BFBS Sitrep

Germany says that Novichok has been used on a rival of President Putin - how will the international community react this time? What’s behind the recent tensions between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean? Plus, Sitrep looks at how the Gurkhas are changing their recruitment process. We join the Royal Marines on training exercises and how some of Britain’s rarest reptiles are thriving in...

We look at the options facing the government as part of their Integrated Review of foreign policy, defence and security. Lord Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff, tells us that the government must find more money for defence.  We ask what will be the impact of the recent coup in the West African state of Mali on plans to send 250 British troops there as part of a UN mission?   Sitrep report...

As protests continue in Belarus, Sitrep looks at the wider implications. We hear from the man who was Britain’s ambassador in Minsk when Lukashenko took power 26 years ago on what’s likely to happen next. In the United States, the race for the White House is hotting up, with Joe Biden setting out his pitch to American voters. We ask a former head of the Royal United Services Institute what a Biden...

75 years on - what’s the legacy of VJ day? How should the government review the UK’s security and defence needs? We hear what military personnel are doing to help after the devastating explosion in Beirut And why the script of the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' caused concern in the War Office. Follow us @bfbssitrep

The Government offers aid and help from military personnel after the massive explosion in Beirut. What impact is the Covid 19 pandemic having on food supplies around the world?  Sitrep has a special report on training with the UK Gurkha Company    And the Battle of Balaclava, one man’s story as part of the Charge of the Heavy Brigade. Follow us @bfbssitrep

What should be done to counter cyber threats from Russia? A new report says there needs to be more investment in armed forces personnel and their families to keep them in the military. We report on Exercise Merlin Storm with Commando Helicopter Force And a reservist’s personal insight into what it's been like to work in hospitals throughout the Covid pandemic. Follow us @bfbssitrep

Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham on the future deployment of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.  The Red Cross tells Sitrep how the conflict in Yemen is having a devastating impact on the treatment of those affected by COVID-19. And we report from Germany on the 75 th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference that shaped the future of post-war Europe.    Follow us @bfbssitrep

The Chief of the Defence staff on the future shape of the armed forces. Why have so many countries become involved in the conflict going on in Libya? A day in the life of military personnel working on coronavirus Mobile Testing units. What will the Government do about Huawei and 5G? The significance of the Battle of Britain in the Second World War.   Follow us @bfbssitrep

As Afghanistan deals with the spread of Coronavirus, a British Army spokesperson tells the programme what precautions are being taken on their deployment in the country. A new National Security Adviser has been appointed but what will be the impact of the change at the top of Whitehall? Professor Michael Clarke unpicks the changes. And searching for the right words to find fitting inscriptions for...

We assess the impact of the military's response to Covid 19: Russia's security services under the spotlight. One of the RAF’s first female fast jet pilots tells Sitrep what it was like to be a pioneer in her field and our ambassador to Washington enlists the help of the Army, the Navy and the RAF in making the perfect cup of tea! Follow us @bfbssitrep

Tributes paid to Dame Vera Lynn, the forces sweetheart. President Trump has confirmed that 9,500 US troops are to leave Germany, so how will that affect NATO's strategy in Europe? The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tells Sitrep of his deep concern over the fatal clashes at the border between China and India Plus -  why a new research project has been launched to see how veterans are...

One of the Army’s most senior officers has told BFBS Sitrep why he wrote an open letter about tackling racism, following the protests over the death of George Floyd. Commander, Home Command, Lieutenant General Tyrone Urch told Sitrep that the British Army was not immune to incidences of racism and he's written to all commanders saying he is determined the army will push back against racism, hatred...

We hear about the new regiment being formed to counter the threat from digital attacks. The first dedicated Cyber regiment is designed to protect defence networks at home and on operations overseas. Brigadier John Collyer - the Commander of 1st Signal Brigade - tells us about the threats and explains how the 13th Signal regiment is made up from different specialist teams. The military have been wi...

We hear from scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down who have been using their expertise to assess how the coronavirus behaves and to support the government's testing programme. We assess the impact of Dunkirk 80 years after the evacuation of over 300,000 thousand British and Allied troops from the beaches and hear from a 100 year old veteran who was taken prison...

It’s Mental Health Awareness week, and this year’s theme is “kindness” — in this week’s Sitrep we hear how one military charity’s helping some of those struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll find out how NATO’s combating disinformation around the virus — with help from the British military. And we’ll hear from the head of the UN relief mission in Yemen — a country battered by year...

MPs on the Commons Defence Select Committee want to know if the military could have been used sooner to boost Britain's response to the coronavirus pandemic -- we'll speak to the committee's chairman. We'll also ask why America sent its fleet of bombers into the skies above Europe and the Indo-Pacific this week in a show of strength — aimed in part at China. Most military personnel who think they...

We look at the government’s plans to re-start military training programmes, despite the continuing coronavirus lockdown. Ministers say it’ll be done in a “responsible, socially distanced way” — but how? Who could be trying to hack into the labs working on a coronavirus vaccine? A warning this week pointed the finger at “hostile actors” — we’ll look at why it’s happening. We’ll hear from one milita...

What will the world look like when the coronavirus pandemic is in the past? Will relations with China collapse? How will Russia respond? And where does it leave Britain? We’ll discuss the potential for major change with the director-general of RUSI We report on the military’s latest role responding to the pandemic — setting up dozens of mobile testing facilities We get updates on how forces commun...

Thousands of military personnel are part of Britain’s response to the Coronavirus crisis, but should they be doing more? What are the parallels between being in a war zone and being on the frontline of the medical battle against Covid-19?  Sitrep speaks to an expert in military mental health, And, as the head of MI5 steps down, what are the security threats we need to be worried about once the pan...

The coronavirus pandemic respects no borders, striking the wealthiest countries, and the poorest. This week, we look at the potential impact on conflict zones. A former adviser to the US State Department tells us Afghanistan will have to cope without much international support. In the United States, Donald Trump comes under more pressure over his response to the pandemic. Will it prompt him to wit...

With the Prime Minister in hospital, who’s in charge of Britain’s security? As the Government continues to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, former RUSI head Professor Michael Clarke tells us some will see an opportunity to exploit. The Chief of the Defence Staff is telling the forces to treat the virus response as a long-term operation — we speak to retired Major General Tim Robinson, forme...

The giant NHS Nightingale Hospital in London’s docklands prepares to receive patients — built in just a few days with help from the Army. We’ve a special report from inside the hospital. As thousands of reservists are called up and the RAF and Royal Navy make their own contributions to the national response to the pandemic, we’ll hear from the First Sea Lord, and get updates from forces communitie...

We hear from some of those in the forces helping the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Richards tells us the Army’s “perfect” to help build a giant new hospital in London — and remembers his experiences of being drafted in to help in past civil emergencies. We learn about the military personnel training to deliver vital oxygen supplies to hospitals u...

After an extraordinary week for the UK and the world, this week’s Sitrep looks at the role the military is likely play in the response to the coronavirus outbreak. We’ve a full update on the MoD’s plans so far, and former defence minister Tobias Ellwood tells us how the military will fit into the overall response. Michael Clarke, the former director-general at the Royal United Services Institute,...

It’s five years since Saudi Arabia first intervened in the fighting in Yemen. Since then it’s escalated into the world’s worst humanitarian disaster — and this week aid agencies have warned the situation could get even worse. We’ll hear from the Red Cross, on the ground in Yemen, on the crisis facing its population — and learn more about Saudi Arabia’s huge surge in arms imports during the conflic...