BFBS Radio Sitrep

Ukraine’s counter-offensive appears to be underway, bringing us a stream of contradictory claims and confusing headlines.Professor Michael Clarke, and former intelligence officer Col. Philip Ingram, explain how we can make sense of it all in the midst of a disinformation war.A top US Air Force officer has warned AI enabled drones could turn against their operators, and infrastructure, in pursuit of missions. We ask if artificial intelligence really could go rogue and threaten us all.And Britain’s latest training effort for Ukraine – sharing support skills with their military chaplains. Chaplain General the Rev. Michael D Parker tells us why it really matters for the war effort.

9 years ago Ukraine’s northern neighbour, Belarus, vocally opposed Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was staunchly a non-nuclear state. Now it’s host to Russian troops, and is just taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons. We explain the U-turn, and ask if it’s the start of a new ‘Soviet Union lite’? NATO’s looking for a new leader, and the UK’s Defence Secretary is seen as one of several potential frontrunners. A former NATO insider explains how the whole process is a bit like appointing a new Pope. And we hear from Estonia – where British troops lead NATO deterrence – about the Baltic state’s latest threat assessment

With reports of an improvement in Russian battlefield tactics, that certainly could be the case. But, other intel suggests that the difficulties with enforcing discipline amongst junior ranks is actually worsening. On this week’s Sitrep, Professor Michael Clarke will look at a new report which suggests Moscow has indeed, learned from its mistakes and is preparing a major Ukrainian offensive.Also, as Russia changes tactics we’ll hear how high tech satellite imagery has become a vital tool for watching Russian forces in real time and discover who’s using that information.As the RAF takes delivery of its latest...and last A400m transport plane, we’ll look at how it compares with the Hercules C130-J which it’s replacing. And....it’s an exclusive club, but what’s it actually like being ejected from a fighter jet travelling at hundreds of miles an hour?....we’ll hear first hand from former RAF Navigator John Nichol. 

John Nichol’s life was saved by explosives attached to his seat. In 1991 he ejected from a burning RAF Tornado jet, along with pilot John Peters, saving their lives but also leading to their capture by Iraqi forces. In a new book, ‘Eject! Eject!’, John Nichol charts the history of the ejection seat and shares the stories of how it has both saved and changed thousands of people’s lives. He tells Kate Gerbeau what it’s like to be thrown out of plane at 600 miles per hour, how a terrifying 30-second manual process now happens automatically in the blink of an eye, and why ejecting is just the start of the story

It looks the Ukraine war is at a tipping point, with a counter-offensive imminent, which would take the war into a significant new phase.Professor Michael Clarke explains how a cat-and-mouse game is already underway along hundreds of miles of front line, and do fresh western weaponry promises deliver what President Zelensky said he was waiting for?Russia’s returned to bombarding Kyiv every 48 hours, journalist Iryna Sysak tells Sitrep what it’s like to be back living under regular attack.Plus the war of words between the Wagner group and Russia’s ministry of Defence. Where do the mercenary army’s loyalties really lie?  

Artificial Intelligence seems to be coming of age, but some of its pioneers are warning AI could soon get out of control.On Sitrep we explain how Britain’s armed forces are already using Artificial Intelligence, and Steve Meers from the AI Lab at DSTL tells us what he’s working on to help servicemen and women in the future.Major Sam McEvoy of the Royal Corps of Signals was involved in the Army’s first operational deployment of AI. He tells us the genie is out of the bottle, and while AI won’t replace humans, people who use AI will replace the ones that don’t.Professor Michael Clarke helps us understand the military up and downsides of AI, and an adviser to the Ministry of Defence talks us through the ethical dilemmas of Artificial Intelligence. 

The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla includes the UK Armed Forces’ biggest ceremony for 70 years.On Sitrep we look at the plans, the rehearsals, and hear from a veteran of the Grenadier Guards about the kind of personal preparations required of 7000 servicemen and women.Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate President Putin in a small-dronestrike on the Kremlin. Ukraine firmly denies any part.Professor Michael Clarke explains why it would be ‘monumentally stupid’ were Ukraine to have been involved in this ‘firework stunt’.

Sitrep hears from someone who played a key part in the journey of King Charles III to his role as commander in chief of the UK’s armed forces.Most of the King’s five years as a serviceman were spent as a pilot, but before he stepped into uniform to fly jets and helicopters he learned to fly a twin-seat single-propellor Chipmunk plane.His instructor was a young Flight Lieutenant, Philip Pinney, who tells James Wharton his story training future King to fly, preparing Charles for hands on military service.

Sitrep gets the inside stories from some of the UK’s biggest military decisions of recent years, as we examine the art and politics of command.Former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Lord Richards, explains how he once told David Cameron ‘a term in the cadet force doesn’t qualify you to do my job’, but still had a good working relationship with the PM.And former Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, reveals how at the start of Operation Shader he had to personally authorise air-strikes, including decisions on which weapons would be used.Kate Gerbeau also talk to Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman about his book “Command” which analyses the politics of war, and Professor Michael Clarke explains how those lessons apply to military operations happening right now.

Russia has sent a fleet of ships, pretending to be fishing trawlers, to size up our wind farms and power cables for possible attacks according to a new documentary.Professor Michael Clarke explains how the UK is already ramping up its military capabilities to track and deter this kind of Russian activity.An Iraq veteran gives us his verdict on the new book ‘How To Fight a War’ – and its author Dr Mike Martin explains why he thinks lethal violence is just communication your enemy can’t ignore. And we scroll through the new interactive map which shows where British forces are most busy in Europe, and the different defence ties we have with our near neighbours.