BFBS Radio Sitrep

80 years ago General Bill Slim accepted the surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War Two, after leading the 14th Army to victory in Burma.He is regarded by many as Britain’s greatest general, but how did he achieve what others believed to be impossible?A veteran tells Sitrep what made the Burma campaign so hard and why General Slim was so well regarded, while Viscount Mark Slim gives us a rare tour of the artefacts which reveal his grandfather’s place in history.Military historians Dr Robert Lyman and Phil Craig join Professor Michael Clarke and Kate Gerbeau to explain how Slim’s prioritisation of his troops’ wellbeing and focus on his enemy’s weak points made a winning formula which still underpins British military doctrine.

The UK’s 2025 Carrier Strike Group has sailed to the other side of the world, and is halfway through that 8 month mission.  But what’s it all for? Sitrep explains what the military drills along the way will have given the 4,000 servicemen and women taking part, and why the aircraft carrier’s role hosting defence and trade talks in Japan still matters. The Royal Navy can’t do big global deployments without the support from the Royal Fleet Auxilliary.  But with yet another RFA ship forced out of service, former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe tells us why he thinks that logistic capability is at crisis point. And in our ongoing exploration of transformative technologies, Sitrep explains directed energy weapons including lasers and radio beams could soon be in service with Britain’s Armed Forces.

The UK, France, and Canada are upping the pressure on Israel for a ceasefire, by talking about recognising a Palestinian state. Even Donald Trump has told Israel it has to “do it a different way” because of “real starvation”.But will this diplomatic pressure make any difference? Professor Michael Clarke and Middle East expert Dr Burcu Ozcelik consider whether cutting military aid might be more effective and assess the impact of Arab League calls for Hamas to disarm.Sitrep also speaks to British veteran Major Andrew Fox, about what he’s just seen in Gaza as an invited observer of the Israeli/American aid distribution programme.And how brain-sensors, eye implants, and robot exoskeletons could transform not just future military operations but military personnel too.

Britain and France say they’re ready to lead a multinational Ukraine Support Force, in the event of a ceasefire, with a British led two-star HQ in Kyiv and Command and Control from London or Paris.They promise air and sea policing, and logistic support on the ground. Senior RUSI researcher and former infantry officer Ed Arnold explains the thinking, and the big gaps that need to be filled.Sitrep examines the evidence that suggests American nuclear bombs have just been moved to the UK for the first time in nearly two decades, and asks whether it might just be a bluff.And one of NATO’s top research scientists tells us how quantum computing could revolutionise military capability, while it threatens to make some current tech useless.

After months of ratcheting up pressure on Ukraine to do a peace deal, Donald Trump’s now supplying arms to them, and sending the bill to the rest of NATO.But can weapons worth billions turn the tide, maybe change President Putin’s calculus, or will they just drag out a slow-motion defeat? The military options are explained by former defence attaché John Foreman and Professor Michael Clarke.What’s motivated scores of British veterans to fight in Ukraine, and how does it compare to their time in British uniform? Colin Freeman tells us about his new book “The Mad and The Brave – The Untold Story of Ukraine’s Foreign Legion”And how starlings are teaching scientists to make drones much more lethal, in the first of Sitrep’s new series explaining transformative military technologies. 

Hundreds of British people answered Ukraine’s urgent plea for military volunteers to help it fight back when Russian tanks rolled in.Some were novices, who travelled against UK government advice, while others took experience from the Britain’s armed forces.The journalist Colin Freeman has got to know many of them during his work in Ukraine and is sharing the story of the war through their eyes, in detail, for the first time.He tells Kate Gerbeau about his book “The Mad and The Brave – The Untold Story of Ukraine’s Foreign Legion”

Sitrep digs deep into homeland defence in the UK. A former National Security adviser lays out the potential threats we face and we ask how prepared are we for a wartime scenario? The Colonel in charge of engaging the Army with the public says the challenge has never been bigger .And how do you persuade the public that defence matters? A former Lance Corporal, now an MP faces that very battle. 

In this engaging conversation, Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, an esteemed figure in war studies, challenges the 'short war fallacy' and stresses the need for military strategies to evolve in today's complex landscape. Aviation historian Victoria Taylor sheds light on the untold stories of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, emphasizing how historical narratives shape our understanding of conflict. The discussion navigates modern warfare's intricacies, military preparedness, and the political dimensions of defense strategy, underscoring the balance between military action and diplomatic efforts.

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.