Britons dismayed by nearly incessant reports regarding the plight of their armed forces understandably have been fretting about the state of their military and whether they have the means to fight a major war of any sort, but especially one that resembles the conflict in Ukraine. Besides the usual debates...The post “Are We Ready for War?” A Book Review appeared first on Wavell Room.

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On the night of 16-17 September 2022, a small team of Ukrainian naval personnel and scientists released twelve marine drones into the water at a secret location on the Black Sea coast. Monitoring the mission from a remote location were the head of the Navy Vice-Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa; an SBU...The post Navy of Drones appeared first on Wavell Room.

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The primary duty of Defence is to fight and win wars. So why does it often feel our organisation is run by its compliance departments? Regulators and policy writers don’t win wars. Battlefield entrepreneurs hungry for victory do. This article contends the language of risk mitigation has been used to...The post Risky Business appeared first on Wavell Room.

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For the first time in decades, the media is abuzz with talk of National Service. This follows comments by the Defence Secretary, who has described the UK as “….moving from a post-war to pre-war world”, and the Chief of the General Staff, who called for “…an Army designed to expand...The post A call to arms appeared first on Wavell Room.

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The British Army began formal conduct after capture training following the Korean War (1950-53).  At the end of the conflict as many as 12,733 allied prisioners were exchanged, including 946 Britons.  Their treatment, and especially the American defections, caused a shock. Fashionable notions of communist ‘brainwashing’ were promoted to explain...The post What to expect if you are captured by Russian forces appeared first on Wavell Room.

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The violence beamed into our living rooms since 7 October is heartbreaking. On a human level, the high-definition suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians can be overwhelming. It was while watching Members of Parliament leaving the latest screening of the atrocities inflicted by Hamas, some quite visibly shaken by whatever...The post Just War in Gaza appeared first on Wavell Room.

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Michael Napier has come up with a bit of a gem here.  This is a highly detailed and fascinating insight into how both Russian and coalition air power sought to influence the wars in Afghanistan over a period of over 30 years.  The entire period is one of under-resourced ground...The post Afghan Air Wars by Michael Napier appeared first on Wavell Room.

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Introduction From reading the news over the last 5 years, it is clear that members of the Armed Forces and Civil Service are not always getting it right regarding behaviour.  Coverage has discussed the full range of issues, from the inappropriate behaviours described in the Atherton Report and the recent...The post #WavellReviews Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves appeared first on Wavell Room.

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As Stephen Biddle has so presciently stated, we have witnessed both the confirmation and denial of the importance of technology in war over the past two years. Heavy combat assets and indirect firepower matter, but only if used correctly. No amount of drone wizardry seems to mitigate the need for...The post The bane of Western military strategy – Technological Determinism appeared first on Wavell Room.

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“I was raised on Russian military doctrine, and I still think that the science of war is all located in Russia.” General Valerri Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces The first article outlined the theory and history of operational art, arguing that Russia failed to demonstrate proficiency in this vital...The post Operational Art Reborn – Part Two appeared first on Wavell Room.

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