Shows / BFBS Sitrep
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BFBS SitrepBritain’s next fighter jet – science fiction, or flying fact?
Scientists have spent years researching concepts including laser weapons and brain sensors for a new RAF plane called ‘Tempest’. Now ministers want those ideas…
- BFBS Sitrep
The race to be PM – what’s at stake for defence?
The early days of the campaign to succeed Boris Johnson have seen a bidding war on defence spending from those hoping to replace him. BFBS Sitrep assess the…
- BFBS Sitrep
Understanding suicide
Although cases of people serving in the armed forces taking their own lives are low – among men in the army the figures have been rising in recent years. Among…
- BFBS Sitrep
Mobilising the Army for war in Europe
The head of the Army has told his troops that they have a new main effort – Operation Mobilise. We’ll examine the plan for more of the Army to be ready more of…
BFBS SitrepOpening shots from the new head of the Army
The new Chief of General Staff has written to all soldiers saying they must be prepared to fight in Europe and defeat Russia in battle – so are we not ready…
- BFBS Sitrep
Ukraine pleads for more western weapons
Ukraine says it urgently needs more weapons and ammunition from the west. BFBS Sitrep speaks to journalist Nicola Smith who’s on the ground near the biggest…
- BFBS Sitrep
Why did Britain win the Falklands conflict?
40 years on from the liberation of the Falklands BFBS Sitrep hears the story of the final hours from those who were there – and examines the lessons of the…
- BFBS Sitrep
Is Russia making a breakthrough in Ukraine
3 months after invading Ukraine, Russia appears to be on the brink of its first significant strategic victory – taking the whole of Luhansk province. Is this a…
- BFBS Sitrep
Forcing out the invaders
The daring amphibious landings of thousands of British troops was arguably the most perilous and pivotal moment of the Falklands war. 40 years on BFBS Sitrep…
- BFBS Sitrep
Extra – ‘I lost 22 of my boys, I never intended that I’d lose my ship’
Commander Alan West was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his pivotal role in the Falklands war. His ship HMS Ardent was sunk with the loss of 22…
- BFBS Sitrep
Finland’s dangerous wait to join NATO
Finland has entered a ‘grey zone’, defying Russia to apply for NATO membership, but not yet covered by the alliance’s mutual defence guarantees. Hours before…
- BFBS Sitrep
What’s the Ukraine war doing to Russia?
We know all too well what Russia’s invasion is doing to Ukraine – the catastrophic loss of lives, the physical devastation, and also the national resolve to…
- BFBS Sitrep
Is India playing off the UK with Russia?
Boris Johnson has just done a new defence deal with India – which imports most of its military hardware from Russia and won’t condemn the invasion of Ukraine…
- BFBS Sitrep
Has Russia learned from its mistakes in Ukraine?
The Ukraine war has moved into phase 2, but will it be a turning point for a Russian campaign that’s had no real success so far? Instead of trying to take the…
- BFBS Sitrep
The amateur investigators revealing Russia’s secrets
From the size and location of massive Russian convoys, to the serial numbers of missiles used in strikes, we all have access to unprecedented detail of the…
- BFBS Sitrep
EXTRA – What is OSINT and how has it changed war forever?
By day Kyle Glen works an office job for a clinical research company. By night he gathers and analyses intelligence that can reveal the truth about wars around…
- BFBS Sitrep
Investigating murder and mutilation in Ukraine
A catalogue of atrocities is emerging where Russian forces have withdrawn from parts of Ukraine. Film-maker Emile Ghessen tells us about the harrowing scenes…
- BFBS Sitrep
Kidnapped by the Junta.
Julian Manyon experienced the start of the Falklands war from enemy territory. He’d been despatched to Argentina to report on the military dictatorship that…
- BFBS Sitrep
Russian Army's Weaknesses
On this week’s Sitrep there’s been much talk of the weaknesses in the Russian Army, one of the reasons being suggested is their lack of a Non Commissioned…
- BFBS Sitrep
What Makes Foreign Fighters Tick?
On this week’s Sitrep we delve into the minds of foreign fighters. What makes someone who’ served in the military or is just a civilian want to go and fight in…
- BFBS Sitrep
Has Putin accidentally achieved what Donald Trump couldn’t?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may be stalled, but it’s already reset Europe’s security thinking for decades to come. Germany appears to have abandoned its…
- BFBS Sitrep
Extra – Keir Starmer on Ukraine and standing up to ‘bully’ president Putin.
The Labour leader’s visited Estonia to meet British troops and show British political unity against Russia, and in support of NATO and Ukraine. He talks to…
- BFBS Sitrep
Inside Ukraine’s capital – braced for invasion.
Kyiv may be the decisive city of the war for Ukraine’s future – so what is happening there right now? BFBS Sitrep talks to a former Royal Marine turned…
- BFBS Sitrep
Has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gone wrong?
We thought Russia’s invasion would overwhelm Ukraine within 72 hours. A week on Moscow’s forces have claimed control of just one city. So what’s gone wrong for…
- BFBS Sitrep
Russia invades Ukraine – History repeating?
Russia has launched a full frontal military assault on Ukraine, sending troops and tanks in from 3 directions. BFBS Sitrep assesses Moscow’s military strategy…
- BFBS Sitrep
Ukraine - What just happened?
Russia says it’s pulling troops back from Ukraine’s borders, the west says the buildup’s getting bigger. BFBS Sitrep talks to a former British Ambassador, and…
- BFBS Sitrep
Extra: Armed Forces Minister on Ukraine
In a rollercoaster 24 hours the UK went from warning an invasion of Ukraine could start ‘at any moment’ to expressing cautious optimism about a Russian…
- BFBS Sitrep
Them and Us – Is China trying to divide the world?
China has called for the UK to hand the Falklands to Argentina, and says NATO’s got too big. This week BFBS Sitrep asks if Beijing has used the Winter Olympics…
- BFBS Sitrep
‘Alexa – Can sanctions prevent war in Ukraine?’
The UK and its western allies are threatening historically harsh sanctions to try to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. BFBS Sitrep examines what sanctions…
- BFBS Sitrep
‘You can’t hug the Russians to death’
Ukraine’s government is urging its citizens to stay calm, but preparing its forces for war. BFBS Sitrep asks where we should be looking for signs of a possible…
- BFBS Sitrep
Falsehood – the first weapon of war?
The US claims Russia plans a ‘false flag’ operation in Ukraine to justify an invasion. The UK’s defence secretary speaks out against ‘false narratives’ from…
- BFBS Sitrep
Russia sizes up NATO
Moscow is demanding NATO admits absolutely no new members – but could that demand be backfiring? We hear from Sweden and Finland, where after years of staunch…
- BFBS Sitrep
‘Bomb disposal is boring’
Decorated former bomb-disposal operator Kim Hughes talks at length to Kate Gerbeau about how Hollywood portrays the job and what it’s actually like. Since…
- BFBS Sitrep
The Sitrep Crystal Ball
What’s going to happen in 2022, where and why? Will Ukraine be invaded or can big talks next week dial down the tension? Why has Russia sent troops to…
- BFBS Sitrep
Good year/Bad year?
2021 – the year that Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump, took international troops out of Afghanistan, and the Taliban swept back to power. The final Sitrep of…
- BFBS Sitrep
Left behind – what’s happened to the people Britain didn’t rescue from Afghanistan?
Four months since the Taliban marched back to power in Afghanistan Sitrep hears from three interpreters who had worked with UK forces, but who couldn’t get on…
- BFBS Sitrep
Can a smaller army be more lethal?
It is ‘the biggest modernisation of the Army for a generation’ according to ministers – but can it deliver? This week on Sitrep we look through the details of…
- BFBS Sitrep
What’s it like to be a fighter pilot in combat?
Former RAF Typhoon pilot Mike Sutton tells us about his time flying sorties over Iraq on Operation Shader in 2015. From the cramped conditions of the cockpit…
- BFBS Sitrep
‘Do not screw this up’ – A fighter pilot’s story
Former RAF Typhoon pilot Mike Sutton talks at length to Kate Gerbeau about his time on combat sorties over Iraq on Operation Shader, what it was like to be…
- BFBS Sitrep
The race to recover Britain’s crashed F35
After an F35, flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth, crashed into the Mediterranean the pilot ejected and was safely recovered to the Aircraft carrier. In this…
- BFBS Sitrep
The Army’s Culture Problem
The Army’s top officers are summoned to discuss ‘disciplinary mistakes’, especially harassment and abuse of women. The outgoing Chief of Defence Staff…
- BFBS Sitrep
A ‘war-footing’ for the Climate Crisis
World leaders talk big at COP26 on trying to avert a spiralling environmental catastrophe – but some key players are missing. The Defence Secretary says…
- BFBS Sitrep
Cutting the cash for landmine clearance
The Mine Advisory Group says plans to cut back on government funding for landmine clearance is catastrophic...we’ll hear from the CEO of ‘MAG’ and a former…
- BFBS Sitrep
The new race for space
China denies testing a new hypersonic missile — a potential new threat in space. Meanwhile North Korea tests a new, submarine-launched, missile, sparking more…
- BFBS Sitrep
Afghanistan’s humanitarian catastrophe
Hundreds of Afghan interpreters, who worked with British forces in the country, remain stranded after the end of the international evacuation mission. In this…
- BFBS Sitrep
Britain’s new military leader
As Admiral Sir Tony Radakin is announced as the next Chief of the Defence Staff, what challenges await the new leader of Britain’s armed forces? One issue in…
- BFBS Sitrep
The 4th Emergency Service?
The Government turns to the forces to help resolve the fuel crisis that’s seen huge queues at petrol stations across the UK. It’s not the first time the…
- BFBS Sitrep
Will AUKUS make it awkward for Britain and France?
France has called the defence pact between Britain, the US and Australia a “stab in the back”, but will it do lasting damage to relations between the key…
- BFBS Sitrep
Britain, US & Australia sign new defence pact
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
9/11 - 20 years on
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Watching Afghanistan from over the horizon
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Afghanistan: The final days
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Afghanistan’s collapse
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Afghanistan. The options?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Afghanistan on the brink.
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
“Truly Shocking” report highlights sexism in the military
A damning report accuses military leaders of failing to protect female personnel from bullying, harassment and discrimination. An MPs investigation revealed…
- BFBS Sitrep
Spanish boots on the rock?
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Drawing a line under the past
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…
- BFBS Sitrep
Ending the “forever war”
As the western military intervention in Afghanistan draws to an end, Sitrep looks back at the last 20 years, and asks what it will mean in the future. A former…
- BFBS Sitrep
Ending the “forever war”
As the western military intervention in Afghanistan draws to an end, Sitrep looks back at the last 20 years, and asks what it will mean in the future. A former…