BFBS Sitrep

President Trump’s “America First” agenda has now been translated into an official security strategy with Europe at the bottom of the list. Will that mean big moves of US military capability away from Europe in 2026, even as war rages in Ukraine? How should the rest of NATO adapt, and how will Russia respond? Retired US Lieutenant General Ben Hodges explains the picture right now, and how it could...

China is the world’s fastest growing military power and likes to keep the world guessing. Might it use that military power against Taiwan in 2026, or will this standoff remain the dog that doesn’t bark? Will the crisis between Japan and China remain a diplomatic one, or could harsh words become hard action? And might tensions in the South China Sea boil over? Dr Zeno Leoni, author of “Grand Strate...

Britain’s Armed Forces go into 2026 with two big missions, become war-ready and transform for a high-tech future. There’s also the possibility of being deployed to Ukraine, if and when the fighting ends, and as always responding to unexpected events. Retired General Sir Richard Barrons, one of the authors of the Strategic Defence Review, explains the tasks, challenges, and events that will face se...

Global tensions are high going into 2026, but will they tip over into fighting and if so, where? Could a battered and bruised Iran hit back against the US and Israel? Will we face a resurgence of jihadist terrorism? And after the most serious clash between India and Pakistan for half a century in 2025, what could be the big surprise of the next 12 months? Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor for The Eco...

Could hundreds or thousands of British troops be sent to Ukraine to support a peace plan in 2026? If there’s no deal how can Ukraine turn the tide of Russian gains? And where in the world might we see a new major conflict break out? Sitrep brings together some of the finest minds in defence to assess what the year ahead holds. Will Moldova suffer a stealth invasion of “little green men”? Would we...

Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy prioritises improving relations with Russia and China, while calling for resistance to “weak leaders” in Europe. Professor Michael Clarke explains why he thinks this will embolden Russia rather than giving it an incentive to de-escalate, and former US State Department insider Dr Karin von Hippel assesses what it could mean for the US military footprint...

When a Greek military coup and Turkish invasion plunged Cyprus into a bloody conflict, more than 30,000 British military personnel and their dependents were caught up in the crisis. They didn’t want to be part of the fighting, but came perilously close to being dragged in, more than once. Kate Gerbeau talks to historian Andrew Southam about his new book, which sheds new light on those events and h...

The Royal Navy is “vulnerable to promoting toxic leaders”.  This is not a warning from a pressure group, or a critical MPs report, it has come from the new First Sea Lord. Former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe shares personal experiences to explain why and how leadership assessment could be overhauled, and how he thinks it can learn from civilian organisations. Germany is spending big o...

Just two weeks after being declared safe, with a squadron ready to go, a “Do Not Use” order has been issued for Ajax armoured vehicles, because of more noise and vibration injuries. James Wharton from BFBS Forces News, who used to drive the vehicles Ajax is supposed to replace, reveals the levels of concern among troops and Professor Michael Clarke explains why this is looking like a huge problem...

Investigations into past actions by British forces, from Northern Ireland to Afghanistan, are damaging morale, leading some to quit the forces, and threatening our national security.  So said 8 retired generals and a retired Air Marshal in an open letter calling on the government to “restore legal clarity” with a “new honest framework” Sitrep asks how do we can ensure servicemen and women hav...

As Russian troops battle to secure their most significant gain in Ukraine in over a yar – we look at how they’re drawing on deception tactics from the second world war. Also, the world’s largest warship arrives in the Caribbean as the US continues to strike suspected drugs-trafficking boats in the region  – have concerns over the legality of that action led Britain to stop some intelligence s...

Donald Trump’s suggested the US could restart explosive tests of nuclear weapons, after more than 30 years. Is this a symptom of a nuclear arms race already underway, or could it kickstart one? William Alberque, who has played a leading role in NATO’s nuclear policies, and Jon Wolfsthal who advised President Obama, share their thoughts on whether the US is about to break a global ban on detonation...

The multibillion-pound deal to deliver nuclear powered submarines for the UK and Australia is facing questions just four years into the decades long plan.   In the UK there are amber and red warnings for building the boats and propulsion systems, for its part the US is struggling to build enough Virginia class subs, and Australia faces a monumental challenge to be ready for its first nuclear...

Mike and Sian talk to Bernard Cornwell, creator of Napoleonic Wars Rifleman Richard Sharpe and Uhtred, the unforgettable hero of the Last Kingdom series. Bernard tells Sitrep about the 25th Sharpe novel, Sharpe’s Storm, his admiration for today’s armed forces and why he wouldn’t want to write about any modern day conflicts. He also reveals he’s writing a new book about Uhtred and lifts the lid on...

Three and a half years into Ukraine’s fight for survival against Russia, it has offered to freeze the front lines in return for peace talks.  But Russia’s not biting, so Sitrep explains where those front lines are right now and where the military momentum is pressing hardest, to understand where the war might go next as winter approaches. Ukrainian journalist Roman Pahulych shares insights fr...

The blueprint for the UK’s Armed Forces depends on data from every military sensor being available to every person who needs it. Whether the information comes from the battlefield, space, or cyberspace, and whether it’s required at the front-line, PJHQ, in a cockpit or deep in the ocean. The Digital Targeting Web is meant to be up and running in the next couple of years, but how will it work and w...

The government has promised thousands of drones will make the armed forces stronger and safer, but is refusing to say how many of them it’s ordered over the last year. Professor Michael Clarke analyses the numbers that are available and explains why Ukraine shouldn’t be treated as a template for the future, even though drones are here to stay. Sitrep also talks to the new Veterans & Defence Pe...

After a 37 year career in the Army Brigadier Ben Barry became one of the UK’s most respected land warfare researchers and analysts. Now he’s drawn together his experiences in and out of uniform to write a new history of the British Army over the last half century. It tells the stories not just of the major operations and battles but also big exercises, and plans which came to nothing. He tells Kat...

As well as condemning “fat” generals and “woke” policies US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has told America’s top officers they must end a ‘poisonous culture of risk aversion’. Sitrep separates the warfighting logic from the culture-war politics and assesses whether UK defence could benefit from being prepared to take greater risks. We also examine the cost of silence for special forces, and...

The Foreign Secretary says we will “confront” Russian planes after repeated invasions of NATO airspace. Donald Trump says they should be shot down. Sitrep talks to former RAF pilot Air Marshal Greg Bagwell about how intercepts are carried out, the options for pilots, and the risks involved. Kate and Mike also talk to Keir Giles, who advises governments on Moscow’s military mindset, about what it h...

RAF Typhoons join an air defence operation following Russian incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace. They’ll work with allied forces, including France, and Germany, helping to defend the eastern flank as part of Nato's Eastern Sentry. Sitrep digs deep with Forces News reporter Simon Newton. Also President Trump’s state visit to the UK is breaking military ceremonial records.  Sitrep tal...

The new Chief of Defence Staff has told defence industry they need to “step up” and do more to make Britain’s Armed Forces ready for warfighting. Sitrep is at one of the world’s largest defence equipment exhibitions to see the latest military technology, and assess the role of defence firms in deterring or winning a war. Ministers want help ending “stupid rules”, top brass want kit quicker, and sh...

China’s released 80,000 doves at the end of its 80th anniversary victory day parade, but the messaging of military might was far louder than appeals for peace. Professor Michael Clarke and defence analyst Dr James Bosbotinis explain what new hardware Beijing chose to show off, what the hypersonic missiles and uncrewed jets mean for its military capability, and the significance of who was (and who...

Oslo is spending £10bn to equip itself with five Type 26 frigates – a big vote of confidence in these submarine hunters already being built for the Royal Navy. But it will also mean the already-stretched timeline to deliver the Navy’s eight new frigates becomes even longer. Former Director of Navy Acquisition, Commodore Steve Prest, explains what cutting edge capabilities of the Type 26 that persu...

Sitrep analyses open-source intelligence which shows an uptick in secretive surveillance flights, by the UK, US and Russia, in the High North and over the Baltic.   Defence Analyst and former infantry officer Ed Arnold explains the possibilities behind the activity, and we hear first hand from NATO's Arctic Ocean patrols.   Could peat-bogs be used as tank-traps to help protect Eastern Eu...