BFBS Sitrep

The tank has been written off many times in history, even when the very first ones rolled onto the battlefield in World War One. But this British invention continues to shape the world.

From its inception as a “land ship” to the battlefields of Ukraine, the story of the tank and those who have commanded them, are chronicled by Hamish de Bretton Gordon in his new book “Tank Command”

He tells Kate Gerbeau how a risky experiment secured its ongoing place in modern warfare

He also shares his own experiences in a tank during the Gulf War, from engine repairs using rope to narrowly avoiding friendly fire from the tank of Major James Hewitt.

The long-delayed Defence Investment Plan, to turn the future blueprint of the Armed Forces into reality, is in sight.

But with billions missing from the budget what do we need to look for when it arrives? What’s on the table, and where might the axe fall?

Professor Michael Clarke and RUSI Director of Military Sciences Matthew Savill explain why spending on getting the best out of what we already have matters as much as what new kit will be ordered.

And Sitrep hears some of your thoughts on whether it’s time to admit we can’t do everything, and instead prioritise one service over the others.

Exercise Spring Storm may be an annual event for NATO, but this time there’s no playing nicely with words. The troops taking part say they are “rehearsing for war”, just miles from Russia.
BFBS Forces News Reporter Rosie Laydon tells why this exercise feels different to the many she’s visited before, and talks us through the new tech being tested out by 2 Scots.
We explain what other tech is in the pipeline for the Army, and how it could change soldiering, as Kate talks to two senior officers driving the Land ISTAR programme.
And Professor Michael Clarke assesses reports that the US will slash the combat capability it promises to NATO, including all submarines, and explains why it might not be as worrying as it looks.

Sitrep dives into the future of the Army and explains how a new generation of battlefield sensors and worldwide connectivity could transform British soldiering.
The Land ISTAR programme will gather unprecedented battlefield insights and share them in real time, informing soldiers just a few metres away and at the same moment an HQ on the other side of the world.
It won’t be a big bang event, it’s a long process, but its already connecting some existing systems with new cutting edge kit.
Brigadier Matthew Birch, Senior Responsible Owner of the Land ISTAR Programme, and Colonel Kieran Phillips, Commander Multi-Domain Operations Group, explain what’s already out there, what lies ahead, and how they plan to avoid data overload.

From invasion, through stabilisation and counter-insurgency to training Iraqi forces, Operation Telic involved more than 135,000 British servicemen and women from 2003 to 2011
Fifteen years since the last troops left Sitrep talks to three veterans of Iraq to reflect on the jobs they did, the sacrifices made, and how the legacy looks today with more distance and time.
In a special edition from the National Memorial Arboretum James Wharton, Duane Gardner, and Kevin Robinson share their stories and compare their experiences.
And they explain how, despite the complex legacy of the Iraq war, it continues to shape todays armed forces from transformed kit to sharpened doctrine.