BFBS Radio 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.

The Royal Navy, already thinly stretched, is now sending HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Duncan to the High North, while HMS Dragon heads in the other direction to loiter for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Both high profile deployments come with some big questions. 

Is an aircraft carrier the best way to deter Russian submarines? And if Dragon is waiting for an end to fighting between the US and Iran, what job for it to do there? 

Retired Commodore Steve Prest explains the likely tasks for each vessel and their crews, while Professor Michael Clarke assess how the Royal Navy will manage the workload just as it’s at the toughest point of a long term transformation. 

Ukraine has amassed so much battlefield footage from drones that it would take more than 200 years to watch. Now it’s using that footage, with machine learning, to teach drones to become more lethal.

Simon Newton explains how the country has made breakthroughs that allow the devices to identify not only potential targets, but also their most vulnerable spots.

The work could also have benefits for the UK with talk that massive pool of training data could be shared with allies.

But does this put us on an unstoppable path to machines making life and death decisions on the battlefield? Dr. Matthew Powell, from the RAF College Cranwell, explains the practical and ethical dilemmas.

Across three decades Rose Gottemoeller has had a ringside seat at key moments in the changing relationship between Russia, the US, and allies like the UK.

As a former Deputy Secretary General of NATO and U.S. Undersecretary of State she’s seen the highs, as well as the lows.

Rose talks to Kate Gerbeau about those experiences, and the driving mission behind her new book “Security Through Cooperation”

In it she sets out to debunk President Putin’s narrative that the US is determined to destroy Russia, and shares memories from her own time in Moscow.

Three decades since the end of the troubles the legacy on Northern Ireland is affecting today’s Armed Forces, with growing talk it’s damaging recruitment and driving some to leave service.

The Northern Ireland Secretary promised additional protections for veterans to help as the save his legacy bill from running out of parliamentary time, but it remains hugely divisive.

Sitrep explains the complexities of laying the past to rest in way that could satisfy all, and asks one veteran why he favours an end to prosecutions over courtroom justice for victims and families, including hundreds of soldiers. 

And as HMS Victory has its masts carefully removed in a painstaking operation we talk to the man charged with preserving this icon of British military history.  

Japan eases restrictions in defence exports, taking a step away from decades of self-imposed pacifism after the Second World War. On Sitrep, we ask, what will they be selling and will the UK buy any of it?Searching for the next generation of Gurkha soldiers – we’re on the road in Nepal with the recruiters battling with bribery and corruption. Also on Sitrep, how do you prepare for peace while war rages? A career diplomat explores the people and events in the Foreign Office during World War 2. 

When they still don’t know what equipment they will get, and when, it’s extremely hard for  the UK’s Armed Forces deliver on their mission to be ready for war. 

But the clock is ticking ever louder, so how long have they got?

Professor Michael Clarke and Dr. Jack Watling explain the types of conflict that could lie ahead, when they could happen, and what we need to be ready for those risks.

And as the Chief of Defence Staff reveals a new national War Book is being written, to plan for the worst case scenario, Sitrep hears from someone who had access to this highly secret document during the Cold War.

British military planners are working with allies on how to make the Strait of Hormuz “safe and accessible”. The PM says it’s important we get the route open, but how and when could it be done?

Former Royal Navy Weapon Engineering Officer, Commodore Steve Prest, tells Sitrep what capabilities are needed, and why the announced two-week ceasefire isn’t enough to start the job.

With the US and Iran both claiming victory, Professor Michael Clarke explains why they  “scared themselves” into the deal, and how the war could spiral out of control if it restarts.

And with the world distracted from Ukraine, Simon Newton updates us on why President Zelensky believes his forces are in their best position for nearly a year.

The UK’s defence plans have relied, for decades, on the assumption that America will help us in a crisis.  But we can’t assume that any more, so what are those plans worth now?

Sitrep explains the findings of MPs and Peers who say we must end our “deep dependence” on the US, for everything from software updates for planes to nuclear capable missiles.

Former National Security adviser Lord Ricketts tells Kate Gerbeau where the biggest risks are, and how long it could take to cut UK military dependence on the US.

And as President Trump threatens, again, to pull the US out of NATO former MoD official Matthew Savill explains why a “quiet quitting” by the US is more likely and just how exposed it could still leave us.

20 years ago the “future infantry structure” plan provoked outrage.

To reshape a shrunken army some historic regiments were amalgamated, losing names and cap badges, while others were closed altogether.

Two decades later, those regiments that were created have their own histories, and bonds forged in battle. 

So was the pain worth it, and with all that’s changed since is it time for another round of mergers?

Tens-of-thousands of Ukrainian troops have been trained in the UK on Operation Interflex, but Ukraine says our trainers now lack “modern combat experience”, and that the lessons would be more effective delivered at home.

Simon Newton explains the practical considerations and why this will be an evolution of Op. Interflex, not end to it.

Also on Sitrep a senior Army officer blames failures to correctly operate and maintain Ajax armoured vehicles for more than 30 soldiers falling ill on exercise. 

Former tank commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon explains how regular checks of tracks, and a new automatic tension system might finally solve the vibration problems.  

There are only so many weapons in the world to go round, so the laws of supply and demand leave Ukraine struggling even more to get what it desperately needs.

And Russia’s been thrown an economic lifeline by a double whammy of surging gas and oil prices, along with weakened sanctions.

Professor Michael Clarke explains how all this will impact the battlefield, and Colin Freeman gives us insights from his latest visit to Ukraine.

Also on Sitrep, some of Britain’s top Army officers are reshuffled in the name of strengthening our contribution to NATO.  Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall, former Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, tells all about the jobs and people involved.

The UK ramped up its air power in and around the Middle East before the Iran war, but the fact it took nearly a fortnight to deploy an air-defence destroyer has put military capability and readiness firmly in the spotlight.

Sitrep explains the rhetoric and the reality as political opponents accuse the Prime Minister of failing to prepare and sitting on his hands.

Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, who helped write the Chilcot Report into the Iraq war, tells Sitrep why he thinks the US operation is “stunningly irresponsible”, and the UK got it right by staying on the sidelines. 

And Mike explains how warnings about the just how thinly spread the Armed Forces are now being seen in action.

The Royal Navy deploys a destroyer to the Mediterranean to bolster defences in the region, amidst a war in the Middle East.

But HMS Dragon won’t set sail until next week and it will take days to get there.

The question on most observers' lips is - why did it take so long? and is our response a bit late and a bit underwhelming?    

Also on Sitrep …. What are the 6 crises predicted to converge, making it the most unstable global time since the second world war?

As Ukraine fights its war for survival alone on the battlefield, the UK has announced new sanctions against Russia to throttle the supply of money into Putin's war machine.

But can it work, and persuade Moscow to get serious about peace talks? Economist and Russia expert Timothy Ash runs us through the numbers.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard tells Sitrep the UK is considering “further tactics” against Russia’s shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil.  Mike explains why he doesn’t expect to see Royal Marines roping onto tankers any time soon. 

And Simon Newton has been looking through combat videos from Ukraine, with former Paras Major Andrew Fox, to assess lessons from four years of the most filmed war in history.

The Prime Minister says we are going to have to spend more, faster, on defence.  But his government hasn’t even decided how it will spend the money already in the budget, despite  promising the plan months ago.

Sitrep explains why the growing delays are a big problem for some defence firms, and therefore the Armed Forces they supply, as the ADS trade body tells us small business liquidations are at a 30-year high.

Sian Grzeszczyk Melbourne shares the Westminster whispers on when these vital decisions could finally be taken, and whether any more money could be found.

And Mike explains what US Forces are being massed around Iran, plus what that tells us about any military action that might happen.