BFBS Radio Sitrep

It’s spring but there’s no sign yet of the ‘spring offensives’ promised by both sides in Ukraine. They are quietly preparing though.

Professor Michael Clarke explains the big movements of Russia’s best troops, and some psychological warfare by Kyiv.

A senior officer tells fellow servicewomen they must report sex attacks to police. We ask why some are still not coming forward despite an overhaul of investigations.

And three years on from Brexit, Britain holds talks about new defence ties with the EU. Is it just about repairing a broken friendship or could it benefit the UK’s Armed Forces? 

Exactly 20 years ago more than 40,000 British troops were deployed on Operation Telic, to invade Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction which did not exist.

The legacy of that invasion is complicated, and Sitrep explains how it’s shaped the British Armed Forces of today.

General Lord Dannatt, former Chief of General Staff, tells us how it made us more risk-averse, but developed leadership skills that remain in today’s servicemen and women.

Plus decorated bomb disposal operator Chris Hunter tells us why he’s now living in the country where he was shot, and is still working to make it a safer place.

Chris Hunter is a decorated high-threat bomb disposal operator. He had been in Iraq, on operation Telic, for just four days when he was shot in an ambush.

Two decades later he lives in the country that nearly claimed his life and works for a charity clearing explosives left by the Islamic State terror group.

He tells Kate Gerbeau how he now has friends who may have tried to kill him years ago, what life is like in Iraq 20 years after the invasion, and what motivates him to stay for as long as he can.

The Chancellor has promised another 11 billion pounds for Defence over the next five years, but after soaring inflation and big donations to Ukraine how much extra is left over?

Professor of Defence Studies Michael explains what it means for the spending power of Defence, and what it might mean for the future of British Forces as a new masterplan for their size and shape is drawn up.

We also take a closer look at the next generation of Royal Navy attack submarines, which will take up more than a quarter of the new cash.

Just days after the Ministry of Defence launched its own TikTok channel the Chinese owned app has been banned from government devices. A former army intelligence officer explains the risks.

Ukrainian troops are having to risk their lives, crossing icy waters, to defend small islands used for little more than holiday homes.

We hear why these small marshy patches of land are strategically crucial to protecting Ukraine’s biggest gain so far in the war, while Professor Michael Clarke explains the latest developments across the country.

The UK’s creating a new Arctic operations base, and Sitrep reporter Briohny Williams tells us exactly what it’s like to be there for training and exercises.

Sarah Louise Miller shares the story of thousands of women who overcame huge resistance to become key players in British military intelligence during World War 2.

The World War 2 RAF pilots, dubbed ‘The Few’ by Winston Churchill, could not have achieved all that they did without the support of a huge intelligence operation.

But as more and more men had to go to the front, that intelligence work was increasingly taken on by women, despite huge initial resistance and scepticism from military leaders.

Sarah Louise Miller tells us their story, researched in new detail for her book ‘The Women Behind The Few’

And at an event marking International Women’s Day, some of those veterans have told us what life was like as they laid the groundwork for today’s women to serve in frontline combat. 

The Army’s modernisation masterplan relies on Ajax, a new armoured vehicle that is already 6 years late, and has injured some troops with noise and vibration.

As the Defence Secretary says that’s all been solved, Professor Michael Clarke explains why Ajax is so important and we talk to Conservative MP Mark Francois about why he wants to hear from troops involved in the Ajax trials.

Also this week – China’s produced a peace plan for the Ukraine war, but what outcome does it really want?

And we hear from two RAF Typhoon pilots about what it was like patrolling the skies of Qatar to keep the World Cup safe.

Ukrainian journalist Maryana Drach tells Sitrep her experiences of living through a year of war in her country.

The loss of her friend and colleague, Vira Hyrych, in a missile strike on an apartment block, witnessing destruction in her home city, and her team’s drive to expose atrocities.

She also tells us about the latest assessments of public opinion in Ukraine, her thoughts on how the war may end, and why she believes Ukrainians are maintaining their resolve.

Maryana Drach is Director of the Ukrainian service at Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.  

12 months on from Russia’s full scale invasion Sitrep assesses how Ukraine defied predictions that it would lose in days – and instead pushed back Moscow’s forces.

Three experienced British military minds explain who’s got what right, and wrong, and the lessons the UK should learn from all this. 

Daily Telegraph correspondent Colin Freeman tells us what the battlefield picture looks like going into year two, as Ukrainian forces face ‘zombie waves’ of Russian troops.

And Ukrainian journalist Maryana Drach shares personal testimony of her country’s losses, alongside the resolve of its people.

After three more mystery objects were found flying over North America and shot down, the Defence Secretary has ordered a security review of British Airspace.

Have they already flown over us, and have we been looking for them? Sitrep asks a former RAF Operations Commander.

Hundreds of British troops are helping to defend Estonia, a country that has sent its entire Howitzer artillery stock to Ukraine. We hear from soldiers on exercise and Estonia’s Defence Minister.

Plus we explain whether Russia has begun its new offensive, and examine how long NATO nations can keep supplying vital military aid to Ukraine.

Servicemen and women, along with veterans, are often called heroes – it’s well intentioned, but is that label helpful or harmful.

Sitrep talks to a US psychologist who says it could drive veterans towards lower paid ‘selfless’ jobs, a leading military psychiatrist and a founder of the charity Help for Heroes.

The UK is promising to train Ukrainian fighter pilots, but says it can’t send fighter jets any time soon, so is there any point in the training and can the UK actually deliver it?

And the Chinese ‘spy’ balloon that has been shot down by the US Air Force might seem like ancient technology, but we explain why the UK is one of the countries looking at balloons as part of the military future.

The Defence Secretary says his own party has ‘hollowed out’ the forces while in government, but one of his fellow ministers says that’s ‘patently untrue’.

Sitrep assesses if this is this a civil-war in the cabinet over Defence spending, and if so why?

The Defence Secretary says Labour shares the blame for hollowing out, we talk to the Shadow Armed Forces Minister.

Buying Russian missiles, skirmishes with Greece, and now threatening to keep Sweden out of NATO – we ask if Turkey’s a truly committed ally.

And Sitrep’s Simon Newton tells us what life is like onboard a US Destroyer patrolling the Mediterranean.

As the Taliban continue to prevent women and some girls from working or having an education an all party group has been established in Westminster to monitor the situation.

Sitrep also talks to a former female politician who fled the country and the wife of a former CDS who started an education charity in the country.

More tanks are being sent to Ukraine but will they make a difference and how will Russia respond?

And we talk to the film maker given the run of HMS Queen Elizabeth

After her husband and future Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Richards deployed to Afghanistan Lady Caroline Richards wanted to do something to improve the lives of children in the country so she set up a charity.

Shukria Barakzai is a former Member of the Afghan Parliament who fled the country when the Taliban took back control.

And an All Party Parliamentary Group for Afghan Women and Girls was launched in the UK at the end of November. Colonel Rosie Stone is part of the Secretariat for the Group.

In a special edition of Sitrep Kate Gerbeau speaks to all three women about the challenges facing Afghanistan’s female population.

As the UK sends tanks and artillery guns to Ukraine the head of the Army has conceded it will temporarily weaken the service.

That’s on top of Army cuts announced in 2021, which are now being reviewed.

Sitrep talks to two former officers to assess what rebuilding the Army needs, and how it can be done.

NATO’s top military commander has declared “hard power is a reality” – but who was his message aimed at?

And we look at a British-designed 3D-printed bionic hand that could help hundreds of injured Ukrainian troops.

British troops could be deployed to Japan – and Japanese troops to the UK – under an historic treaty that’s just been signed at the Tower of London

On Sitrep a former Japanese Foreign Minister explains why her country has turned to the UK to bolster its defence position.

After a year of appeals, western tanks could soon be headed to Ukraine, led by British Challenger 2s. A former tank regiment commander tells us what the vehicles can do in a war.

And we hear how a Royal Marines mindset can help with that ‘new year, new me’ plan, from someone who turned round the performance of the England men’s football team.

Scotty Mills had an incredible 32 year career in the Royal Marines, but it only happened because he wanted to get out of the rain one day.

He led a daring mission in the opening moments of the Iraq war, has helped England football and Rugby players reach international glory, and marched on the world stage at London 2012.

Scotty tells Kate Gerbeau how he learned a Royal Marines mindset for success, and about becoming a writer to share those lessons with the rest of us.

Sitrep looks ahead at what 2023 may have in store for the UK’s armed forces. Where might they find themselves sent and why?

We also dig into new figures which show the forces are shrinking again – because people are leaving significantly faster than they’re joining.

After a year dominated by war between Ukraine and Russia, we assess what will happen next on the battlefield, and in the Kremlin.

And Professor Michael Clarke gives us his guide to ‘mousetraps’ around the world, the potential trouble spots already spring loaded and waiting to be triggered.

How much can you remember from a truly historic year?

How many days did Russia plan for fighting in Ukraine, and how long has it actually been going on? Just how many munitions is Ukraine firing every day in its fightback?

Sitrep tests a panel of experts on the numbers that spell out the scale of Europe’s biggest war since the 1940s, and the stories from elsewhere that have been overshadowed.

What’s it all meant for Britain’s armed forces, while Westminster has been in turmoil?

We also reflect on the huge military contribution to national mourning for Her Majesty the Queen, and see how much the panel know about the military background of King Charles III.

More than a thousand servicemen and women who might have expected to celebrate Christmas at home are now standing by to cover for striking workers.

The PM says we owe them gratitude, but after two years of Covid work over the festive season is the goodwill of the Armed Forces being stretched?

The head of the Armed Forces says the UK must ‘think big’ on the future of defence, after the invasion of Ukraine. We’ll analyse his annual keynote speech.

Plus what is Skynet, and why is the UK prepared to put billions on the line to keep it updated?