BFBS Radio Sitrep

The Chief of the Defence staff on the future shape of the armed forces. Why have so many countries become involved in the conflict going on in Libya? A day in the life of military personnel working on coronavirus Mobile Testing units. What will the Government do about Huawei and 5G? The significance of the Battle of Britain in the Second World War.   Follow us @bfbssitrep

As Afghanistan deals with the spread of Coronavirus, a British Army spokesperson tells the programme what precautions are being taken on their deployment in the country. A new National Security Adviser has been appointed but what will be the impact of the change at the top of Whitehall? Professor Michael Clarke unpicks the changes. And searching for the right words to find fitting inscriptions for military graves. We speak to Peter Francis from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  Follow us @bfbssitrep

We assess the impact of the military's response to Covid 19: Russia's security services under the spotlight. One of the RAF’s first female fast jet pilots tells Sitrep what it was like to be a pioneer in her field and our ambassador to Washington enlists the help of the Army, the Navy and the RAF in making the perfect cup of tea! Follow us @bfbssitrep

Tributes paid to Dame Vera Lynn, the forces sweetheart. President Trump has confirmed that 9,500 US troops are to leave Germany, so how will that affect NATO's strategy in Europe? The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tells Sitrep of his deep concern over the fatal clashes at the border between China and India Plus -  why a new research project has been launched to see how veterans are coping during the Covid 19 pandemic.  Follow us @bfbssitrep

One of the Army’s most senior officers has told BFBS Sitrep why he wrote an open letter about tackling racism, following the protests over the death of George Floyd. Commander, Home Command, Lieutenant General Tyrone Urch told Sitrep that the British Army was not immune to incidences of racism and he's written to all commanders saying he is determined the army will push back against racism, hatred and division. We also hear from a former United States permanent representative to NATO about a warning this week from the organisation's head about the growing economic and military power of China. Jens Stoltenberg said the West must stand together to face any challenges. And the oldest Admiral in the fleet... we look at Prince Philip's war time experiences - including witnessing  Japan's surrender - in the week he celebrates his 99th birthday. Follow us @bfbs  

We hear about the new regiment being formed to counter the threat from digital attacks. The first dedicated Cyber regiment is designed to protect defence networks at home and on operations overseas. Brigadier John Collyer - the Commander of 1st Signal Brigade - tells us about the threats and explains how the 13th Signal regiment is made up from different specialist teams. The military have been widely praised for their work throughout the COVID 19 crisis but questions are being asked now about the impact of the pandemic on government spending overall, and on defence spending in particular. We hear from the Defence Secretary giving evidence in parliament and from defence experts. And what advice on leadership and motivation would you give a 14 year old? We hear from a father who, when working at Downing St, asked world leaders, authors and sports stars to write down their life advice for his son we hear what George W Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev and J.K. Rowling, among others. Follow us @bfbssitrep

We hear from scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down who have been using their expertise to assess how the coronavirus behaves and to support the government's testing programme. We assess the impact of Dunkirk 80 years after the evacuation of over 300,000 thousand British and Allied troops from the beaches and hear from a 100 year old veteran who was taken prisoner. And we hear how the US Army is using skilled gamers in its ranks to reach out to prospective recruits  at a time when coronavirus makes career fairs difficult. The army e-sports team competes full time and organises large online tournaments where they can meet prospective soldiers. Follow us @bfbssitrep

It’s Mental Health Awareness week, and this year’s theme is “kindness” — in this week’s Sitrep we hear how one military charity’s helping some of those struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll find out how NATO’s combating disinformation around the virus — with help from the British military. And we’ll hear from the head of the UN relief mission in Yemen — a country battered by years of civil war, and now struggling with Covid-19. Plus updates on how the pandemic’s affecting British forces communities in Canada and Cyprus — and the Red Arrows have a new home — not too far from the old one. Follow us @bfbssitrep

MPs on the Commons Defence Select Committee want to know if the military could have been used sooner to boost Britain's response to the coronavirus pandemic -- we'll speak to the committee's chairman. We'll also ask why America sent its fleet of bombers into the skies above Europe and the Indo-Pacific this week in a show of strength — aimed in part at China. Most military personnel who think they have a valid complaint about their treatment don’t actually make one. And according to the Ombudsman overseeing service complaints, the system is neither efficient or fair. We hear from Nicola Williams about what’s working, what’s not, and why women in the military are nearly five times more likely to file a complaint than men. We’ve updates on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting reserves in Northern Ireland, and the impact of a slight easing of restrictions in Germany. Plus we take to the skies with the Covid Aviation Task Force, which has been helping the NHS in its response to the pandemic. Follow us @bfbssitrep

We look at the government’s plans to re-start military training programmes, despite the continuing coronavirus lockdown. Ministers say it’ll be done in a “responsible, socially distanced way” — but how? Who could be trying to hack into the labs working on a coronavirus vaccine? A warning this week pointed the finger at “hostile actors” — we’ll look at why it’s happening. We’ll hear from one military charity worried about the mental health of veterans dealing with the pandemic. And ahead of the VE Day anniversary, we’ll find out how it’s being marked at home and online, hear from Cyprus about the role the island played in the war, and we’ve a special report from Germany on what surrender meant for its citizens.   Follow us @bfbssitrep