Shows / BFBS Sitrep
Episodes
BFBS SitrepWill the Army ever be able to use Ajax?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Protecting those who defend us
Investigations into past actions by British forces, from Northern Ireland to Afghanistan, are damaging morale, leading some to quit the forces, and threatening…
- BFBS Sitrep
Pokrovsk and Perfidy
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…
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Are we in a new nuclear arms race?
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…
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Should we be worried about AUKUS?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA - Bernard Cornwell, the master military storyteller
Mike and Sian talk to Bernard Cornwell, creator of Napoleonic Wars Rifleman Richard Sharpe and Uhtred, the unforgettable hero of the Last Kingdom series…
- BFBS Sitrep
Ukraine’s battle lines explained and explored
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
The Digital Targeting Web explained
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Is the UK behind in the military drone race?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – The Rise and Fall of the British Army
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Does taking risks win wars?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Gesture or shoot? How to intercept Russian planes in NATO skies
The Foreign Secretary says we will “confront” Russian planes after repeated invasions of NATO airspace. Donald Trump says they should be shot down. Sitrep…
- BFBS Sitrep
RAF Typhoons Head To Poland
RAF Typhoons join an air defence operation following Russian incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace. They’ll work with allied forces, including France…
- BFBS Sitrep
Sitrep live at DSEI 2025
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Analysing the weapons in China’s “peace” parade
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA - Norway buys British. Will it help or hinder the Royal Navy?
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…
BFBS SitrepWhat's going on in the Arctic?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
What Next After Ukraine Peace Talks?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Lessons from General Bill Slim’s victory over Japan
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
From wargames to floating cocktail party – HMS Prince of Wales heads to Japan
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Will starvation in Gaza upend Israel’s military campaign?
The UK, France, and Canada are upping the pressure on Israel for a ceasefire, by talking about recognising a Palestinian state. Even Donald Trump has told…
- BFBS Sitrep
First details of a “peace force” for Ukraine
Britain and France say they’re ready to lead a multinational Ukraine Support Force, in the event of a ceasefire, with a British led two-star HQ in Kyiv and…
- BFBS Sitrep
Trump changes his tune – will it change anything in Ukraine?
After months of ratcheting up pressure on Ukraine to do a peace deal, Donald Trump’s now supplying arms to them, and sending the bill to the rest of NATO. But…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – The untold story of Ukraine’s Foreign Legion
Hundreds of British people answered Ukraine’s urgent plea for military volunteers to help it fight back when Russian tanks rolled in.Some were novices, who…
- BFBS Sitrep
Homeland Defence in the UK
Sitrep digs deep into homeland defence in the UK. A former National Security adviser lays out the potential threats we face and we ask how prepared are we for…
- BFBS Sitrep
Are we preparing for the wrong war?
War is changing and military strategy no longer delivers victory because of a “short war fallacy”. That warning comes from eminent defence historian Professor…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – Eagle Days, the story of the Luftwaffe through German eyes
The history of the Battle of Britain has been written many times over the last 85 years, but almost always from a British perspective. The award-winning…
- BFBS Sitrep
Cash vs Capability. 5% defence spending explained
NATO countries have signed up hundreds of billions of pounds in extra defence spending by 2035, but no one has told us yet what it will be spent on. But Mike…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA - Why Cyprus matters - the UK Defence Adviser explains
The UK has around 100 square miles of sovereign territory in Cyprus, home to more than 3000 Defence personnel, and it is a lynchpin of British military…
- BFBS Sitrep
UK military contingency plans for the Iran/Israel war explained
RAF planes have been moved to the Middle East for ‘contingency support’, but what could those contingencies end up being? Professor Michael Clarke maps out the…
- BFBS Sitrep
Increase defence spending or learn Russian, Nato chief tells UK
The head of NATO issues his starkest warning yet about Russia’s readiness for war. We speak to Ed Arnold, a senior research fellow at the defence think-tank…
- BFBS Sitrep
SITREP LIVE – The Defence Review explained & your questions answered
It’s the new defence masterplan for the next decade and beyond, but what does the Strategic Defence Review mean for the Armed Forces? The lead military author…
- BFBS Sitrep
HMS Venturer – what hope will the new Type 31 frigate offer the Royal Navy?
As the Royal Navy unveils HMS Venturer to the public for the first time – we ask, what hope does the first Inspiration Class Frigate offer a surface fleet…
- BFBS Sitrep
The UK – EU defence partnership explained
Keir Starmer says it puts Britain back on the world stage. Some critics claim it could drag Britain into some kind of “EU army”. Sitrep explains what is, and…
- BFBS Sitrep
Does Russia really want war with NATO?
New satellite images show Russia’s building up its military presence on the border of Finland, as it reorganises and concentrates its military closer to NATO…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA - Can service personnel complain with confidence?
For 9 years in a row the service complaints system has been deemed to not be efficient, effective or fair by the watchdog that oversees it. But despite that…
- BFBS Sitrep
VE Day - How did the allies win, and what are the lessons 80 years on?
Britain and its allies fought Nazi Germany for a gruelling four and a half years in all, but once allied ground troops landed in Europe, creating the Western…
- BFBS Sitrep
Will India and Pakistan go to war, and who would win?
Pakistan and India have already fought two wars over disputed Kashmir, now after a terror attack that killed 26 tourists spiralling tensions have brought…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – First hand: How Trump’s diplomatic storm is impacting Ukraine
Former Conservative MP Jack Lopresti joined Ukraine’s foreign legion, in November 2024, to share his insights and experience of procurement and diplomacy…
- BFBS Sitrep
The military drone revolution explained
Drones have come of age in Ukraine, ruling the battlefield and overtaking artillery as the leading cause of casualties. Kate and Mike are joined by RAF veteran…
- BFBS Sitrep
Will fighting end the Ukraine war before diplomacy?
The death and destruction in Ukraine has only intensified in the two months since Donald Trump unilaterally announced peace talks, and the one month since…
- BFBS Sitrep
HMS Prince of Wales ready for a deployment of firsts
The Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier will be accompanied by more than 3000 servicemen and women, up to 24 RAF fighter jets, four British ships and four…
- BFBS Sitrep
Minerals, nuclear weapons and the battle for the Arctic
The world’s biggest military powers are all jockeying for position in and around the Arctic, starkly illustrated by Donald Trump’s demands for the US to buy…
- BFBS Sitrep
Could Europe go it alone for nuclear defence?
The head of NATO says nothing can replace the US nuclear umbrella as the ultimate guarantee of our security, and “Europe needs to know Uncle Sam still has our…
- BFBS Sitrep
How can bullying and abuse of servicewomen be stopped?
The head of the Army has spoken of his “anger and shame” after more than a thousand women shared stories of harassment, bullying and much worse while they…
- BFBS Sitrep
What would a Ukraine ceasefire look like on the battlefield?
Sitrep assesses how the 30-day ceasefire, offered by Ukraine, could work in reality. Would troops just stay in place and dig in, or might they have to pull…
- BFBS Sitrep
Can Ukraine still adapt and survive?
Whatever you think of how President Trump said it to President Zelensky, the fact is Ukraine is not in good position. That was made worse by the freezing of US…
- BFBS Sitrep
Billions more for the Armed Forces… but spend it wisely
We now have a deadline for the UK to spend 2.5% of national income on defence and it’s much sooner than anyone expected. But cash doesn’t just turn into…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – Defence spending lessons from the Cold War
In the 1970’s and 1980’s the UK typically spent 4-5% of its national income on Defence, but what did that money buy and what did our Armed Forces spend their…
- BFBS Sitrep
Britain prepares for possible boots in Ukraine
Despite the many uncertainties about a possible peace-deal for Ukraine, Britain’s Defence Secretary says the detail is being developed for a European led…
- BFBS Sitrep
Talking or fighting – which is better for Ukraine?
Donald Trump’s tried to take Ukraine’s future out of its own hands by opening negotiations with Russia, and telling Kyiv that NATO membership and getting all…
- BFBS Sitrep
Could a defence deal with the EU boost Britain’s military capability?
Keir Starmer wants a post-brexit reset with the EU, and he thinks it should start with “an ambitious partnership” on defence and security. But would it help…
- BFBS Sitrep
Defence spending – how much is enough?
Donald Trump wants NATO members to spend 5% of their national income on Defence, the UK is years away from meeting half that target. Is 5% a realistic figure…
- BFBS Sitrep
We know what you are doing…
The defence secretary John Healey sends a message to Russia’s President Putin warning him we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country. It’s…
- BFBS Sitrep
Playing catch-up with Artificial Intelligence
The Ministry Of Defence is given a stark warning that it needs to play catch-up and should learn from Ukraine’s use of AI on the battlefield. So what is…
- BFBS Sitrep
The UK led fightback against undersea cable-cutters
After a string of attacks against European data and power cables, and undersea pipelines, the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force has activated a new AI…
BFBS SitrepThe Moment That Made Me – Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes was a driver in the Army who’d already quit once and was feeling disheartened again. But a moment watching a colleague prepare for a potentially…
BFBS SitrepThe Moment That Made Me – Captain Ryan Ramsay
Ryan Ramsay spent three years at the helm of a Royal Navy attack submarine, before teaching the next generation of leaders. But he gives big credit to the US…
BFBS SitrepThe Moment That Made Me – Mandy Hickson
When the RAF opened fighter pilot roles to women Mandy Hickson was one of the first in line. The powers that be told her she was a test-case, and a key flying…
BFBS SitrepThe Moment That Made Me – Major General Chip Chapman
At the age of 23 Chip Chapman not only went to war for the first time, but also had to lead his platoon into the first fighting of the decisive battle in the…