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Award winning Defence podcast from BFBS.

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S1 · E210
Thursday · 39 min
What will replace the main service rifle, the SA80?
There’s a rifle race going on right now – Project Grayburn is the campaign to find the successor to the British Army’s SA80 which entered service in the 1980s. We’ll be looking at what the soldiers say they want, what the MOD says it wants and when it might happen. Forces News’ Sian Grzeszczyk Melbourne and Justin Bosanquet went to the US and were the first journalists to try out some of the rifles that might one day be in British military hands.
S1 · E209
September 10 · 45 min
Can the UK Strategic Reserve be reawakened?
In theory 95,000 veterans could be liable for recall if the UK was at war, or headed that way, but for decades it’s been little more than a notional force, lying dormant.That is about to change though.  Thousands could soon get letters calling them up for an exercise next year, to help the MoD faces challenges as basic as locating people, let alone equipping and training them.Sitrep explains why this is only a first step to generating a force which could be vital withi
S1 · E208
September 3 · 44 min
British troops caught in “The war of losers”
Iran’s strikes on US military bases in the Middle East are a blunt reminder that British servicemen and women deployed in the region face real risks.Professor Michael Clarke assesses the dangers while former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe explains the options for British ships which had been standing by for a possible protection role in the Strait of Hormuz.Often UK and US bases are co-located, including Bahrain which a US Navy Admiral has told his personnel they won’t be retur
August 27 · 55 min
Can UK tech break battlefield deadlock in Ukraine?
The UK has handed final blueprints for Storm Shadow missiles to Kyiv, while a treasure trove of battlefield data is coming to Britain.  Can this tech-swap help Ukraine break through front lines largely frozen because of drone saturation in the skies? Professor Michael Clarke explains how Storm Shadow could help Ukraine push through Russian lines, but won’t be a game changer on its own. And electronic-warfare expert Dr Thomas Withington tells Sitrep h
S1 · E207
August 20 · 47 min
Russia’s revenge threat – what might Moscow do to the UK?
It’s not just Russia’s threat of “consequences” for British made drones used in Ukrainian strikes, US intelligence says Moscow is considering a bigger provocation of NATO possibly within weeks.Grey-zone expert Elisabeth Braw explains how British troops in Estonia and Poland could be an attractive target for Russia, perhaps by creating a crisis that faces them with an impossible choice or disinformation designed to turn the local population against them.Professor Michael Clarke a
S1 · E206
August 13 · 39 min
How do you prevent a world war?
The Chief of the Defence Staff says it’s the "most dangerous period" he’s known in his entire military career. And we've all heard the warnings of the potential for direct armed conflict with Russia within 5 years. But what else should we be preparing for?  Kate and Mike are joined by Tobias Ellwood, former Defence Minister, former Chair of the Defence Committee and a former soldier. He's the author of 'Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three.’ We’re also joined by the former De
S1 · E205
August 6 · 35 min
The race to weaponise new tech
From quantum computing to biotechnology NATO has just upped its investment in startups that are trying to turn science-fiction ideas into frontline capabilities.Sitrep explains the NATO DIANA innovation accelerator and some of the breakthroughs it’s hoping will soon become kit in the hands of troops.A new Defence University Alliance has also just been formed to help Britain develop and deploy cutting-edge war-winning tech.  The Chief Executive of Universities UK explai
S1 · E204
July 30 · 47 min
Why are British tanks leaving Russia’s doorstep?
The official announcement of hundreds more British troops for Estonia, transitioning to a “mobile anti-armour” force, missed out one key detail.  It will end a decade of British tanks on Russia’s doostep, as Challenger 2’s are upgraded to become Challenger 3’sBFBS Forces News reporter James Wharton explains how he uncovered the story, and why it will mean the burden of Estonia deployments being differently spread among British soldiers.Troops will get new kit including
S1 · E203
July 23 · 1 hr 3 min
Why the Armed Force Bill matters to servicemen and women
Armed Forces bills come round every five years and you might think they’re just a box ticking exercise to renew the legal basis of our military.But they’re so much more, affecting the lives, jobs, and safety of servicemen and women, plus their families.Sitrep explains key measures on military housing, justice, reserve forces, and protection of British bases from drones, currently going through Parliament.And Professor Michael Clarke gives us his take on what the new Prime
S1 · E202
July 16 · 41 min
How the top British officer in NATO has filled gaps left by the US
The UK has joined other European allies to commit more military capability to NATO’s battle plans, after the US made cuts “with immediate effect”That’s been revealed to Sitrep by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, who just weeks into the job of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander had to source replacement capabilities and effectors from across the alliance.In a wide ranging conversation with Sitrep’s Simon Newton he explains how talks and offers began even before the US confirmed
S1 · E201
July 9 · 44 min
NATO 3.0 – Installing update
Behind the political theatre $50bn worth of procurement plans were announced at the NATO summit, from artillery shells to airlift and space capabilities.Sitrep explains who’s buying what and why with the help of the UK’s first Director of Joint Warfare, retired Air Marshal Greg Bagwell.Professor Michael Clarke assesses whether this will improve Europe’s defences, or simply turn into a game of whack-a-mole filling gaps left by the US. And the alliance has rebranded it
S1 · E200
July 2 · 51 min
Can the Defence Investment Plan deliver war-ready forces?
The lead military author of the Strategic Defence Review, General Sir Richard Barrons, gives his verdict on the DIP. “Doing the right thing, but not enough not quickly enough”He tells Kate Gerbeau why one of his biggest concerns is a lack of attention to Defence Medical Services and how that really matters for deterring enemies.Sian Grzeszczyk-Melbourne explains the impact on the day to day lives of forces personnel and families, including delays to accommodation repairs and the
S1 · E199
June 25 · 46 min
Hands on with Ukraine’s battle transforming tech
From remote controlled bombs-on-wheels to fooling Russian missiles that they’re flying over Peru, Simon Newton has been in Ukraine looking their homegrown battlefield technologies.Professor Michael Clarke explains how, with the help of those technologies, Ukraine seems to have Russia on the back foot, but there’s still no end in sight to the war.And the head of the Army, General Sir Roly Walker, says the Ukraine war has “absolutely validated” British thinking about the future of
S1 · E198
June 18 · 47 min
The Royal Navy’s Iran “peace deal” mission explained
From mine clearance to escorting tankers the UK and France promised to lead a “defensive” mission to reassure shipping “when conditions allow.”With the ink now dry on the first step of a US/Iran peace deal that mission looks like it’s about to go from plan to reality.Rear Admiral (retired) James Parkin shares his experience of leading a protective mission in the Strait, when Iran was seizing tankers in 2020. He also tells Sitrep just how tense it can be facing Iran’s Revolutiona
S1 · E197
June 12 · 40 min
EXTRA – What now for defence after two damning resignations?
John Healey’s parting broadside as Defence Secretary, and Al Carns resignation as Armed Forces Minister, are clearly intended to jolt the government into a rethink of the Defence Investment Plan.  But will it work?Sitrep explains the difficult choices now facing by the new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, and how his experience in the Parachute Regiment might shape his approach.Professor Michael Clarke runs the numbers on the Defence Investment Plan which John Healey says
S1 · E196
June 11 · 48 min
Spies target military personnel through ad data and fake jobs
MI5 says Chinese intelligence have been trying to lure military personnel into revealing secrets through fake job postings on sites like Linkedin, while the Pentagon reveals data gathered by legitimate advertisers has been scraped to target its troops in theatre.These are not just notional risks, but active exploits being used now. Former Army Intelligence officer Philip Ingram tells Sitrep how he was targeted by the Chinese scam, and explains what personnel can do to minimise the risk
June 7 · 37 min
EXTRA – How the tank changed the face of battle
The tank has been written off many times in history, even when the very first ones rolled onto the battlefield in World War One. But this British invention continues to shape the world. From its inception as a “land ship” to the battlefields of Ukraine, the story of the tank and those who have commanded them, are chronicled by Hamish de Bretton Gordon in his new book “Tank Command” He tells Kate Gerbeau how a risky experiment secured its ongoing place in
June 4 · 51 min
What to watch for when the DIP drops
The long-delayed Defence Investment Plan, to turn the future blueprint of the Armed Forces into reality, is in sight.  But with billions missing from the budget what do we need to look for when it arrives? What’s on the table, and where might the axe fall? Professor Michael Clarke and RUSI Director of Military Sciences Matthew Savill explain why spending on getting the best out of what we already have matters as much as what new kit will be ordered.<
S1 · E195
May 28 · 42 min
British troops rehearse for war in Estonia
Exercise Spring Storm may be an annual event for NATO, but this time there’s no playing nicely with words.  The troops taking part say they are “rehearsing for war”, just miles from Russia.BFBS Forces News Reporter Rosie Laydon tells why this exercise feels different to the many she’s visited before, and talks us through the new tech being tested out by 2 Scots.We explain what other tech is in the pipeline for the Army, and how it could change soldiering, as Kate talks
S1 · E194
May 28 · 31 min
EXTRA – Land ISTAR: The Army’s plan for data-driven dominance
Sitrep dives into the future of the Army and explains how a new generation of battlefield sensors and worldwide connectivity could transform British soldiering.The Land ISTAR programme will gather unprecedented battlefield insights and share them in real time, informing soldiers just a few metres away and at the same moment an HQ on the other side of the world. It won’t be a big bang event, it’s a long process, but its already connecting some existing systems with new cutti

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