fairies.

China has just overtaken counter-terrorism as the biggest effort inside MI6, and the head of the Royal Navy says China is a bigger long term threat than Russia.

BFBS Sitrep examines a list of top level warnings issued this week about the risk of conflict with China, and asks if Ukraine has taken our eye off the ball.

As Ukraine tries to retake the port city of Kherson we talk to an MP who’s just visited the country.

And a year after he quit the government over the treatment of Northern Ireland veterans, Johnny Mercer tells us why he’s returned as Veterans Minister.

Boris Johnson has called for the UK to bring back National Service. Sweden did just that seven years ago to solve its military recruitment crisis, and Germany’s looking at the idea.

Sitrep talks to Swedish defence expert Elisabeth Braw and former Welsh Guards officer Nicholas Drummond about whether it’s the answer for the UK’s depleted Armed Forces.

Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ has carried out regular strikes against US forces in the middle east for months now. Sitrep explains who these militias are, and why Iran is helping them.

And as President Putin visits the small isolated Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, Mark Galeotti explains why some think it could be the place where war with NATO begins.

Sitrep talks to the British Army’s most senior soldier, whose job is to keep top brass in touch with the experiences of the men and women of the army.

WO1 Paul Carney tells James Hirst the big issues that are affecting soldiers, and how he’s trying to ensure commanders understand them.

He also talks about drawing on his own family’s experience of sexual harassment in the drive to end ‘unacceptable behaviours’.

And he shares his own journey through the Army, including making mistakes and recovering from them.  

The early days of the campaign to succeed Boris Johnson have seen a bidding war on defence spending from those hoping to replace him.

BFBS Sitrep assess the defence legacy Mr Johnson will leave his successor and the challenges they’ll face.

A former head of the Army tells us what he wants from whoever becomes the next Prime Minister.

We also hear from two very different cities in Ukraine as we assess the state of the war there, and ask if the country’s plan to open new battlefront and retake the South is a risk too far.

Keir Starmer wants a post-brexit reset with the EU, and he thinks it should start with “an ambitious partnership” on defence and security.

But would it help our Armed Forces when we already have NATO? Former Army officer Ed Arnold explains how both the EU and NATO could give us more bang-for-our-buck, as well as the potential pitfalls.

British troops are showing partnership in action in Estonia on NATO’s biggest cold weather exercise, Winter Camp.  Sitrep hears from some of those taking part and BFBS reporter David Sivills-McCann explains what it’s all about.

And 25 years since the ban on gay and bisexual people serving in the Armed Forces was lifted, the Defence Secretary who made the change talks in detail for the first time about whether the government was forced to do it, or really believed it was the right thing.

The armed forces need to do better at making their people feel valued to deliver military capability.

So says a major review of ‘incentivisation’ for servicemen and women – we explain its recommendations including flexible careers, simpler allowances, and skills based pay.

The UK is the only NATO country to recruit 16 year olds into the forces, and a UN panel has renewed its call for the age to go up to 18. We ask a member of that panel why.

And the former captain of a Royal Navy submarine explains the options and limits for undersea rescue operations.

Around one in twenty of the UK’s MPs have military experience, but what do they bring to the job and does it help them make a difference?

Sitrep talks to the new MP for Derbyshire North, Louise Jones, and Jonny Ball who hosts the Veterans in Politics podcast and has mentored several of the new intake to Parliament.

India’s Prime Minister claims to be neutral on the war in Ukraine, but he’s been pictured hugging President Putin on a visit to Moscow.  So what’s Narendra Modi up to, and should we be worried?

And Colonel Rosie Stone shares her “moment that made me” – conversations about motherhood, gardening and football while under fire, for the first time, in Afghanistan.  She tells Kate Gerbeau how it led to her new career as an expert in gender and human security.

Defence Procurement minister James Cartlidge tells Sitrep the history of armed forces having “kit that let them down” keeps him awake at night. But he has a plan to fix the problems.

He tells Kate Gerbeau about the changes aimed at delivering equipment on time, and on budget, while Professor Michael Clarke assesses whether it will give troops what they need, when they need it.

We also look up close at one of those big procurement projects, as Sitrep’s David Sivills-McCann visits the under-construction Type 26 frigate HMS Cardiff.

Israel has sacked two officers over the air-strike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza, which it calls a ‘grave accident’. Sitrep explains the process of ‘deconfliction’ that should have prevented it from happening. 

Presidents and Prime Ministers have big decisions to make in Washington about how to better defend Europe, deter Russia, and support Ukraine.

But how does it work behind closed doors, away from the choreographed photo ops, and who is actually making the decisions?  Lord Peter Ricketts, former UK Ambassador to NATO, lifts the lid on how some of the world’s most powerful people really behave and why.

Amid ever louder chatter about allowing Ukraine to strike Russian sovereign territory with US missiles Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the Army’s former assistant-director of ISR, explains what would be on the target list and how much such strikes could change.

And 80 years since D-Day Professor Michael Clarke reviews your suggestions for the best books and films to tell that story.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was Commander in Chief of the UK’s Armed Forces for just over 70 years, now that job falls to her eldest son.

BFBS Sitrep talks to a former head of The Army who knows King Charles III well, and we listen to one of his recent speeches to troops to assess what kind of Commander in Chief he will be.

As we examine The Queen’s military legacy we talk to Sharon Turton about being personally presented the Elizabeth Cross in honour of her fallen husband, Kris.

Plus how has Ukraine recaptured thousands of square miles in a matter of days? A former British commander will explain, and assess what they should do next. 

Sir Iain Duncan Smith has been a Conservative MP for more than 30 years, and led his party from 2001 to 2003.

In parliament he’s a vocal contributor on defence, security, and international issues. 

His criticism of China’s government is so vocal the country has placed sanctions against him and his family.

He tells Sitrep why he believes China is a threat to the UK, not just a ‘challenge’ as it is officially deemed, how his military service shaped his political ambitions, and whether he’d join the “too small” armed forces of today.

Sitrep hears from Kupiansk, celebrated as a significant victory when it was liberated a year and a half ago, but in Russian sights once again as Moscow tries a new push forward.

Ukraine’s troops trying to hold firm are hampered by artillery shortages, they’ve been rationing shells for months, but have turned to small drones to fill at least some of the gap.

Journalist Tom Mutch tells us about his visit to Kupiansk, how the soldiers are coping, what they’re expecting, and how he was surprised by their morale.

With reports of an improvement in Russian battlefield tactics, that certainly could be the case. But, other intel suggests that the difficulties with enforcing discipline amongst junior ranks is actually worsening.

On this week’s Sitrep, Professor Michael Clarke will look at a new report which suggests Moscow has indeed, learned from its mistakes and is preparing a major Ukrainian offensive.

Also, as Russia changes tactics we’ll hear how high tech satellite imagery has become a vital tool for watching Russian forces in real time and discover who’s using that information.

As the RAF takes delivery of its latest...and last A400m transport plane, we’ll look at how it compares with the Hercules C130-J which it’s replacing.

And....it’s an exclusive club, but what’s it actually like being ejected from a fighter jet travelling at hundreds of miles an hour?....we’ll hear first hand from former RAF Navigator John Nichol. 

While North Korea sends hundreds of balloons, loaded with rubbish and manure, across the border, South Korea is setting up giant speakers to blare K-pop music for miles into the North.

Sitrep assess the risk of a playground scrap going out of control, and explains why many heavily armed nations indulge in childish tactics when they don’t want an all-out fight.

Ukraine has been trying out experimental AI drone technology on the battlefield to lock onto targets by identifying their voice, or avoid Russian jamming.  Olivia Savage from Janes tells us what she’s seen and heard.

And former RAF Officer Mike Murtagh shares stories from his time spying on the Kremlin in the 1990s, including fake firefighters, honeytraps and a bear on the loose.

Russia has published the recording of a meeting between senior German air-force officers, revealing military and political secrets about British, French and German support to Ukraine.

Former Army intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram tells Sitrep it comes down to people being the weakest link, and that we shouldn’t dismiss it as “just a German problem”.

United Nations peacekeeping troops have now been in Cyprus for 60 years. Professor Michael Clarke explains why hundreds of British soldiers still serve on that operation, while Sitrep’s Sofie Cacoyannis takes her father back to where he lived when the peacekeepers arrived.

And we talk to Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman about her journey to becoming the world’s only female Chief of Defence Staff and the Jamaica Defence Force’s close ties with the UK.

Drones buzzing airbases and HMS Queen Elizabeth. Undersea cables cut.  Mysterious parcel fires at air-freight depots.  These have all been described as hybrid, grey-zone, or sub-threshold attacks against the UK and it’s allies.

But if they are all below the threshold of an act of war, where does that threshold lie?

Sitrep explores the use of deniable attacks, from disruption and disinformation to assassination and bomb plots. How do we defend against them, deter enemies from even trying, and stand up to international bullying?

Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke talk to grey-zone expert Elisabeth Braw, former military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram, and Tan Dhesi MP who chairs the Commons Defence Committee.

Lebanon is on edge after thousands of Hezbollah electronic devices exploded across two days. Many people have died and thousands are injured. Former Army Intelligence Officer Philip Ingram explains how the plan was coordinated and what militaries  learn from these attacks.

Russia has lost at least 15 warships since its full scale invasion of Ukraine but it hasn’t stopped it carrying out significant maritime exercises and launching a new department to strengthen its power at sea.

Royal Navy veteran, John Foreman CBE, who was UK Defence attache to Moscow until 2022, says it shows Putin wants Russia to be a great maritime power. John also elaborates on the country’s naval ambitions.

And - it was one of the most iconic campaigns of the Second World War -  Sitrep’s reporter Tim Cooper is in Arnhem to mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Market garden.

Every single country in the UN is signed up to the same laws of war, but Israel’s military campaign in Gaza is reminding us interpretations of those laws often differ.

In this extra Sitrep podcast Kate Gerbeau talks to Rev. Nicholas Mercer, who was the British Army’s top legal adviser in Iraq 20 years ago.

He explains the key principles that govern the legality of military action, how he applied them in the midst of battle, and how the Israel Gaza war mirrors many of the difficult decisions he faced in Basra.

First it was sending ammunition, then troops for the war in Ukraine, now North Korea has signed off on a formal mutual-defence treaty with Russia.

NATO’s new Secretary General has called it a threat to our security. Defence researcher Joseph Dempsey, who’s spent years uncovering the secrets of North Korea’s military, explains the risk, and what’s in it for Moscow and Pyongyang.

On the Korean peninsula shots have been fired across the border, more missiles have been tested, and there have been nuclear-capable shows of force in the skies.  Lieutenant General Andrew Harrison draws on his two years helping protect the armistice to assess the scale of the tensions.

And we get the lowdown on China’s new stealth jet, which has a remarkably similar look and name to the US and UK’s fifth-generation fighter.

In less than a year war has broken out in Europe, and Afghanistan has fallen to the Taliban.

MPs say that means the UK’s new defence masterplan is already out of date, leaving British forces overstretched, vulnerable and too small.

They Ministry of Defence says it will continue to adapt strategy, but the Commons Defence Committee wants a major update to the plan now.

The committee’s chairman, Tobias Ellwood MP, talks to James Hirst about the impact on service personnel, his recent visit to Ukraine, and whether it’s the threats or our perceptions that have changed.

From where the armed forces are deployed around the world, to the kit they have for the job, and how they’re looked after, the government has launched a “root and branch” defence review.

Two people who’ve been hands on with past reviews, Lieutenant General Sir Nick Pope and Sitrep’s Professor Michael Clarke, explain what will be different about this one and the job that it has to do.

Sian Grzeszczyk-Melbourne has been talking to Defence ministers and gives us some insight into their thinking on accommodation problems and a new Armed Forces Commissioner, who’ll be an access-all-areas advocate for service personnel and families.

And one of the RAF’s first female fighter pilots, Mandy Hickson, tells us how dogfighting on two-wheels was the moment that made her.

The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla includes the UK Armed Forces’ biggest ceremony for 70 years.

On Sitrep we look at the plans, the rehearsals, and hear from a veteran of the Grenadier Guards about the kind of personal preparations required of 7000 servicemen and women.

Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate President Putin in a small-drone

strike on the Kremlin. Ukraine firmly denies any part.

Professor Michael Clarke explains why it would be ‘monumentally stupid’ were Ukraine to have been involved in this ‘firework stunt’.

Ukraine’s counter offensive is being held up, in part, by densely packed Russian minefields. Former tank commander Justin Crump explains how they avoid the explosives, and clear a path through.

Professor Michael Clarke tells us what progress Ukraine has made in the last month, and why a much bigger push looks imminent.

Sitrep’s James Wharton has had exclusive access to British troops on the ground in Iraq as part of Operation Shader, he explains how their role has changed over the last 9 years.

And former army intelligence officer Louise Jones gives us a guide to the Do’s & Don’ts of social media for forces personnel.

The daring amphibious landings of thousands of British troops was arguably the most perilous and pivotal moment of the Falklands war.

40 years on BFBS Sitrep hears from key figures about how and why it enabled the liberation of the islands.

But at sea 22 lives were lost in the operation, the man who was Captain of HMS Ardent tells us the story of its sinking, and how it still occasionally gives him nightmares.

And as we assess the latest developments in Ukraine we ask if history has any lessons for Vladimir Putin as he’s accused of micromanaging Russia’s ‘special military operation’

Across 45 years of service General Sir Mike Jackson played a key role in many historic moments for Britain’s armed forces, even before he led the Army as Chief of the General Staff.

Known to all simply as Jacko he is best remembered for defying his US commanding officer in Kosovo by saying “I’m not going to start World War Three for you”.  He did not get sacked, but did get the Distinguished Service Order.

Sitrep hears new insights from that incident along with memories and tributes from those who served with General Sir Mike, and reflections of the General himself shared in some of the many times he spoke to BFBS.

General Sir Mike Jackson.  1944-2024

It’s 10 years since British troops left Helmand and combat operations came to an end. But the conflict reshaped the forces in ways that can still be seen today.

The next war is expected to involve tanks and trenches not seen in Helmand, so from equipment to military mindsets Sitrep assesses what is helpful to still have, what is a hinderance, and what gaps may exist.

150,000 British personnel served in Afghanistan. A handful of those veterans tell us how that experience shapes their lives today. 

And Invictus medalist Jonny Ball talks to Sitrep about his new mission to create a community for all veterans of British operations in Afghanistan.

John Nichol’s life was saved by explosives attached to his seat. In 1991 he ejected from a burning RAF Tornado jet, along with pilot John Peters, saving their lives but also leading to their capture by Iraqi forces. In a new book, ‘Eject! Eject!’, John Nichol charts the history of the ejection seat and shares the stories of how it has both saved and changed thousands of people’s lives. He tells Kate Gerbeau what it’s like to be thrown out of plane at 600 miles per hour, how a terrifying 30-second manual process now happens automatically in the blink of an eye, and why ejecting is just the start of the story

Liz Truss promised big on Defence in her campaign to replace Boris Johnson – now she has to deliver.

BFBS Sitrep assesses what a big uplift in the defence budget could be spent on, how she will handle the Ukraine war, and whether the forces are facing another shake up.

Russia expected to win in Ukraine within days, six months on it needs millions more rockets and shells and it’s turned to North Korea to supply them. But how good are those munitions?

And a former member of the SBS tells us the extraordinary story of how he’s rebuilt his life after being shot in the neck, and paralysed.

Sitrep analyses the main party manifestos for the general election in which defence has had its highest profile in decades.

AI and data collection are promised to bring a revolution to military capability.  But they could also make it harder to work with partners and allies by creating a new “language barrier”, so how do we avoid that?

And the 2am phone call ordering a Brigadier to take his men to an unexpected war within days.  Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade, in the Falklands shares his story in the first of our new interview series “The Moment That Made Me”.

The Chancellor has promised another 11 billion pounds for Defence over the next five years, but after soaring inflation and big donations to Ukraine how much extra is left over?

Professor of Defence Studies Michael explains what it means for the spending power of Defence, and what it might mean for the future of British Forces as a new masterplan for their size and shape is drawn up.

We also take a closer look at the next generation of Royal Navy attack submarines, which will take up more than a quarter of the new cash.

Just days after the Ministry of Defence launched its own TikTok channel the Chinese owned app has been banned from government devices. A former army intelligence officer explains the risks.

Admiral Sir Keith Blount, who is the most senior British officer in NATO, talks to Sitrep’s Claire Sadler and Professor Michael Clarke from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.

He explains alliance thinking and actions on key topics including NATO's future, technology developments, the Ukraine war and the threat posed by Russia and China.

Allied personnel were in attendance for the first Sitrep Live podcast.

Admiral Sir Keith took up the role of DSACEUR in July 2023, the first Royal Navy officer to hold the position, and is second in command to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US Army General Christopher G Cavoli.

British servicemen and women rely on having the right kit to do their jobs, and protect their lives at the front line, but MPs says the process of buying that equipment is broken.

Sitrep talks to Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge about his new plan to fix long delays, multi-billion pound overspends, and hopelessly overoptimistic ideas.

A new integration authority can veto plans that don’t work across all three services, equipment will be put into service earlier in development, and exportability will also be a priority.

But governments have struggled with these procurement problems for decades, so will this plan finally deliver the forces the kit they need, when they need it, or will the “legion stories of kit that let them down” continue?

As the Taliban continue to prevent women and some girls from working or having an education an all party group has been established in Westminster to monitor the situation.

Sitrep also talks to a former female politician who fled the country and the wife of a former CDS who started an education charity in the country.

More tanks are being sent to Ukraine but will they make a difference and how will Russia respond?

And we talk to the film maker given the run of HMS Queen Elizabeth

The highest command in the world’s most powerful military alliance has always been held by a top American officer, almost always with a British deputy.

But as the Trump administration tells Europe the US will do less, and we’ve got to do much more for our own defence, should the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) become a European job?

Kate Gerbeau talks to General Philip Breedlove, who was SACEUR from 2013-2016, about what the role involves, how much influence it wields, and how much difference the change could make.

He also reveals how during Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine (2014) he used his other role, as a US commander, to deliver action that had been resisted from within the alliance. 

Russia thought it would conquer Ukraine in 10 days, Ukrainian resolve is still preventing that.  But after more than a million casualties on both sides, thousands of pieces of military hardware destroyed, will it simply come down to which side can outlast the other?

Sitrep’s Simon Newton and Hannah King join us from Kyiv to share how the people, and their resolve, are holding up, while Professor Michael Clarke analyses the battlefield picture.

If it doesn’t come down simply to attrition then what could prove to be a tipping point?

Ukraine hopes permission to fire British Storm Shadow and American ATACMS missiles into Russia could be a game changer, while Russia’s banking on ratcheting up nuclear rhetoric to discourage western support.  Sitrep assesses the effect they could have.

Britain is bringing home hundreds of extra troops who’ve bolstered the UK’s presence in Estonia since the invasion of Ukraine.

But the government says it’s improving capabilities in other ways, with weapons and equipment. Sitrep asks if it’s enough to deter Russia and defend the Baltic state if needed.

It was the end of last winter when Ukraine was invaded, now as winter approaches again how will it affect this war? A former RAF weather forecaster gives us some insights.

And we take a look at the new TV Drama telling the story of how the SAS was formed in World War two. A veteran of the service gives Sitrep his take on ‘SAS Rogue Heroes’.

Ukraine says it urgently needs more weapons and ammunition from the west.

BFBS Sitrep speaks to journalist Nicola Smith who’s on the ground near the biggest battleground and tells us about the tragedy unfolding in front of her.

Professor Michael Clark explains why although weapons are on the way they won’t make an immediate difference.

In Finland our reporter is with a Joint Expeditionary Force exercise where Ukraine is on everyone’s mind.

And what do new soldiers want from the new head of the army as he starts his first week in the job?

Ukraine’s counter-offensive appears to be underway, bringing us a stream of contradictory claims and confusing headlines.

Professor Michael Clarke, and former intelligence officer Col. Philip Ingram, explain how we can make sense of it all in the midst of a disinformation war.

A top US Air Force officer has warned AI enabled drones could turn against their operators, and infrastructure, in pursuit of missions. We ask if artificial intelligence really could go rogue and threaten us all.

And Britain’s latest training effort for Ukraine – sharing support skills with their military chaplains. Chaplain General the Rev. Michael D Parker tells us why it really matters for the war effort.

The histories of World War Two were largely written by men, because they were almost exclusively the ones who experienced it at the front lines.

But a handful of remarkable women defied official bans, and went to the battlefields as war reporters.

In this extra edition of BFBS Sitrep we hear at length from Judith Mackrell=about her new book ‘Going With The Boys’ =, which tells the stories of six of these women war reporters.

From risking execution to abandoning lunch with Ernest Hemingway to get the scoops, Judith tells Kate Gerbeau how their reporting records a different perspective on the war, how attempts to block actually helped them, and what they have in common with women who serve at the front lines today.

Strategic command, like the three single services, is deemed important enough to our defence to merit its own Chief of Staff.

General Sir James Hockenhull tells Sitrep about the organisation that he leads and its mission to help the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force be the best they can be.

From medical services to digital networks, cyber to intelligence, Strategic Command provides joint capabilities for all of the services, and is also tasked with developing new ones.

General Hockenhull talks to Sian Grzeszczyk about briefing the Prime Minister at the moment war began in Ukraine, why he sees himself as an accidental general, and why he chose not to apply for the very top job in Britain’s armed forces.

Troops and hardware which Russia’s been holding in reserve have been moved to the 600-mile-long front line, and handful of local armoured offensives point to the start of a wider push.

Sitrep’s Professor Michael Clarke explains how Moscow wants to exploit Ukraine’s ammunition shortages, while Kyiv tries to keep the initiative by forcing Russia’s hand, and journalist Tom Mutch tells us what he saw and heard visiting frontline troops.

RAF airdrops have delivered tonnes of urgent food aid to Gaza in operations that carry risks both for the aircrew and civilians on the ground. Retired Air Vice Marshal Sean Bell explains how it’s done.

And is the mysterious Havana Syndrome, suffered by hundreds of US diplomats and spies, linked to the Salisbury poisonings? Hamish de Bretton-Gordon assesses new findings which claim the same Russian military intelligence unit is behind both.

Two Royal Navy minehunters, given to Ukraine last year, are still in UK waters because they can’t get into the Black Sea while the war continues.

But Ukraine’s Navy is using them to prepare for when they can start clearing the hundreds of explosives lying on the sea-bed. Sitrep’s Simon Newton has been watching some of that work on Exercise Sea Breeze in Scottish waters.

Mark Rutte has been appointed as the next NATO Secretary General, so we ask a former alliance insider what the job involves and what the new leader will bring to the role.

And another veteran shares the moment that made them. Professor Neil Greenberg tells Sitrep how hearing a radio interview by chance led him from young medical student to a world respected authority on military mental health via many Royal Navy ships and submarines.

Russia has sent a fleet of ships, pretending to be fishing trawlers, to size up our wind farms and power cables for possible attacks according to a new documentary.

Professor Michael Clarke explains how the UK is already ramping up its military capabilities to track and deter this kind of Russian activity.

An Iraq veteran gives us his verdict on the new book ‘How To Fight a War’ – and its author Dr Mike Martin explains why he thinks lethal violence is just communication your enemy can’t ignore. 

And we scroll through the new interactive map which shows where British forces are most busy in Europe, and the different defence ties we have with our near neighbours.

Cyber-warfare was is no longer simply science-fiction, it is now a military fact that hits hard.

 Military communications, power systems and nuclear processing plants have all been taken offline in recent years by purely digital attacks.

 The UK’s capability for this domain sits in the National Cyber Force, created three years ago as part of Strategic Command, bringing together military and intelligence teams for both defensive and offensive cyber operations.

 Kate Gerbeau talks to Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes, the Deputy Commander of Stratcom, about the cyber threats the UK faces and how the force is tackling them.

The head of the Army has told his troops that they have a new main effort – Operation Mobilise.

We’ll examine the plan for more of the Army to be ready more of the time for a high intensity war, and what that means for servicemen and women.

NATO wants to make its high-readiness force more than seven times bigger, up to 300,000 troops, in little more than a year. But can it deliver?

The diplomatic niceties have been dropped, leaders are upfront about Russia, so is it time to admit we’re in a second cold war?

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of the Duke of Wellington with the best-selling author of the ‘Sharpe’ and ‘Last Kingdom’ novels Bernard Cornwell. The interview is recorded in Wellington’s former office in Horse Guards, now used as the office of the General Officer Commanding HQ London District.

Based on his book ‘Great British Commanders,’ Mike will be asking what makes for successful command? Is success or failure wholly determined by the circumstances each commander faces – with a bit of luck thrown in? Or are there some essential truths about command and human nature which ultimately make the difference on the battlefield?

More than a thousand servicemen and women who might have expected to celebrate Christmas at home are now standing by to cover for striking workers.

The PM says we owe them gratitude, but after two years of Covid work over the festive season is the goodwill of the Armed Forces being stretched?

The head of the Armed Forces says the UK must ‘think big’ on the future of defence, after the invasion of Ukraine. We’ll analyse his annual keynote speech.

Plus what is Skynet, and why is the UK prepared to put billions on the line to keep it updated?

From testing whether we’re ready for war to checking whether forces families get the support they need, the Commons Defence Committee plays a key role in overseeing our defence.

Kate Gerbeau talks to the man chosen by his fellow MP’s to chair the committee in this Parliament.

Tan Dhesi has a background in maths, management science, and running his own construction business.

So what does he bring to this important defence role, why did he want the job, and what does he hope to achieve for the UK’s defence and it’s service personnel?

The President of Belarus says Wagner fighters, exiled to his country, are ‘getting on our nerves’ and want ‘an excursion’ into Poland.

Sitrep examines whether this seriously threatens war between NATO and Russia, and we talk to Alicia Kearns MP about cross party warnings that Wagner is a direct threat to the UK.

The Prime Minister has apologised to LGBT veterans who were kicked out of the forces, stripped of medals, and in some cases imprisoned. We explain why has he said sorry when the rules were clear and legally binding at the time.

And 70 years since the end of fighting, why are North and South Korea still technically at war?

It’s spring but there’s no sign yet of the ‘spring offensives’ promised by both sides in Ukraine. They are quietly preparing though.

Professor Michael Clarke explains the big movements of Russia’s best troops, and some psychological warfare by Kyiv.

A senior officer tells fellow servicewomen they must report sex attacks to police. We ask why some are still not coming forward despite an overhaul of investigations.

And three years on from Brexit, Britain holds talks about new defence ties with the EU. Is it just about repairing a broken friendship or could it benefit the UK’s Armed Forces? 

On the 16th of December 2008 HMS Endurance suffered a very sudden and catastrophic flood in the South Atlantic.

Tom Sharpe was in temporary command of the Royal Navy ice breaker as her engine room filled in less than half an hour, and she lost power in turbulent seas.

Tom tells Kate Gerbeau why he ignored advice from the UK to abandon ship, how he led his crew to save the ship from sinking, and how it gave him confidence to lead without being risk averse.

The death and destruction in Ukraine has only intensified in the two months since Donald Trump unilaterally announced peace talks, and the one month since Ukraine offered a 30-day ceasefire.

With diplomacy having delivered nothing so far Sitrep explains how the war has played out in that time, who has the battlefield momentum, and the potential paths ahead.

Equipment is key to Ukraine’s chances but a leaked German assessment says high-end tanks, like the Leopard 2, sometimes cause problems rather than providing capability.

Former British tank-commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon explains why, what lessons the UK should take from this, and which tank he’d want to be in if he were in Ukraine.

Rishi Sunak has pledged tens of billions of pounds to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, but how much will it improve our military capability?

Professor Michael Clarke explains why the extra cash will probably be used to firm up our forces rather than making them bigger, and we fact check how much of the £75bn figure given by the Prime Minister is actually new money.

Months after US military supplies to Ukraine effectively dried up the Washington deadlock is broken. But what will the new $60bn package deliver, when, and how much difference can it make to the war?

And we hear from the London Defence Tech Hackathon where coders, engineers, and businesses had a direct line to Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield as they tried some rapid problem solving for the troops.

Could more British troops be sent to Eastern Europe, or as peacekeepers in the Middle East? Will Donald Trump return to the White House, and would it guarantee defeat for Ukraine? And where in the world might the next war break out?

Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke take on the big questions about what’s in store for our defence and security in 2024.

They hear from the UK’s top military officers, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, General Sir Patrick Sanders, Admiral Sir Ben Key and Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, who tell us what they’ll be working on in 2024.

And some of Sitrep’s expert guests from the last year share their thoughts to help explain what might happen in the next 12 months.

Six NATO submarines, accompanied by ships and aircraft, are playing a giant military game of hide and seek in the Mediterranean.

NATO’s Commander Submarines, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Thomas Wall, tells us more about exercise Dynamic Manta, and Sitrep’s Claire Sadler explains what life is like onboard one of those subs.

Vladimir Putin claims Russia now has the initiative in the Ukraine war – is he right? Professor Michael Clarke and Simon Newton explain the current battlefield picture, and Colin Freeman gives a first-hand account from one of Russia’s next targets.

And why do so many British people say they would refuse to fight for their country, despite most believing war is a real possibility within the next decade. Matt Smith from YouGov talks us through their latest research.

When Shaun Pinner left the Royal Anglian Regiment, after 9 years as a soldier, he had no intention of ever returning to military life.

Two decades later he was fighting in Ukraine as one of the country’s marines, besieged in the city of Mariupol as it was battered and starved by Russian forces.

When he was captured Shaun was beaten, tortured and eventually sentenced to death by firing squad. Yet he is now a free man, and living in Ukraine.

He tells Kate Gerbeau the incredible story of how he ended up there (via waste management and volunteering in Syria), why he was never a ‘war tourist’, and the surreal moment when he met his unlikely saviour on a luxury jet.