Today we have an episode dedicated to unpacking the distinctions between disinformation, misinformation, and fake news. More specifically, we’ll be considering how these things influence security, and what can be done – if anything – to stop the spread and influence of fake news. In the wake of Brexit, Donald Trump’s presidency, and the plethora of lies shrouding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there cannot be any misgivings about how important this subject is in relation to security. So today we have Dr Linda Monsees on the show. Linda is an expert researcher looking at the interplay between technology, security, and information, and specifically on the impacts that technology is having on democracy. Linda has worked in various Universities across the UK, France, and her native Germany, and now works at the Institute of International Relations in Prague. Linda has published widely on cyber politics and the proliferation of fake news, so there is nobody better to hear from on this subject.

Today we have Dr Roger Launius on the show talking about the space race that took place between the USA and the USSR during the Cold War. In particular, we focus on the race to the moon that famously ended with US astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landing on the moon in 1969. Roger will be explaining why the space race was so important to US national security, how NASA managed to pull off such a feat, and what it meant for relations between the superpowers during the Cold War. Roger is well placed to cover these subjects. He has worked as a historian with the US Air Force, Chair of Space History at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, and served as the Chief Historian at NASA between 1990 and 2002. He has won an array of awards for his work promoting American space exploration, including the John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award and a NASA Distinguished Service Medal. 

Here is our long awaited episode on the use of Air Power in the War in Ukraine… In this show, Dr Frank Ledwidge (University of Portsmouth) talks about why the Russians failed to establish air superiority, how they are conducting their strategic air campaign, and what measures the Ukrainians have adopted to mitigate the numerical strength of the Russian Air Force.

In this show, Harry discusses the revival and rebuilding of Russia's armed forces with Professor Bettina Renz (University of Nottingham). After the end of the Cold War, during which the Soviet Union had exhausted itself trying to keep pace with American military and technological advancements, the Russian military were left to decay. In the 21st century, however, President Putin set Russia on a course intended to expand and enhance their military capabilities. In this episode, Professor Renz discusses why this military revival took place, what sort of capabilities Russia developed, and how effective it was in modernising their armed forces. Professor Renz provides some really useful context that helps us understand how Russia has been fighting in the ongoing war in Ukraine*.  Bettina is the ideal person to discuss this subject with. She is a renowned expert on Russian security and defence policy in the post-Cold war era and has published widely on military reforms, civil-military relations, and military operations. Her latest monograph, Russia's Military Revival, was published in 2018. Professor Renz also has an active interest in contemporary war and strategy, and in the role of airpower in modern conflict.  This is a fantastic way to kick off series two! If you enjoy this episode, do check out the next one (released simultaneously to this) in which Dr Frank Ledwidge gives us some amazing insights into the air war taking place in Ukraine. *This episode was recorded in November 2022, so any events that have taken place in Ukraine since then will not have been taken into account.

Justin Bronk, a renowned air power expert and senior research fellow at RUSI, dives into the future of the RAF and modern warfare. He highlights the evolving roles of air power, ISR, and mobility in contested environments, drawing lessons from recent conflicts. The discussion critiques current military strategies while advocating for a deterrence by denial approach. Bronk also navigates the challenges of the F-35 and unveils the ambitions of the Tempest project, merging cutting-edge technology with international collaboration in the quest for air superiority.

The potential for conflict between China and Taiwan seems to be growing. China seems intent on reunifying the once Chinese island of Taiwan into the Peoples' Republic of China one way or another. Any hostile action on the part of China, however, may incur a military response form the US, Taiwan's principle ally. But would America risk nuclear war with China to protect Taiwan? Clearly this scenario has been the priority in the Ukraine War, but could America risk China expanding into the Pacific, claiming a key geostrategic location as well as a vital cog in global commerce?  So in this episode we hear from Michael Mazza, who is a Chinese and Asia-Pacific analyst at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, about how likely war is between China and Taiwan, and whether America is able to deter hostile action and, if necessary, defend Taipei.

In this episode, we have Group Captain (ret.) Dr Paul Stewart on the show to talk about the development and importance of photo reconnaissance during the Second World War. Most people seem to known about the eccentric cryptographers working at Bletchley Park, but few people seem to be aware that another secret department, housed at RAF Medmenham from 1941, began producing thousands of intelligence reports that massively aided the Allied war effort.  Dr Paul Stewart recently completed a PhD that examined RAF Medmenham's history, after a 35 year career as an RAF Intelligence Officer. 

In this episode, we hear from Dr Mike Martin about his work in Afghanistan and his research into the local experience of the conflict there. Mike spent time in Afghanistan as a Political Officer in the British Army, and as a Pashto speaker, he was brilliantly placed to understand the wider struggle going on in Afghanistan, as well as evaluate Britain's military strategy in the conflict. Mike's first book, An Intimate War (2014), was based on numerous interviews with Helmandis caught up in the conflict. It shows us that Britain, and Western allies in general, grossly misunderstood the war that they were engaged in. Rather than a binary conflict between two sides (Western democracy vs the Taliban, which is how the west framed the conflict), war had been waging for decades previously and was being fought, not alone these ideological divides, but because of local struggles and personal vendettas. By overlooking this context, western military forces exacerbated the situation and employed strategies that were doomed to fail from the outset.  This episode thus reminds us of how important it is to understand the war that is being fought. 

On the 5th of June 1967, Israel launched a series of devastating attacks against neighbouring Arab states. This would be the third Arab-Israeli war in less than twenty years. In the months preceding June 1967, tensions increased significantly after Egypt threatened to close the straights of Tiran to Israeli shipping for the second time. In May, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the shipping lane, even after Israel had threatened military action. What ensued is arguably one of the most impressive air campaigns in all of history.  As the name suggests, the Six Day War didn't last very long. Despite facing a coalition of Arab states, Israeli airstrikes had a crippling effect on Egypt's Air Force (the biggest air force in the conflict), before turning its attention to Jordan and Syria. Through a remarkable display of ingenuity, agility, and interoperability, Israeli forces managed to capture key areas including the Golan heights from Syria, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, as well as the Gaza Strip from Egypt, which all remain in Israel's control to this day.  To try and understand how Israel managed to inflict such a devastating defeat against all odds, we have Ilan Warshai on the show. Ilan is a specialist in Israeli air power and has worked with the Israeli Air Force's historical branch. He is also a reserve Colonel in the Israeli Army and an airline pilot.

What is the difference between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Weapons? What capabilities do these systems offer in a military context? But perhaps more importantly, can the use of such weapons ever be ethical? In this episode, Professor Pete Lee (University of Portsmouth) moves us away from Terminators and science fiction, so we can appreciate how greater autonomy might affect operations in the near future and what that means for the militaries employing such technology.  Professor Lee had a career in the RAF as a chaplain before starting an academic career that has seen him research the use and psychological impact of remotely piloted systems, before moving on to consider the ethical issues and questions arising from the use of modern technology in war.