BFBS Sitrep

We look at the options facing the government as part of their Integrated Review of foreign policy, defence and security. Lord Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff, tells us that the government must find more money for defence.  We ask what will be the impact of the recent coup in the West African state of Mali on plans to send 250 British troops there as part of a UN mission?   Sitrep reports on how German soldiers are using the British run Sennelager training area to prepare for a mission in Afghanistan next year - and we hear how the last surviving landing craft from D-Day has finally reached its new home.  

As protests continue in Belarus, Sitrep looks at the wider implications. We hear from the man who was Britain’s ambassador in Minsk when Lukashenko took power 26 years ago on what’s likely to happen next. In the United States, the race for the White House is hotting up, with Joe Biden setting out his pitch to American voters. We ask a former head of the Royal United Services Institute what a Biden victory could mean for US allies, and find out why there’s talk about the military potentially being asked to remove Donald Trump from the White House if he loses, and then refuses to leave. A former head of GCHQ joins us to discuss the idea of “principled spying” — is it even possible? And we find out why Chelsea Football Club has adopted an historic Lancaster bomber. Plus we report from Biggin Hill airfield, 80 years after it played a key role in the “hardest day” of the Battle of Britain. Follow us @bfbssitrep

75 years on - what’s the legacy of VJ day? How should the government review the UK’s security and defence needs? We hear what military personnel are doing to help after the devastating explosion in Beirut And why the script of the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' caused concern in the War Office. Follow us @bfbssitrep

The Government offers aid and help from military personnel after the massive explosion in Beirut. What impact is the Covid 19 pandemic having on food supplies around the world?  Sitrep has a special report on training with the UK Gurkha Company    And the Battle of Balaclava, one man’s story as part of the Charge of the Heavy Brigade. Follow us @bfbssitrep

What should be done to counter cyber threats from Russia? A new report says there needs to be more investment in armed forces personnel and their families to keep them in the military. We report on Exercise Merlin Storm with Commando Helicopter Force And a reservist’s personal insight into what it's been like to work in hospitals throughout the Covid pandemic. Follow us @bfbssitrep

Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham on the future deployment of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.  The Red Cross tells Sitrep how the conflict in Yemen is having a devastating impact on the treatment of those affected by COVID-19. And we report from Germany on the 75th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference that shaped the future of post-war Europe.    Follow us @bfbssitrep

The Chief of the Defence staff on the future shape of the armed forces. Why have so many countries become involved in the conflict going on in Libya? A day in the life of military personnel working on coronavirus Mobile Testing units. What will the Government do about Huawei and 5G? The significance of the Battle of Britain in the Second World War.   Follow us @bfbssitrep

As Afghanistan deals with the spread of Coronavirus, a British Army spokesperson tells the programme what precautions are being taken on their deployment in the country. A new National Security Adviser has been appointed but what will be the impact of the change at the top of Whitehall? Professor Michael Clarke unpicks the changes. And searching for the right words to find fitting inscriptions for military graves. We speak to Peter Francis from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  Follow us @bfbssitrep

We assess the impact of the military's response to Covid 19: Russia's security services under the spotlight. One of the RAF’s first female fast jet pilots tells Sitrep what it was like to be a pioneer in her field and our ambassador to Washington enlists the help of the Army, the Navy and the RAF in making the perfect cup of tea! Follow us @bfbssitrep

Tributes paid to Dame Vera Lynn, the forces sweetheart. President Trump has confirmed that 9,500 US troops are to leave Germany, so how will that affect NATO's strategy in Europe? The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tells Sitrep of his deep concern over the fatal clashes at the border between China and India Plus -  why a new research project has been launched to see how veterans are coping during the Covid 19 pandemic.  Follow us @bfbssitrep