BFBS Radio Sitrep

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 have confidence they won’t be dragged through inquiries, or court, for doing their job properly?

Kate and Mike talk to the Reverend Nicholas Mercer, who was Commander Legal for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and former Army officer turned barrister Patrick Hennessey. They explain how legal decisions worked when they were in uniform and the need to balance protections with accountability when wrongdoing happens.

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 sharing with its US ally?

And –The Army’s first new armoured fighting vehicle in 30 years – what will the deployment of Ajax mean for today’s battlefield?

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 detonations, and what that could mean for us all.

Sitrep also explains how atomic weapons have been tested and verified, without explosions, since the 1990s.

And as the UK develops a new nuclear warhead in parallel with the US, Professor Michael Clarke assesses whether any testing row could drag Britain in by association. 

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 vessels.

So will the Royal Navy be asked to do more in the Pacific for longer, while also having to wait for gaps in its submarine capability to be filled?

Kate and Mike are joined by former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe and senior defence researcher Sophia Gaston to assess the risks, the potential consequences, and how they could be avoided or at least mitigated.

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 whether his latest book is the final ever Sharpe novel.

(This podcast contains some strong language)

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 from his time with troops close to the front lines while John Foreman, former Defence Attaché to Kyiv, explains how new sanctions could still bite at Moscow’s military capabilities.

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 what will it mean for troops at the sharp end?

Also on Sitrep what difference could US Tomahawk cruise missiles make to Ukraine, as President Trump hints he might be prepared to supply “the Daddy of missiles”?

And as the US Navy celebrates its 250th birthday a Royal Navy veteran, who spent two years on exchange, tells us what makes the American maritime force tick.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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 shareholders want their returns.  Can they all be delivered as one?

Retired Major General Neil Sexton and Thales Chief Technology officer Mike Sewart join Kate and Mike to explain what changes have already happened, and what’s still needed.

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 wasn’t) in the VIP seats.

The Northern Ireland Secretary says Britain and Ireland are “close” to agreeing a new plan for the legacy of the troubles.  But what will it mean for veterans of Northern Ireland?

And what was once called the final-frontier is now expected to be the first-frontline for future wars.  Sitrep explains the rapid weaponisation of space.

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 persuaded Norway to buy British, how the delays might impact Britain’s maritime capability, and why despite that he thinks it’s still good news for the Royal Navy.

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 Europe from Russian invasion? We hear from Estonia where they’re looking at potential spin-off benefits from their plan to tackle climate change.

And BBC weather forecaster Simon King draws on his RAF experience to explain the science of weather manipulation, and whether militaries could ever hope to use it to their advantage.

Sitrep digs deep into the implications for the British military of a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.  

The Defence Secretary has laid out Britain’s preparedness  to put boots on the ground and provide reassurance at sea and in the air.  

So this time on Sitrep – how does Britain plan for that moment, and what’s its part in guaranteeing Ukraine’s future security? 

We hear from former Chief of the Defence Staff Field Marshal Lord Richards and Former Army intelligence officer and military planner, Philip Ingram. 

And ‘battlefield robotics’ – what’s already out there giving soldiers an edge? And what are the dangers? Dr Simona Soare, Professor in Strategy and Technology at Lancaster University, joins the show. 

Kate Gerbeau presents, with expert analysis from Professor Michael Clarke.  

80 years ago General Bill Slim accepted the surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War Two, after leading the 14th Army to victory in Burma.

He is regarded by many as Britain’s greatest general, but how did he achieve what others believed to be impossible?

A veteran tells Sitrep what made the Burma campaign so hard and why General Slim was so well regarded, while Viscount Mark Slim gives us a rare tour of the artefacts which reveal his grandfather’s place in history.

Military historians Dr Robert Lyman and Phil Craig join Professor Michael Clarke and Kate Gerbeau to explain how Slim’s prioritisation of his troops’ wellbeing and focus on his enemy’s weak points made a winning formula which still underpins British military doctrine.

The UK’s 2025 Carrier Strike Group has sailed to the other side of the world, and is halfway through that 8 month mission.  But what’s it all for?

Sitrep explains what the military drills along the way will have given the 4,000 servicemen and women taking part, and why the aircraft carrier’s role hosting defence and trade talks in Japan still matters.

The Royal Navy can’t do big global deployments without the support from the Royal Fleet Auxilliary.  But with yet another RFA ship forced out of service, former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe tells us why he thinks that logistic capability is at crisis point.

And in our ongoing exploration of transformative technologies, Sitrep explains directed energy weapons including lasers and radio beams could soon be in service with Britain’s Armed Forces.

The UK, France, and Canada are upping the pressure on Israel for a ceasefire, by talking about recognising a Palestinian state. Even Donald Trump has told Israel it has to “do it a different way” because of “real starvation”.

But will this diplomatic pressure make any difference? Professor Michael Clarke and Middle East expert Dr Burcu Ozcelik consider whether cutting military aid might be more effective and assess the impact of Arab League calls for Hamas to disarm.

Sitrep also speaks to British veteran Major Andrew Fox, about what he’s just seen in Gaza as an invited observer of the Israeli/American aid distribution programme.

And how brain-sensors, eye implants, and robot exoskeletons could transform not just future military operations but military personnel too.