At the Future Artillery conference in Paris running from 21-23 May, Dr Gennady Yumshtyk gave a presentation that was precise and clear, but left members of the audience with an astonishing question: After 100 years of using chrome plating on artillery barrels, wherein we have found the material to be a highly carcinogenic environmental hazard, why do we not adopt an alternative that is safer, more effective, and has a lower operational cost? Why do we not use EPVD? “It seems like a no-brainer,”

Satellite imagery of Belarus from the start of September captured covert radiological warfare exercises by an alliance of post-soviet states, provoking concern among analysts that Russia is committed to hosting nuclear weapons in Belarusian territory. The intra-day imagery, gathered by geospatial intelligence company BlackSky and then independently verified by specialist defence services company Preligens, exposed the radioactive decontamination of a formation of military vehicles at Bretsky T

Hypersonic weapons have become a focal point for defence investments globally, with billions being poured into their development. But as funding skyrockets, so do questions about their practicality and effectiveness. Programmes focussed on hypersonic weapon technologies have seen heavy investment in recent years, with a report from the US Congressional Research Service estimating that the US Department of Defense (DoD) investments in hypersonic technologies totalled $5.8bn across 2021 and 2022

On Tuesday 19 September the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced changes to the terms of reference of an independent inquiry that has made UK Special Forces the subject of an investigation into a series of potentially unlawful killings that happened in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. Evidence submitted to the Inquiry suggests that up to 80 people were killed in suspicious circumstances by SAS squadrons during the time period under inquiry, as reported by Current and former Special Forces per

The integration of military capability is a key influence for force modernisation, with the British Army also making moves to adapt how to structure its units to better deliver effect where needed. The IISS report, ‘The Future of NATO’s European Land Force: Plans, Challenges, Prospects’, identifies current and planned investments in rocket artillery and surface-to-surface strike as positive steps Nato land forces are taking, reasoning that they should deliver systems capable of engaging target

A UK House of Lords inquiry looking at autonomous weapons systems (AWS) held its first public evidence session in March, where three experts in International Humanitarian Law (IHL) answered questions from the committee members on a potential definition for AWS to be used in future legislation. It was not as straightforward as the committee members had expected. “I think we should at least tell our witnesses that we’ve got the message about having a broader look at this,” said Lord Brown at the e

With the publication in March 2023 of its National Quantum Strategy, the UK Government has signalled its intention to be an early mover in quantum technologies with a wide slate of investments in the sector. In many ways the arc of development set out is a clear example of what defence procurement should be: heavy investment early on, subsidising risks for research partners while allowing private sector institutions room to innovate as the technology grows in sophistication. At an end point, cus

One of the key issues the House of Lords’ IRDC was concerned about in the 2021 IR, in its original form, was how the UK positioned itself in relation to China. There had been a “strategic void” at the heart of UK foreign policy oaths subject. However, had the Integrated Review Refresh, published in February 2023, made the distinction between calling China an ‘important partner’, as published in 2021, and calling China a ‘systemic competitor’ as the 2021 document had also done. “Well, I think t

A statutory inquiry was launched on 22 March into claims that British Special Forces in Afghanistan murdered innocent civilians and engaged in a cover up of the deaths. Extrajudicial killing allegations involving elite British forces in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013 will be investigated, as will the response of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Royal Military Police to those allegations. The inquiry will be chaired by senior Court of Appeal Judge Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and will hav

At DGI London on 27 February, BlackSky CEO Brian O’Toole stunned audiences with geospatial intelligence revealing the progression of China’s secret naval base in Ream, Cambodia. The quick response time satellite imagery that made this possible was as remarkable as the revelations that followed. While the principle seems simple, only in the last three years has a company invested in the commercial application for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR): instead of imaging satellites

The House of Lords Artificial Intelligence in Weapon Systems Committee will begin taking evidence to consider the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems. The committee is investigating how autonomous weapon systems (AWS) should be developed and utilised, with a view to current and future use. The UK does not have an operative definition of AWS, but in the inquiry’s call for evidence they are described as ‘weapons systems which can select, detect and engage targets with little to no h

The construction of a secret naval staging facility for Chinese military vessels off the coast of Cambodia was detailed at the DGI London conference on 28 February by geospatial intelligence company BlackSky. This will be only the second staging facility China has outside of its territory and poses a challenge to Cambodia’s neighbours in the region. In addition, such a facility would allow China further power projection in any future crisis over Taiwan. On 22 February published satellite image

Despite advancements in enabling technologies such as autonomy, machine vision and platform mobility, challenges in obstacle avoidance and clearance – particularly in challenging cross-country and forested terrain – nevertheless remain

In February, the French Navy unveiled a new strategic seabed warfare doctrine, while in May, the UK Royal Navy met with private operators in the undersea, indicating that navies in the area are studying seabed warfare vulnerabilities. Due to the experience gained building the infrastructure developed by the oil and gas industry, it is thought that the commercial sector has primacy in ocean floor operations at depths beyond the continental shelf. “The civilian sector, such as offshore oil and ga

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has a long history of use in the intelligence community and the verification and crosschecking of evidence against data points is a standard tool for security services. The war in Ukraine has been exceptional regarding civilian activity in verification of OSINT information, with large online open-source investigation communities and individual researchers sourcing and geolocating evidence before disseminating it to a public audience. “Ukraine’s armed forces have

PVH chief supply chain officer Sarah Clarke announced the company would be closing down its operations in the Hawassa Industrial Park, a major manufacturing plant run for over five years and the first of its kind in Ethiopia, where PVH employed approximately 1,450 of the site's 30,000-person workforce as of last week. Due to the “speed and volatility of the escalating situation” surrounding the national emergency in Ethiopia, PVH said tha