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BFBS Sitrep

BFBS Radio

Award winning Defence podcast from BFBS.

news news commentary

All Episodes

45:24

Will the Army ever be able to use Ajax?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/11/27

Just two weeks after being declared safe, with a squadron ready to go, a “Do Not Use” order has been issued for Ajax armoured vehicles, because of more noise and vibration injuries.James Wharton from BFBS Forces News, who used to drive the vehicles Ajax is supposed to replace, reveals the levels of concern among troops and Professor Michael Clarke explains why this is looking like a huge problem for the Army.The MoD says rules of engagement have been updated after the Russian spy-ship Yantar aimed a

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43:59

Protecting those who defend us

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/11/20

Investigations into past actions by British forces, from Northern Ireland to Afghanistan, are damaging morale, leading some to quit the forces, and threatening our national security.So said 8 retired generals and a retired Air Marshal in an open letter calling on the government to “restore legal clarity” with a “new honest framework”Sitrep asks how do we can ensure servicemen and women have confidence they won’t be dragged through inquiries, or court, for doing their job properly?Kate and Mike talk

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36:34

Pokrovsk and Perfidy

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/11/13

As Russian troops battle to secure their most significant gain in Ukraine in over a yar – we look at how they’re drawing on deception tactics from the second world war.Also, the world’s largest warship arrives in the Caribbean as the US continues to strike suspected drugs-trafficking boats in the region – have concerns over the legality of that action led Britain to stop some intelligence sharing with its US ally?And –The Army’s first new armoured fighting vehicle in 30 years – what will the

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51:04

Are we in a new nuclear arms race?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/11/06

Donald Trump’s suggested the US could restart explosive tests of nuclear weapons, after more than 30 years. Is this a symptom of a nuclear arms race already underway, or could it kickstart one?William Alberque, who has played a leading role in NATO’s nuclear policies, and Jon Wolfsthal who advised President Obama, share their thoughts on whether the US is about to break a global ban on detonations, and what that could mean for us all.Sitrep also explains how atomic weapons have been tested and

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45:32

Should we be worried about AUKUS

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/30

The multibillion-pound deal to deliver nuclear powered submarines for the UK and Australia is facing questions just four years into the decades long plan.In the UK there are amber and red warnings for building the boats and propulsion systems, for its part the US is struggling to build enough Virginia class subs, and Australia faces a monumental challenge to be ready for its first nuclear vessels.So will the Royal Navy be asked to do more in the Pacific for longer, while also having to wait for gaps

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35:40

EXTRA - Bernard Cornwell, the master military...

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/30

Mike and Sian talk to Bernard Cornwell, creator of Napoleonic Wars Rifleman Richard Sharpe and Uhtred, the unforgettable hero of the Last Kingdom series. Bernard tells Sitrep about the 25th Sharpe novel, Sharpe’s Storm, his admiration for today’s armed forces and why he wouldn’t want to write about any modern day conflicts. He also reveals he’s writing a new book about Uhtred and lifts the lid on whether his latest book is the final ever Sharpe novel.(This podcast contains some strong language)

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44:25

Ukraine’s battle lines explained and explored

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/23

Three and a half years into Ukraine’s fight for survival against Russia, it has offered to freeze the front lines in return for peace talks.But Russia’s not biting, so Sitrep explains where those front lines are right now and where the military momentum is pressing hardest, to understand where the war might go next as winter approaches.Ukrainian journalist Roman Pahulych shares insights from his time with troops close to the front lines while John Foreman, former Defence Attaché to Kyiv, explains

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45:40

The Digital Targeting Web explained

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/16

The blueprint for the UK’s Armed Forces depends on data from every military sensor being available to every person who needs it.Whether the information comes from the battlefield, space, or cyberspace, and whether it’s required at the front-line, PJHQ, in a cockpit or deep in the ocean.The Digital Targeting Web is meant to be up and running in the next couple of years, but how will it work and what will it mean for troops at the sharp end?Also on Sitrep what difference could US Tomahawk cruise

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42:27

Is the UK behind in the military drone race?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/09

The government has promised thousands of drones will make the armed forces stronger and safer, but is refusing to say how many of them it’s ordered over the last year.Professor Michael Clarke analyses the numbers that are available and explains why Ukraine shouldn’t be treated as a template for the future, even though drones are here to stay.Sitrep also talks to the new Veterans & Defence People Minister, Louise Sandher-Jones, about how she plans to tackle accommodation and recruitment problems

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28:29

EXTRA – The Rise and Fall of the British Army

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/09

After a 37 year career in the Army Brigadier Ben Barry became one of the UK’s most respected land warfare researchers and analysts.Now he’s drawn together his experiences in and out of uniform to write a new history of the British Army over the last half century.It tells the stories not just of the major operations and battles but also big exercises, and plans which came to nothing.He tells Kate Gerbeau how it helped him join the dots to understand not only the successes and failures of given

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43:12

Does taking risks win wars?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/10/02

As well as condemning “fat” generals and “woke” policies US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has told America’s top officers they must end a ‘poisonous culture of risk aversion’.Sitrep separates the warfighting logic from the culture-war politics and assesses whether UK defence could benefit from being prepared to take greater risks.We also examine the cost of silence for special forces, and explain how their bond of secrecy could stand in the way of getting mental health help.And as the largest

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42:04

Gesture or shoot? How to intercept Russian planes in...

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/09/25

The Foreign Secretary says we will “confront” Russian planes after repeated invasions of NATO airspace. Donald Trump says they should be shot down.Sitrep talks to former RAF pilot Air Marshal Greg Bagwell about how intercepts are carried out, the options for pilots, and the risks involved.Kate and Mike also talk to Keir Giles, who advises governments on Moscow’s military mindset, about what it hoped to achieve with drones over Poland, and fighter jets in Estonian airspace.And after President Trump’s

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36:04

RAF Typhoons Head To Poland

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/09/18

RAF Typhoons join an air defence operation following Russian incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace. They’ll work with allied forces, including France, and Germany, helping to defend the eastern flank as part of Nato's Eastern Sentry. Sitrep digs deep with Forces News reporter Simon Newton.Also President Trump’s state visit to the UK is breaking military ceremonial records. Sitrep talks to General Sir Nick Parker, former deputy commander of ISAF, about how intertwined UK forces are with US

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40:27

Sitrep live at DSEI 2025

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/09/11

The new Chief of Defence Staff has told defence industry they need to “step up” and do more to make Britain’s Armed Forces ready for warfighting.Sitrep is at one of the world’s largest defence equipment exhibitions to see the latest military technology, and assess the role of defence firms in deterring or winning a war.Ministers want help ending “stupid rules”, top brass want kit quicker, and shareholders want their returns. Can they all be delivered as one?Retired Major General Neil Sexton and

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46:56

Analysing the weapons in China’s “peace” parade

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/09/04

China’s released 80,000 doves at the end of its 80th anniversary victory day parade, but the messaging of military might was far louder than appeals for peace.Professor Michael Clarke and defence analyst Dr James Bosbotinis explain what new hardware Beijing chose to show off, what the hypersonic missiles and uncrewed jets mean for its military capability, and the significance of who was (and who wasn’t) in the VIP seats.The Northern Ireland Secretary says Britain and Ireland are “close” to agreeing

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14:12

EXTRA - Norway buys British. Will it help or hinder...

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/09/02

Oslo is spending £10bn to equip itself with five Type 26 frigates – a big vote of confidence in these submarine hunters already being built for the Royal Navy.But it will also mean the already-stretched timeline to deliver the Navy’s eight new frigates becomes even longer.Former Director of Navy Acquisition, Commodore Steve Prest, explains what cutting edge capabilities of the Type 26 that persuaded Norway to buy British, how the delays might impact Britain’s maritime capability, and why despite

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41:08

What's going on in the Arctic?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/08/28

Sitrep analyses open-source intelligence which shows an uptick in secretive surveillance flights, by the UK, US and Russia, in the High North and over the Baltic.Defence Analyst and former infantry officer Ed Arnold explains the possibilities behind the activity, and we hear first hand from NATO's Arctic Ocean patrols.Could peat-bogs be used as tank-traps to help protect Eastern Europe from Russian invasion? We hear from Estonia where they’re looking at potential spin-off benefits from their plan to

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44:26

What Next After Ukraine Peace Talks?

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/08/21

Sitrep digs deep into the implications for the British military of a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.The Defence Secretary has laid out Britain’s preparedness to put boots on the ground and provide reassurance at sea and in the air.So this time on Sitrep – how does Britain plan for that moment, and what’s its part in guaranteeing Ukraine’s future security?We hear from former Chief of the Defence Staff Field Marshal Lord Richards and Former Army intelligence officer and military planner, Philip

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40:19

Lessons from General Bill Slim’s victory over Japan

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/08/14

80 years ago General Bill Slim accepted the surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War Two, after leading the 14th Army to victory in Burma.He is regarded by many as Britain’s greatest general, but how did he achieve what others believed to be impossible?A veteran tells Sitrep what made the Burma campaign so hard and why General Slim was so well regarded, while Viscount Mark Slim gives us a rare tour of the artefacts which reveal his grandfather’s place in history.Military historians Dr Robert

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47:18

From wargames to floating cocktail party – HMS Prince...

BFBS Sitrep ·

2025/08/07

The UK’s 2025 Carrier Strike Group has sailed to the other side of the world, and is halfway through that 8 month mission. But what’s it all for?Sitrep explains what the military drills along the way will have given the 4,000 servicemen and women taking part, and why the aircraft carrier’s role hosting defence and trade talks in Japan still matters.The Royal Navy can’t do big global deployments without the support from the Royal Fleet Auxilliary. But with yet another RFA ship forced out of service,

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