BFBS Radio Sitrep

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. 

The UK has around 100 square miles of sovereign territory in Cyprus, home to more than 3000 Defence personnel, and it is a lynchpin of British military operations around the world.On the doorstep of the Middle East it’s used from everything from bombing missions, to intelligence gathering and decompression for troops returning from operations.Sitrep talks to Colonel Vicky Reid about her key role as the UK Defence Adviser in Cyprus, responsible not only for helping deliver missions such as civilian evacuations, but also keeping everything running smoothly by maintaining the working relationship with the government of Cyprus[This interview was recorded before the war between Israel and Iran, when extra RAF jets were deployed to Cypus]

RAF planes have been moved to the Middle East for ‘contingency support’, but what could those contingencies end up being?Professor Michael Clarke maps out the British military presence in the region, which could come under threat from Iran in a worst-case scenario.Lord Peter Ricketts, who led many a crisis meeting as National Security Adviser, explains how and why the UK is making military plans even as it calls for de-escalation.And a former Deputy Commander of RAF Operations, Air Marshal Greg Bagwell, tells us how those British aircraft could be used, and in what situations that might happen.

The head of NATO issues his starkest warning yet about Russia’s readiness for war. We speak to Ed Arnold, a senior research fellow at the defence think-tank RUSI and a former infantry officer.In Ukraine, drone warfare is reaching ever-more sophisticated levels. We look at how this single weapon is changing warfare with Dr. Ulrike Franke, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.And the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group makes its way through the Red Sea – what next for this projection of UK military power?  We get the thoughts of Commodore Steve Prest who was the Commander Weapon Engineer on Britain’s other carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth. He was also part of the top-level team that brought the QE out of build and into sea trials.