The Security Podcast

Artificial intelligence is changing the way wars are fought — and the transformation may only just be beginning. From AI-assisted targeting and autonomous drones to intelligence analysis and battlefield decision-making, machines are taking on roles that once depended entirely on humans. But where does this lead? Could autonomous weapons eventually decide for themselves who or what to attack? What...

Artificial intelligence is changing the way wars are fought,  and the transformation may only just be beginning. From AI-assisted targeting and autonomous drones to intelligence analysis and battlefield decision-making, machines are taking on roles that once depended entirely on humans. But where does this lead? Could autonomous weapons eventually decide for themselves who or what to attack? What...

Has the West betrayed Ukraine? That is one of the central questions raised by Guardian foreign correspondent and former Moscow correspondent Luke Harding in his new book, Betrayal: Trump, Putin and the New Age of Conquest. In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I talk to Luke about Donald Trump's extraordinary relationship with Vladimir Putin, America's changing approach to Ukraine and why...

Is Donald Trump a Russian asset? It is one of the most provocative questions raised by Guardian foreign correspondent and former Moscow correspondent Luke Harding in his new book, Betrayal: Trump, Putin and the New Age of Conquest. In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I talk to Luke about Donald Trump's extraordinary relationship with Vladimir Putin, America's changing approach to Ukrain...

The United States entered the war with Iran confident that its overwhelming military superiority would deliver a rapid victory. Instead, Washington appears caught in a conflict it cannot easily win—or end. Iran has continued to launch drones and missiles, threaten shipping and widen the battlefield across the Gulf. By using relatively cheap weapons to stretch sophisticated Western air-defence syst...

Britain is preparing for a more dangerous world. The Defence Investment Plan is intended to transform the Armed Forces, strengthen the country’s ability to deter its enemies and ensure Britain is ready for a conflict ministers increasingly warn may no longer be unthinkable. But defence is about far more than buying new ships, aircraft, drones and armoured vehicles. It is about people, preparedness...

Westminster has been shaken by the resignations of Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns over claims the government has failed to properly fund the Defence Investment Plan, known as the DIP, intended to pay for the ambitions set out in the defence review. Both politicians  warned that underfunding the plan risks making Britain less safe. In the latest episode of The Secu...

This episode of The Security Podcast looks at one of the most urgent security challenges facing governments, industry and critical national infrastructure: how to defend against the combined threat of cyber attacks, drones and rapidly evolving hostile technologies. I spoke with Arno Robbertse from Collective Defence about how AI, cybersecurity and counter-drone technology are changing the way we p...

In this episode of The Security Podcast, Sean Rayment speaks to Phil Ingram, former Colonel in the Intelligence Corps, about the vital role of intelligence in modern security. They discuss what intelligence really means, how information is gathered and assessed, and why good intelligence is essential for effective decision-making. Phil draws on his military experience to explain the challenges of...

In March 2026, the Russian Army sustained more than 35,000 casualties in Ukraine  - 96 per cent of them either killed or wounded by drones. This year, Ukraine is expected to produce around seven million attack and reconnaissance drones. Russia is expected to produce even more. In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I’m joined by Harry Fullerton, a defence consultant, strategist and transfo...

It is now widely accepted that the British Army requires radical reform if it is to survive, let alone prevail, in a future conflict. But how radical does that reform need to be? Has the time come to challenge sacred cows and think the unthinkable? Are brigades, battalions, companies, platoons and sections still the right force structures for the modern battlefield? Is the RAF Regiment still relev...

It is now widely accepted that the British Army requires radical reform if it is to survive, let alone prevail, in a future conflict. But how radical does that reform need to be? Has the time come to challenge sacred cows and think the unthinkable? Are brigades, battalions, companies, platoons and sections still the right force structures for the modern battlefield? Is the RAF Regiment still relev...

In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, Paul Cornish, Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of Exeter, and I examine how the United States has become trapped in a conflict with Iran. As Trump posts messianic images of himself on social media and clashes with the Pope, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, peace talks have stalled, and the global economy is teetering on the brink o...

In this episode of The Security Podcast, I’m joined by strategic studies professor Paul Cornish to examine one of the most pressing questions in global security today: has Donald Trump lost the initiative in the war with Iran? We explore how this conflict may be reshaping the nature of modern warfare and consider whether the United States remains the military superpower it once was. We also turn t...

As the war with Iran enters its third week, I speak with Major General Charlie Herbert about the reasons behind the decision by the United States and Israel to attack Iran. US President Donald Trump has declared that the war against Iran has been won. Yet the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — the shipping lane through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil passes — remains closed. Althoug...

In another emergency edition of The Security Podcast, I’m once again joined by former Army Colonel and Military Intelligence Officer Philip Ingram MBE to examine the ongoing conflict in Iran. Together, we reassess President Trump’s strategy and the “strategic ambiguity” surrounding the United States’ military objectives. Is the goal regime change, the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabi...

In this emergency edition of The Security Podcast, I’m joined by former Army Colonel and Military Intelligence Officer Phil Ingram to unpack the escalating conflict in Iran. Together, we examine President Trump’s strategic objectives, the legal questions surrounding U.S. involvement, what a credible “win” would look like for Washington, and, perhaps most critically, how this conflict could ultimat...

In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I sit down with Paul Cornish, a former Army officer and current Professor of Strategic Studies. We delve into President Donald Trump's objectives regarding Iran and whether the US military have been given a clear mission,  and explore Greenland's significance to US security. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, no...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Security Podcast, we tackle three pressing questions: Can the British Army double its lethality in the next two years? What does the future hold for veterans facing legacy investigations in Northern Ireland? Does Gaza have a viable future? Join me as I engage with Major General Charlie Herbert to explore these contentious topics and gain insights into the c...

In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I’m joined by former Army Colonel and Intelligence Officer Phil Ingram. We delve into President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks regarding NATO troops on the frontline in Afghanistan, as well as the situation in Russia and ongoing peace talks. Additionally, we address Iran, the tragic number of protesters killed by the regime, and the potential fo...

In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I take apart the £6.3bn procurement disaster that is Ajax. Billed as the vehicle that would transform the British Army into a force ready to take on the UK’s adversaries anywhere in the world, Ajax was surrounded by hype from the start. The reality is very different. The Army has been left with a dud — a vehicle that has injured soldiers during testin...

In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I take apart the £6.3bn procurement disaster that is Ajax. Billed as the vehicle that would transform the British Army into a force ready to take on the UK’s adversaries anywhere in the world, Ajax was surrounded by hype from the start. The reality is very different. The Army has been left with a dud — a vehicle that has injured soldiers during testin...

In this episode of The Security Podcast I am joined by Lord West of Spithead, a former Chief of the Naval Staff and Security Minister and who now sits on the Intelligence and Security Committee. During the podcast, we examine the claim that the West is involved in a Grey Zone war with Russia and how Nato needs to prepare for a potential attack by Putin. We also look at the current state of the Roy...

In this episode of The Security Podcast, I am joined by Colonel Phil Ingram a former military intelligence officer and media commentator. We discuss why nations spy on one another, what they hope to achieve and the various strategies involved in developing agents and acquiring secret information. Phil also explains how he was once targeted by Chinese intelligence officers and how that experience i...

In this episode of The Security Podcast, the acclaimed foreign correspondent and author Colin Freeman and I discuss his latest book: The Mad and The Brave - The Untold Story of Ukraine's Foreign Legion. Colin has been reporting from inside Ukraine since before the start of the 2022 Russian invasion. In the podcast we discuss the book's genesis, the characters who make up the foreign legion and how...