BFBS Radio Sitrep

Five months ago Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic was almost killed in a nerve agent attack — now he’s been jailed for 3-and-a-half years. Alexei Navalny says it’s Putin’s punishment for surviving the poisoning — and a warning to the huge crowds who’ve joined protests in more than a-hundred cities. But what should the west do about it? And how much will countries like the UK be willing to do? We look at the coup in Myanmar that’s seen Aung San Suu Kyi deposed and locked up. And we report on a new warning about the state of much military accommodation, and claims it’s worsening a retention crisis in the forces. Plus we look back at the extraordinary life of Captain Sir Tom Moore, after his death this week at the age of 100.

Days after Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the US attended Joe Biden’s inauguration, China sent fighter jets into Taiwanese airspace. It’s being seen as a warning to the new US President not to intervene in what China sees as its affairs. In this week’s Sitrep, we hear from one expert on China, who fears a conflict over Taiwan is almost inevitable. Ten years after the Arab Spring, we ask why the dreams of a transition to democracy failed. And as the Chief of the Air Staff sets out his vision for the future of the RAF, we discuss the ethical implications of an autonomous fighter jet.

Sitrep hears from a former British ambassador in the US, and the Chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, on what a Biden administration means for Britain. As hospitals struggle to cope with a surge in coronavirus patients, the military is called in to help out. Also what will happen to Russia’s most prominent opposition activist, Alexei Navalny, who was detained on his return to the country? Plus a new service to help veterans in London struggling with mental health problems, and find out why Boris might be sending his Cabinet ministers to Sandhurst…

Donald Trump becomes the first US President to be impeached twice — but he remains in office. This week’s Sitrep asks what would happen if the Commander-in-Chief tried to launch military action in his final days in the White House. His successor faces calls from a group of politicians in the UK to keep American troops in Afghanistan — but is their presence vital for peace talks with the Taliban? And on the thirtieth anniversary of the start of the first Gulf War, Sitrep speaks to some of those involved in making the big decisions in the operation to force Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait, including a former Prime Minister.

The first Sitrep of 2021 looks at two huge stories in the first week of the year, whose impact could be felt far longer. In the United States, a mob raids Congress, trying to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. How will the chaotic scenes in Washington DC be seen in London, Moscow and Beijing? Meanwhile, at home, Boris Johnson announces a new lockdown to try to curb spiralling coronavirus cases — the response to the pandemic is now the biggest-ever domestic peacetime military operation. We’ll take a longer look too at some of the other big issues likely to dominate the coming year. Fresh from its funding boost, is the MoD about to face some more tough spending decisions? Will 2021 be the year international forces finally leave Afghanistan? And what will the Biden presidency mean for America’s global allies?

Sitrep looks back at an unpredictable and challenging year and assesses how it has changed Defence. Key figures involved in the military response to Covid discuss the lessons learned. The programme also hears from experts in the domains of Cyber and Space. And Professor Michael Clarke, the former Director of RUSI, gives his assessment of 2020 for the armed forces.

What could be the impact of planned budget cuts on Navy and Army reservists training? We ask what are the challenges facing NATO and how should the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps respond? And we hear how military logistics experts have worked through the Covid 19 pandemic and what lessons have been learnt

The Service Complaints Ombudsman tells Sitrep that - despite progress - the system for raising and addressing grievances in the military is not efficient, effective, or fair.

Sitrep looks at what we know so far about the promised Type 32 Frigate first mentioned by the Prime Minister in the funding settlement statement.
And you can hear a special report from Cyprus where Royal Marines are testing new technology and systems.

Sitrep focuses on future Defence priorities and funding with the Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, the former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Richards and Professor Michael Clarke from RUSI .

Plus Hannah King reports on how 'gun bubbles' are helping troops train for a deployment to Estonia.

 

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Defence is to get a four year funding deal - what should the new money be spent on and how will it reshape the UK's defence policy? 

President Trump orders more US troops out of Afghanistan - but what does that mean for the fragile peace process?

And how RFA Argus is supporting Hurricane relief efforts.

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What is the future for US-NATO relations under a Joe Biden Presidency?  

The mission to rid the Falklands of landmines nearly 40 years after the conflict

And we look at the role for defence in Space.

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The armed forces helping to carry out rapid coronavirus testing in the government’s first mass pilot...

What are the future defence, foreign and security challenges for the winner of the Presidential election in the US? 

And how different will Remembrance be this year due to the Covid pandemic?

 

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In less than a week, the United States chooses its next President. In this week’s Sitrep, we get the latest on the race for military votes, and ask what four more years of Donald Trump, or a new start under Joe Biden, would mean for the UK, and for Nato.

In the week special forces raided an oil tanker in trouble off the Isle of Wight, we ask whether the military could dragged into the ongoing Channel migrant and refugee crisis.

We’ll find out how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted Gurkha recruitment, and hear from a former head of GCHQ who says we could all learn a lot by thinking the way spies do.

Plus the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, tells us about his own relationship with the military, and why he thinks MPs should spend time with the forces learning how they work.

The future of the Integrated Security and Defence Review. 

Why is NATO planning to open a new Space Centre?

How will Drone technology change combat?

And what impact did GCHQ have in the Falklands War? 

 

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How has Army recruitment been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic?  Sitrep speaks to the Assistant Director of Army Recruiting.

What lies behind North Korea’s decision to showcase its latest missile?

The RAF has welcomed the arrival of the first of the P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft to its permanent home at RAF Lossiemouth.

And the campaign to honour armed forces personnel from the Caribbean with a new monument at the National Memorial Arboretum

 

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A new report from the IISS think tank says the Russian armed forces are significantly smaller than their Soviet predecessors, but better equipped with more professional personnel. 

We mark thirty years since women were first deployed operationally at sea with the Royal Navy... 

And why the Gurkhas are doing ‘wet gap crossing’ training in Northumberland.

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The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Carter, has set out the 'Integrated Operating Concept' this week. It's been described as the most significant shift in military thinking in generations. What is it and what impact could it have on the armed forces in the future?

The new carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is to join a major NATO exercise from this weekend. We hear from a former Naval commander.

What’s the best way to improve NHS services for serving armed forces families and veterans?

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Lord Sedwill, the former National Security Adviser and Cabinet Secretary who stepped down this month, talks exclusively to Sitrep about chemical and biological weapons, the changing nature of threats and the Integrated Defence Review.

Why a new institute has been set up to study air and space power issues in defence and security and - out mortar training with the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment.

 

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NATO’s Assistant Secretary-General talks exclusively to Sitrep about the possible long-term extreme threats to the UK and other NATO members

And remembering the Battle of Britain 80 years on - we hear about the letters written by a Pilot Officer about the battle to his wife in occupied France.

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Where are the Cyber threats to the UK coming from? The former head of the National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, on Russia, China and the impact of Covid 19.

More than two thousand US troops are to leave Iraq but is it the right time to draw down forces? We speak to the Chair of the Commons Defence Committee Tobias Ellwood.

More than a million British soldiers have lived and served in Germany over the past 75 years. A new exhibition at the National Army Museum opens on Saturday looking at this unique deployment . 

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