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 People Minister, Louise Sandher-Jones, about how she plans to tackle accommodation and recruitment problems from her own experience of service.And Brigadier Ben Barry tells us about joining the dots of his career for his new book, chronicling the rise and fall of the army over the last 50 years.
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EXTRA – The Rise and Fall of the British Army
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 Kate Gerbeau how it helped him join the dots to understand not only the successes and failures of given moments, but to see the whole arc and how that could help the Army rise again to face the next 50 years.
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Does taking risks win wars?
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 explain how their bond of secrecy could stand in the way of getting mental health help.And as the largest collection of Victoria Crosses is taken off display, to make way for other museum exhibits, retired Major General Tim Cross and historian Lucy Betteridge-Dyson discuss how best preserve the stories of gallantry behind these medals.
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Gesture or shoot? How to intercept Russian planes in NATO skies
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 hoped to achieve with drones over Poland, and fighter jets in Estonian airspace.And after President Trump’s big U-turn any hope of Ukraine peace talks appears to be over, so Mike explains what both sides are planning for the next phase of the war.
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RAF Typhoons Head To Poland
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 talks to General Sir Nick Parker, former deputy commander of ISAF, about how intertwined UK forces are with US ones.And as world events are brought directly to our mobile devices Sitrep speaks to the author of a book looking at how the military must adapt to fighting wars with the smartphone.Kate Gerbeau presents, with expert analysis from Dr Karin von Hippel.
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