BFBS Radio Sitrep

What does the new AUKUS defence pact between Britain, the US and Australia mean? Leaders from the military, politics and the defence industry have been meeting in London over the past few days, and this week’s Sitrep reports from inside DSEI on promises of an integrated future for the forces. We’ll learn more about some of the cutting edge tech on display, and we hear from the Second Sea Lord on plans for the UK to project its power around the world. The minister responsible for defence procurement tells us how he hopes the problems with the Ajax armoured vehicle might be fixed and what future threats keep a leading expert on information warfare awake at night?

Days after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan comes the anniversary of the terrorist attack that sparked the invasion in 2001. How has the world changed since the 9/11 attacks? Is the west stronger or weaker? And are we any safer now than we were then? We hear from some of the British military personnel involved in the evacuation effort at Kabul airport, and find out what might happen to Britain’s nuclear deterrent if Scotland votes for independence in a second referendum. Plus the continuing problems with the Ajax armoured vehicles, and we look inside NATO’s newest command, designed to cover the alliance’s back in a crisis.

Days after Britain’s last military personnel leave Afghanistan, the US completes its withdrawal and President Biden says America is not in the business of nation building anymore. But he also vows to strike back at ISIS-K from thousands of miles away — we explore how that will work, and how much the west will need the Taliban’s help. How deep is the division opened up between London and Washington by the withdrawal — and how long will it last? We hear from veterans on how they’ve handled the chaotic end of the 20-year campaign in Afghanistan. Plus we speak to the author who was determined to tell the stories of women who played a big part in the Second World War, before it’s too late.

As the western evacuation from Afghanistan enters its final phase, what are the key mistakes that led to the country’s fall to the Taliban? This week, we hear from an analyst who only left Kabul as the city was being taken over — she claims the US effectively sold out the Afghan government, and encouraged the Taliban to wait out the clock. We discuss what impact the withdrawal will have on other countries’ faith in western military powers, and whether it will prompt a fracture between the US and UK. Plus we ask what impact this last deployment in Afghanistan will have on the hundreds of British troops now pulling out of Kabul, and how it’s affecting veterans of the last twenty years.

A special Sitrep examines the implications of the fall of Kabul, and the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. We hear from a former Royal Marine still in Kabul, and a journalist who escaped on the day the Taliban entered the city. A former head of the Army tells us what it felt like to see Afghanistan fall, and we ask what America’s decision to withdraw could mean for its NATO allies. And we reflect on whether political leaders are right when they insist the near 20-year mission in Afghanistan was still worthwhile.

As the situation in Afghanistan worsens, we ask what are the realistic options to bring things back under control. We’ll hear from the former head of the UK’s Joint Forces Command, General Sir Richard Barrons... he thinks a return to UK boots on the ground isn’t the way forward but allied and Afghan air strikes could be. We’ll look at the impact of climate change on the military... how will it affect future conflict? The International Institute for Strategic Studies recently looked at how extreme weather could affect global security. We’ll talk to Ben Barry from the IISS. And... we hear from Army boxing Olympic medalist Kariss Artingstall... she’s back home after a very successful Tokyo 2020.

A month after the bulk of remaining western forces pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban is on the rise. Fierce fighting has brought cities like Herat and Kandahar to the brink of collapsing to the militants. But the greatest danger is in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand -- where British forces fought against the Taliban for so many years. We hear from those who served in Afghanistan - including the former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Richards, who tells Sitrep that the Government must set out what it will do to prevent the fall of the Afghan government. We'll also explore what could happen next after the fatal attack on a tanker off Oman -- blamed by western powers on Iran. And we'll find out about the bizarre case of military ships' positions being faked -- who might be doing it, and why?

A damning report accuses military leaders of failing to protect female personnel from bullying, harassment and discrimination. An MPs investigation revealed the huge number of complaints, including allegations of serious sexual offences going unpunished. We hear from the MP who led the probe, and a 30-year Army veteran who resigned to highlight the issue - and we ask a defence minister what they’re going to do to improve things. Plus the US announces an end to combat operations in Iraq — but not for the first time. And as the Carrier Strike Group reaches the Indo-Pacific, what does our biggest ally make of it all?

European officials want Spanish forces on the ground in Gibraltar policing the border — something both the UK and Gibraltar insist they won’t accept. We get the latest from the territory’s Chief Minister. Is your phone spying on you? After the revelations this week about spyware reportedly aimed at human rights campaigners, political and military leaders, we ask who should set the rules for modern surveillance? We hear from an expert in space defence on the huge vulnerability of western satellites, and the risks a future conflict could start far above the earth. And we pay tribute to a Dambusters pilot, who was determined to make sure a key contribution to the Second World War was never forgotten.

The Government wants to halt all investigations and prosecutions linked to Northern Ireland’s past. But how can you move on from a conflict when some of its biggest crimes will go unpunished? Will the wars of the future be beyond the capacity of humans? We’ve a report on how new advances in AI and quantum computing could fundamentally change the nature of conflict. And as a global shortage of computer chips slows production, we find out how it’s become a national security issue. Plus we report from the Carrier Strike Group, and hear from the captain of the US warship that’s joined the HMS Queen Elizabeth. And what links Sandhurst’s first female college commander and Gareth Southgate’s remarkable England team?