News, Articles and Comment

Ed. An investigation into the procurement history of Canada’s troubled F-35 programme, focusing on the prevalence of political intervention and unclear commitments over more than a decade to demonstrate a systemic failure of the Defence procurement process, transcending government administrations. A 20 minute read.

Ed. Canon James Hawkey frames the debate ahead of the BRNC Naval Review lecture on 14 November. The moral conduct of war in the 21^st century remains an imperative. The author maintains that the Church has a role to play transcending politics and acting as a beacon for all faiths. A 5 minute read.

Ed. The author argues that Britain’s current grand strategy has the hallmarks of uncertainty, having not yet settled on a strictly continentalist, or purely maritime strategy, one way or the other. If the Armed Forces are to be deployed effectively, it is imperative that clarity replace the current strategic ambiguity. Originally published in The Article. A 5 minute read.

Ed. The Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)  has been accrediting NHS providers with Veteran Aware certification since the 2014 Chavasse Report, with the goal of accrediting all NHS and independent sector providers in England by early 2024. The author provides an update on the VCHA’s progress to date. A 5 minute read.

By kind permission of Captain Sarah Oakley RN, Captain BRNC, and with special thanks to Commander Doctor Steve Tatham PhD […]

Ed. The author explores the efforts of the medical profession to respond to the needs of the veteran community, specifically highlighting the NHS accreditation programme organized by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author argues that, in light of China and Russia’s rising regional influence, the UK needs to review its strategy in the Middle East. The Persian Gulf is sliding down Defence’s priorities, yet there remains a large military commitment, which, the author argues, does not represent a positive balance of investment. Should the MoD consider moving its maritime and air assets out of the Gulf? A 25 minute read.

Ed. General Sir Robert Fry reflects on the historical evolution of trench warfare during the First World War to demonstrate that, although post-modern technology may have improved in an absolute sense, the fundamental nature of a military stalemate necessitates awaiting the emergence of the next paradigm. Originally published by The Article, 13 July 2023 (https://www.thearticle.com/the-new-hiatus-in-warfare). A 10 minute read.

Ed. Major General Jim Morris RM is Standing Joint Force Commander (SJFC). Among his responsibilities is command of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Headquarters, for which the UK is the NATO-nominated framework nation. In this article he considers some of the security challenges faced in the Arctic High North and the Baltic regions and the importance of the JEF as a regional security framework for delivering security. A 10 minute read.