BFBS Radio Sitrep

The history of the Battle of Britain has been written many times over the last 85 years, but almost always from a British perspective.

The award-winning aviation historian Dr Victoria Taylor believes that’s led to the Luftwaffe’s role being oversimplified, meaning we don’t truly understand what happened.

She talks to Sitrep editor James Hirst about her new book “Eagle Days”, which takes a fresh look at the story of wartime Germany’s air force to understand the psychology which drove its actions.

Researched through the letters and diaries of the men who served she tells us why this was not the David vs Goliath fight that is often simply portrayed, and why the idea that “they were just like us” is a troubling misunderstanding.

NATO countries have signed up hundreds of billions of pounds in extra defence spending by 2035, but no one has told us yet what it will be spent on.

But Mike explains how the UK’s part can already be seen in recent Strategic Defence Review.

From F-bombs to F-35s, and the viral ‘Daddy’ moment, there was a lot of political theatre at the NATO summit. But a former commander of the UK-led Allied Rapid Reaction Corps tells Sitrep why he’s sure that, behind the scenes, serious military figures have a firm grip on getting things done.

And Sian Grzeszczyk-Melbourne gives us an insider’s take from The Hague, including the importance of seating plans and President Trump turning the tables on a Ukrainian journalist.

The UK has around 100 square miles of sovereign territory in Cyprus, home to more than 3000 Defence personnel, and it is a lynchpin of British military operations around the world.

On the doorstep of the Middle East it’s used from everything from bombing missions, to intelligence gathering and decompression for troops returning from operations.

Sitrep talks to Colonel Vicky Reid about her key role as the UK Defence Adviser in Cyprus, responsible not only for helping deliver missions such as civilian evacuations, but also keeping everything running smoothly by maintaining the working relationship with the government of Cyprus

[This interview was recorded before the war between Israel and Iran, when extra RAF jets were deployed to Cypus]

RAF planes have been moved to the Middle East for ‘contingency support’, but what could those contingencies end up being?

Professor Michael Clarke maps out the British military presence in the region, which could come under threat from Iran in a worst-case scenario.

Lord Peter Ricketts, who led many a crisis meeting as National Security Adviser, explains how and why the UK is making military plans even as it calls for de-escalation.

And a former Deputy Commander of RAF Operations, Air Marshal Greg Bagwell, tells us how those British aircraft could be used, and in what situations that might happen.

The head of NATO issues his starkest warning yet about Russia’s readiness for war. We speak to Ed Arnold, a senior research fellow at the defence think-tank RUSI and a former infantry officer.

In Ukraine, drone warfare is reaching ever-more sophisticated levels. We look at how this single weapon is changing warfare with Dr. Ulrike Franke, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

And the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group makes its way through the Red Sea – what next for this projection of UK military power?  We get the thoughts of Commodore Steve Prest who was the Commander Weapon Engineer on Britain’s other carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth. He was also part of the top-level team that brought the QE out of build and into sea trials.

It’s the new defence masterplan for the next decade and beyond, but what does the Strategic Defence Review mean for the Armed Forces?

The lead military author of the review, General Sir Richard Barrons, joins a special live edition of Sitrep to explain the plan and answer your questions about how it should work.

Former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe adds his insights to the discussion with Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke.

The whole team will break down the big questions including the threats we face, how the job of the Armed Forces could change,  and when the PM’s target of warfighting readiness can be met.

As the Royal Navy unveils HMS Venturer to the public for the first time – we ask, what hope does the first Inspiration Class Frigate offer a surface fleet short on ships and sailors?

Sitrep’s reporter David Sivills-McCann has all the answers - he witnessed the new type 31 frigate rolling out of the build hall in Rosyth. The former second sea lord and Babcock chief executive of marine Sir Nick Hine says the Royal Navy will love her.

We’ll also look at the German Chancellor's announcement that restrictions are lifted on long range Western weapons supplied to Ukraine – and that his country will help them make their own. It’s been a contentious issue for well over a year now - both before and after ATACMs and Storm Shadows were supplied to Ukraine. Sitrep’s Ukraine reporter Simon Newton tells us how significant this move is.

And the story of the secret unit set up in World War 2, to deceive, mis-inform and, on occasion, come up with believable lies. Terry Stiastny's new book examines the people and the tactics used by the Political Warfare Executive whose job it was to broadcast fake news to the occupied countries in World War 2. 

Keir Starmer says it puts Britain back on the world stage.  Some critics claim it could drag Britain into some kind of “EU army”.

Sitrep explains what is, and isn’t, included in the new 62-point defence partnership agreement, and what it might mean for our Armed Forces.

Amid intense scrutiny of past actions by UK Special Forces, and a former SAS commander’s warning about the “complete absence of a workable legal framework”, how can they be better held to public account while maintaining vital secrecy in their job to keep us safe?

And a reshuffle of Britain’s top brass is underway.  Mike talks us through the names in the frame, what they could bring to the jobs, and the challenges they’ll face.

New satellite images show Russia’s building up its military presence on the border of Finland, as it reorganises and concentrates its military closer to NATO neighbours.

But is this preparation for war within years, or trying to maintain “peace through fear”? Mike explains what Russia’s doing with its forces, and Finnish OSINT analyst Emil Kastehelmi tells us what he’s found in the satellite images.

Sitrep also talks to the Forces Complaints Ombudsman who tells us why, despite ruling the complaints system still isn’t efficient, effective or fair, she believes servicemen and women can have confidence in it.

And former RAF pilot Scottie Bateman reveals some luxury secrets from his flights on the US President’s plane, Air Force One, and just what goes into making this flying fortress.

For 9 years in a row the service complaints system has been deemed to not be efficient, effective or fair by the watchdog that oversees it.

But despite that, and some of the high-profile stories of past failures, the Ombudsman says there’s been significant progress and that planned changes can deliver more improvements.

Sitrep talks at length to Mariette Hughes about why delays don’t just affect the people who do complain, what still needs to be done, and whether servicemen and women can have confidence in a system which isn’t efficient, effective or fair.

Britain and its allies fought Nazi Germany for a gruelling four and a half years in all, but once allied ground troops landed in Europe, creating the Western Front, they completed the victory in just eleven months.

Kate and Mike are joined by Dr Meghan Kellegher from the RAF Museum to explain the strategy which led to victory, and what the allies got wrong as well as right.

VE Day wasn’t the end of World War Two.  Military historian Lucy Betteridge-Dyson tells us how thousands of British troops, including her grandfather, still faced months of fierce fighting in Burma, and were still deployed two years later.

And after Ukrainian troops joined UK commemorations of VE day, we ask whether the conflicts raging today could become the catalyst for a third global war, and how that risk can be minimised.

Pakistan and India have already fought two wars over disputed Kashmir, now after a terror attack that killed 26 tourists spiralling tensions have brought warnings another war could be imminent.

South Asia expert Dr Walter Ladwig tells us why some kind of clash seems inevitable, as Sitrep compares military capabilities and past conflicts to explain who’s most likely to come out on top.

The RAF has launched against Houthi militants in Yemen for the first time in nearly a year.  So why now? Professor Michael Clarke explains all.

And could AI predict the time and place of the world’s next big conflict? Defence AI expert Anna Knack and former CIA analyst Dr. Nandita Balakrishnan tell us how and when it could become reality.

Former Conservative MP Jack Lopresti joined Ukraine’s foreign legion, in November 2024, to share his insights and experience of procurement and diplomacy.

Those skills have become all the more important since the diplomatic earthquakes of Donald Trump’s presidency, including a temporary halt to American weapons, ammunition and intelligence for Ukraine.

Mr Lopresti tells Sitrep about the impact on the military fight, the effect on morale, and why he still firmly believes Ukraine is not losing.

Drones have come of age in Ukraine, ruling the battlefield and overtaking artillery as the leading cause of casualties.

Kate and Mike are joined by RAF veteran Dr Keith Dear to explain how small devices once designed for consumers are now not only flying spies, but also lethal weapons that have radically changed the way land battles are fought.

Ukrainian drone-experts are reported to be training British troops as part of Operation Interflex.  So what can we learn from their experiences, and can we be sure that drones will still be as relevant in the next war?

And the founder of SYOS aerospace, which will supply £30m worth of drones to Ukraine, explains how drone-boat technology is evolving and has helped Ukraine neutralise Russia’s black sea fleet.

The death and destruction in Ukraine has only intensified in the two months since Donald Trump unilaterally announced peace talks, and the one month since Ukraine offered a 30-day ceasefire.

With diplomacy having delivered nothing so far Sitrep explains how the war has played out in that time, who has the battlefield momentum, and the potential paths ahead.

Equipment is key to Ukraine’s chances but a leaked German assessment says high-end tanks, like the Leopard 2, sometimes cause problems rather than providing capability.

Former British tank-commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon explains why, what lessons the UK should take from this, and which tank he’d want to be in if he were in Ukraine.

The Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier will be accompanied by more than 3000 servicemen and women, up to 24 RAF fighter jets, four British ships and four more from allies to sail as a carrier strike group halfway round the world.

But it is a considerably more dangerous world than four years ago when a British carrier group last sailed to the Indo-Pacific.

Retired Commodore Steve Prest tells us what threats the vessels could face in the Red Sea and the capabilities they have to protect themselves, and Professor Michael Clarke explains why the UK wants to show off its military might as far away as Australia when a land war is raging in Europe.

This first global operational deployment for HMS Prince of Wales will also be the first time a UK carrier has sailed with a full complement of British F35’s, and Claire Sadler explains another first – using drones to fly resupply missions between ships.

The world’s biggest military powers are all jockeying for position in and around the Arctic, starkly illustrated by Donald Trump’s demands for the US to buy Greenland even though it’s  already NATO territory.

Sitrep explains the melting pot of strategic positioning, potential trade routes, and natural resources that are driving shows of military force, including by the UK, in the High North.

Arctic expert Professor Caroline Kennedy-Pipe tells us the US can already put as many military bases as it wants in Greenland, but that the race for minerals also really matters for military power. And Professor Michael Clarke reveals the weapon of choice for Canadian troops in the Arctic, to defend themselves from polar bears.

The head of NATO says nothing can replace the US nuclear umbrella as the ultimate guarantee of our security,  and “Europe needs to know Uncle Sam still has our back”

But amid doubts about US commitment there is talk creating a comprehensive European nuclear capability without American-owned weapons.  Could the UK and France really provide a Europe only deterrent?  And if so, should they?

Sitrep compares our capabilities with the rest of the world and explains the complex thinking behind history’s bluntest and most powerful weapons.

Former NATO arms-control director William Alberque tells us why his thinking today is different, and Professor Michael Clarke explains why he has, very reluctantly, changed his view on Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

The head of the Army has spoken of his “anger and shame” after more than a thousand women shared stories of harassment, bullying and much worse while they served their country.

Another set of changes have been announced to try to stop unacceptable behaviours, including a tri-service unit to take over the most serious complaints from the chain of command. But is it enough?

Sitrep explains the detail of the changes and talks to two veterans, who are also leading advocates for women in the forces.

Former Conservative MP Sarah Atherton and Commodore Steve Prest share their own experiences to assess the scale and causes of unacceptable behaviours, and how culture can be changed to prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Sitrep assesses how the 30-day ceasefire, offered by Ukraine, could work in reality.  Would troops just stay in place and dig in, or might they have to pull back from a buffer zone?

It is a tactical trade-off by Kyiv which gives it back US military aid and intelligence, and forces Russia onto the diplomatic back foot.

Professor Michael Clarke explains which side has most to gain from a pause to rest and re-equip while former head of the Army, General Lord Dannatt, shares lessons from Bosnia suggesting even the most junior soldiers will have to fully understand the terms of any deal.

Kate and Mike also talk to former UK National Security Adviser Lord Peter Ricketts to assess the UK’s role in getting to this point, and the possibility of British troops being part of any longer-term peace plan.