BFBS Sitrep

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 c...

The Armed Forces put a lot of effort into leadership training, but have they lost sight of the people who are led? The Army’s been researching the concept of followership, how it could benefit the service become part of its culture. But what is followership, is it really different from the results of good leadership, and can it be part of an organisation that relies on command? Sitrep talks to Lie...

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 clos...

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...

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...

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...

From submariners at sea for months at a time, to soldiers living and working on Russia’s doorstep, the new Wider Service Medal is intended to recognise “crucial operational impact” without the risks to life faced in combat.  Some say it’s long overdue, others call it a medal for “just turning up”. We ask a former head of the Army, General Lord Dannatt, whether this is devaluing medals or...

Emergency calls from any vessel under attack in the Red Sea are handled thousands of miles away, in Portsmouth, by a Royal Navy supported control centre. Sitrep’s Tim Cooper is one of the first ever journalists to visit the UKMTO, where calls have soared by 475% as missile and drone attacks from Yemen are launched on average once every two days. Also on Sitrep, after the Defence Secretary’s plane...

Wargaming is about as old as war itself, but in a time many describe as “pre-war” how can it help us be ready for the worst, if it happens? Sitrep talks to the UK’s Assistant Head of Defence Wargaming, Captain Eugene Morgan, who’s charged with building British wargaming capacity and capability “to make better decisions for defence” He explains how it’s already used, and what the future may hold, w...

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...

Every single country in the world allows women to serve in at least some military roles, but only one has a woman at the very top of its Armed Forces. Jamaica’s Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, was appointed in 2022 and is only the second woman in history to hold such a role (Slovenia appointed a female chief of defence for two years in 2018). Rear Admiral Wemyss-Gorma...

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 ri...

Britain has spent seven billion pounds over the last two years, equipping Ukraine’s armed forces to help keep them in the fight against Russia. On the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion Sitrep talks to Major General Anna-Lee Reilly and Andy Start from Defence Equipment and Support about how that’s been done, and what lies ahead. Denmark’s decided to give its entire artillery stock to Uk...

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 wha...

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 Russ...

Sitrep gets unprecedented access to the heart of the UK’s military spying operation.  Sian Grzeszczyk tells all, including the crashed Russian drones being disassembled by Defence Intelligence, how its analysts uncovered an arms-for-horses deal between Moscow and North Korea, and why it really does all look like a James Bond lair. As MP’s say we must choose between more money for the forces o...

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 regu...

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 capabi...

Tens of thousands of people around the world have seen the moment one Royal Navy minehunter reversed into another in Bahrain, doing millions of pounds worth of damage. Former Royal Navy Commodore Alistair Halliday talks us through the range of technical and human factors which could explain why HMS Chiddingfold went backwards instead of ahead. The Chief of General Staff wants the UK to train up a...

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 i...

The Defence Secretary warns of tough times ahead...we look at those warnings but also hear from another of Britain’s most senior military chiefs who has a more hopeful message. The Head of Stratcom rarely speaks to the media, but we hear his take on the state of the world. Also on Sitrep Is diplomacy still a thing? Does it achieve anything? We speak to a former Army Officer who’s worked as a ...

The First Sea Lord has been asked for a plan to “take forward” the work of the Royal Marines, as ministers effectively confirm they’re again reconsidering the future of the corps’ two amphibious assault ships. Professor Michael Clarke explains what’s going on, and former Royal Marines Commandant General, Major General Buster Howes, tells Sitrep the Defence Secretary needs to think “very very caref...

Under the sea, in charge of a multi-million pound boat, and the safety of your crew, there is a lot that can go very wrong. Ryan Ramsay has lived it all, then trained his successors both in how to avoid those disasters, and to cope if they do strike. In his new book ‘A View From Below’ he shares the inside story how submarine captains are trained, the impossible scenarios they’re faced with i...

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 of...

The Defence Secretary has called the Army’s ban on beards for most soldiers “ridiculous and outdated”, as the Chief of General Staff reviews the rules. Kate and Mike are joined by former Chief of Defence People, Lieutenant General James Swift, to discuss whether facial hair really matters to recruitment, discipline and operational effectiveness. The next head of the Army has been named as General...