BFBS Sitrep

Sitrep talks to the outgoing Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute, Dr. Karin von Hippel

RUSI has contributed to UK defence & security thinking for almost two centuries, and under Dr. von Hippel’s leadership it’s help the country face threats ranging from the Covid pandemic to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Before leading RUSI she was a key figure at the US State Department, as Chief-of-Staff to General John Allen who led the global coalition against the Islamic State terror group.

After 9 years at the helm of RUSI, Karin talks to Kate Gerbeau about the many challenges and surprises the world has brought in that time, and what lies ahead.

Sitrep talks to the outgoing Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute, Dr. Karin von Hippel

RUSI has contributed to UK defence & security thinking for almost two centuries, and under Dr. von Hippel’s leadership it’s help the country face threats ranging from the Covid pandemic to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Before leading RUSI she was a key figure at the US State Department, as Chief-of-Staff to General John Allen who led the global coalition against the Islamic State terror group.

After 9 years at the helm of RUSI, Karin talks to Kate Gerbeau about the many challenges and surprises the world has brought in that time, and what lies ahead.

Drones buzzing airbases and HMS Queen Elizabeth. Undersea cables cut.  Mysterious parcel fires at air-freight depots.  These have all been described as hybrid, grey-zone, or sub-threshold attacks against the UK and it’s allies.

But if they are all below the threshold of an act of war, where does that threshold lie?

Sitrep explores the use of deniable attacks, from disruption and disinformation to assassination and bomb plots. How do we defend against them, deter enemies from even trying, and stand up to international bullying?

Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke talk to grey-zone expert Elisabeth Braw, former military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram, and Tan Dhesi MP who chairs the Commons Defence Committee.

Drones buzzing airbases and HMS Queen Elizabeth. Undersea cables cut.  Mysterious parcel fires at air-freight depots.  These have all been described as hybrid, grey-zone, or sub-threshold attacks against the UK and it’s allies.

But if they are all below the threshold of an act of war, where does that threshold lie?

Sitrep explores the use of deniable attacks, from disruption and disinformation to assassination and bomb plots. How do we defend against them, deter enemies from even trying, and stand up to international bullying?

Kate Gerbeau and Professor Michael Clarke talk to grey-zone expert Elisabeth Braw, former military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram, and Tan Dhesi MP who chairs the Commons Defence Committee.

From testing whether we’re ready for war to checking whether forces families get the support they need, the Commons Defence Committee plays a key role in overseeing our defence.

Kate Gerbeau talks to the man chosen by his fellow MP’s to chair the committee in this Parliament.

Tan Dhesi has a background in maths, management science, and running his own construction business.

So what does he bring to this important defence role, why did he want the job, and what does he hope to achieve for the UK’s defence and it’s service personnel?

From testing whether we’re ready for war to checking whether forces families get the support they need, the Commons Defence Committee plays a key role in overseeing our defence.

Kate Gerbeau talks to the man chosen by his fellow MP’s to chair the committee in this Parliament.

Tan Dhesi has a background in maths, management science, and running his own construction business.

So what does he bring to this important defence role, why did he want the job, and what does he hope to achieve for the UK’s defence and it’s service personnel?

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of Admiral Lord Nelson with Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes, author of several books on Nelson and his Navy, and senior lecturer in war studies at RMAS. The interview is recorded in Nelson’s cabin on HMS Victory in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Nelson Glossary

Cuthbert Collingwood Admiral and Second in Command at Trafalgar.

John Jervis Earl of St Vincent, Admiral and Commander at the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

George Towry Captain, involved in the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Thomas Troubridge Captain, involved in the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Ralph Abercromby General, mortally wounded at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.

Pierre-Charles de Villeneuve French Admiral and overall Commander of the Combined Fleet at Trafalgar.

Frederico Gravina Spanish Admiral and Second in Command at Trafalgar.

BFBS Forces News presents ‘Great British Battle Commanders’ hosted by Professor Michael Clarke, Sitrep’s defence analyst, assessing the leadership and strategy of Admiral Lord Nelson with Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes, author of several books on Nelson and his Navy, and senior lecturer in war studies at RMAS. The interview is recorded in Nelson’s cabin on HMS Victory in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Nelson Glossary

Cuthbert Collingwood Admiral and Second in Command at Trafalgar.

John Jervis Earl of St Vincent, Admiral and Commander at the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

George Towry Captain, involved in the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Thomas Troubridge Captain, involved in the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Ralph Abercromby General, mortally wounded at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.

Pierre-Charles de Villeneuve French Admiral and overall Commander of the Combined Fleet at Trafalgar.

Frederico Gravina Spanish Admiral and Second in Command at Trafalgar.

Russia thought it would conquer Ukraine in 10 days, Ukrainian resolve is still preventing that.  But after more than a million casualties on both sides, thousands of pieces of military hardware destroyed, will it simply come down to which side can outlast the other?

Sitrep’s Simon Newton and Hannah King join us from Kyiv to share how the people, and their resolve, are holding up, while Professor Michael Clarke analyses the battlefield picture.

If it doesn’t come down simply to attrition then what could prove to be a tipping point?

Ukraine hopes permission to fire British Storm Shadow and American ATACMS missiles into Russia could be a game changer, while Russia’s banking on ratcheting up nuclear rhetoric to discourage western support.  Sitrep assesses the effect they could have.

Russia thought it would conquer Ukraine in 10 days, Ukrainian resolve is still preventing that.  But after more than a million casualties on both sides, thousands of pieces of military hardware destroyed, will it simply come down to which side can outlast the other?

Sitrep’s Simon Newton and Hannah King join us from Kyiv to share how the people, and their resolve, are holding up, while Professor Michael Clarke analyses the battlefield picture.

If it doesn’t come down simply to attrition then what could prove to be a tipping point?

Ukraine hopes permission to fire British Storm Shadow and American ATACMS missiles into Russia could be a game changer, while Russia’s banking on ratcheting up nuclear rhetoric to discourage western support.  Sitrep assesses the effect they could have.