The Slow Newscast

The Wargame

Jun 10, 2025
Join Richard Barons, a former Joint Forces commander, and Mark Sedwell, ex-National Security Advisor, as they tackle a hypothetical Russian attack on the UK in a gripping war game simulation. Rob Johnson, leading the exercise, emphasizes the need for collaborative strategies amidst rising geopolitical tensions. Former Secretary Ben Wallace, stepping into the role of Prime Minister, faces the urgency of addressing vulnerabilities in national defense. The conversation dives into missile defense weaknesses, Russian aggression, and the complexities of navigating modern warfare.
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ANECDOTE

Rob Johnson's Family Legacy

  • Rob Johnson shares a family wartime history, carrying his grandfather's WWII pocket watch as a symbol of duty.
  • His personal legacy fuels his deep commitment to UK's defence and concern for its current state.
INSIGHT

Unprecedented Russian Naval Build-Up

  • A large Russian naval exercise with 15 submarines in the North Atlantic is unprecedented and concerning.
  • This concentration of forces highlights aggressive posturing and heightened threat to the UK.
ANECDOTE

Pilot Assassinations as Warfare

  • Soviet Cold War tactics included assassination of key pilots to cripple air forces, a method still relevant today.
  • General Barons recalls a Czech spy plan to kill RAF pilots at a UK base to ground the air force.
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