Professor Malcolm Chalmers

Contact:

malcolm.chalmers@rusi.org
+44(0)20 7747 4970

Expertise:

UK security policy, international burden sharing, arms control, conflict prevention.
 
See also
Malcolm Chalmers: Selected publications
 
Related RUSI articles
Keeping our Powder Dry? UK Defence Policy Beyond Afghanistan
Prolonged military commitments and financial austerity call into question Britain’s participation in the age of intervention.
 The strategic defence review--British policy options
 Numbers and Words: Prospects for Nuclear Arms Control
While there have been crucial advances on the arms control agenda, crucial questions remain for the major nuclear powers.
More
FUTURE DEFENCE REVIEW

Working Paper Series



Number 1
Preparing for the Lean Years
How will British defence spending fare in an age of austerity?
By Malcolm Chalmers

Number 2
A Force for Honour
Military Strategic Options for the United Kingdom
By Michael Codner

Number 3
Multilateral Approaches to Security
Choices for defence
By Andrew Rathmell

Number 4
Jointery and the Emerging Defence Review
By Trevor Taylor

Number 5
Capability Cost Trends: Implications for the Defence Review
By Malcolm Chalmers

Number 6
The Defence Review: Capability Questions for the New Government
By Michael Codner

Number 7
A Question of Balance? The Deficit and Defence Priorities
By Malcolm Chalmers

Number 8
Entente or Oblivion: The Prospects and Pitfalls of Franco-British Co-operation on Defence
By Etienne de Durand

Number 9
Unbalancing the Force? Prospects for UK Defence after the SDSR
By Malcolm Chalmers

Latest News
UK Defence Budget: Looking into the Black Hole
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) appears to have balanced the £74 billion* ten-year 'funding gap', but key equipment programmes, such as Trident renewal and Joint Strike Fighter, are still a major source of potential instability to defence budget, highlights a new paper from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
 Accidental Heroes: Britain, France and the Libya Operation - RUSI Interim Libya Campaign Report
A new RUSI report looks at the diplomatic, strategic and military aspects of the recent Libya campaign.
 SDSR an opportunity, not a death sentence, says RUSI analyst
Professor Malcolm Chalmers believes that, rather than destroying the capabilities of the armed forces, the SDSR could help to create more sustainable armed services.
 Like for like renewal of Trident will come at expense of conventional forces
The UK's current commitment to maintain a nuclear-armed missile submarine on deterrent patrol at all times (Continuous At-Sea Deterrence, or 'CASD'), is driven as much by institutional and political momentum as by strategic necessity, and plans to order a new generation of submarines after 2015 now threatens to be at the expense of further reduction in conventional forces according to a new report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
 Nuclear Narratives: Reflections on Declaratory Policies
As Foreign Secretary William Hague announces an overhaul of UK nuclear declaratory policy, a new report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) shows that it must fundamentally reconcile declarations of nuclear deterrence and nuclear disarmament.
 MoD faces 10-15 per cent budget cut
A new RUSI report declares the MoD faces a budget cut of around 10-15 per cent in real terms between 2010 and 2016.
 A Question of Balance? The Deficit and Defence Priorities
The deeper the immediate budget cuts that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has to make, the greater the risk of reduced capability without commensurate financial gains, argues the latest Future Defence Review Working Paper from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
 RUSI Future Defence Review paper: UK’s Armed Forces face personnel cuts of 20% over the next six years
The growing costs of UK defence capabilities, combined with cuts in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) budget as a result of the nation's fiscal crisis, will make it impossible to preserve current numbers of service personnel and front-line capabilities.
More
Commentary
Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: A Steady Crawl to Breakout Capability
The International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report on Iran describes in unprecedented detail a country moving slowly towards a nuclear weapons option, rather than a bomb itself.
 Analysing the implications for a complete US withdrawal in 2014
Following a recent visit to Afghanistan, RUSI's Research Director assesses the impact of withdrawal from Afghanistan.
 The National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review
Are the strategic threats and opportunities adequately recognised in the Strategic Defence and Security Review?.
 Can we afford to renew Trident?
The Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced that funding for the renewal of Britain's nuclear deterrent must come from the Ministry of Defence's core budget.
 Prognosis for defence spending after Budget 2010
The first budget of the Coalition government could lead to the core defence budget being cut in real terms by up to 15%, with numbers of military personnel being reduced by around 30,000.
 A Question of Balance? The Deficit and Defence Priorities
The deeper the immediate budget cuts that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has to make, the greater the risk of reduced capability without commensurate financial gains, argues the latest Future Defence Review Working Paper from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
 Walking, not running: New START and the Nuclear Posture Review
The achievements of the NPR and the signing of New START are the first steps towards President Obama’s stated goal of a nuclear free world.
 Not with a bang but a whimper: Europe’s pending denuclearisation
Within the next decade, European aircraft capable of delivering US nuclear weapons are due to be withdrawn from service.
 Double or Quits in Afghanistan?
A new policy of ‘Double or Quits’ has recently emerged for Afghanistan.
More
Research projects
Nuclear Analysis
This programme undertakes high-level research on global nuclear proliferation and arms control.
 Af-Pak strategies
RUSI is engaged across its programmes and initiatives in examining the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan - and what they entail for Britain's security.
More
Other Publications
Small Nuclear Forces: Five Perspectives
In an era of smaller weapons stockpiles, what are the policy drivers for the medium-sized nuclear-weapon states - and how might they determine future disarmament?.
 Briefing Paper: Is the UK Defence Budget Crisis Really Over?
The Ministry of Defence appears to have finally balanced the books, at least on paper.
 If the Bombs Go: European Perspectives on NATO’s Nuclear Debate
US tactical nuclear weapons may be heading out of Europe.
 NATO and Nuclear Weapons
Is a new consensus possible over NATO's nuclear weapons policy?.
 NATO's Tactical Nuclear Dilemma
Renewed debate over the stationing of US nuclear weapons in Europe comes at a crucial time for NATO.
More

Professor Malcolm Chalmers

Position: Research Director / Director, UK Defence Policy Studies


Professor Malcolm Chalmers is Research Director and Director (UK Defence Policy) at RUSI. He is a Special Adviser to the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, and was a member of the UK Cabinet Office consultative group for the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, and of the UK Defence Secretary's Advisory Forum for the 2010 Defence Green Paper. He was Visiting Professor of Defence and Foreign Policy in the Department of War Studies, Kings College, London, and was an FCO Special Adviser to Foreign Secretaries Jack Straw MP and Margaret Beckett MP.

Malcolm's publications include 'Looking into the Black Hole: Is the UK Defence Budget Crisis Really Over?, RUSI Briefing Paper, September 2011; 'Keeping our Powder Dry? UK Defence Policy Beyond Afghanistan', RUSI Journal, 156, 1, 2011; 'The Lean Years? Defence Consequences of the Fiscal Crisis', in Michael Codner and Michael Clarke (eds), A Question of Security: British Defence Policy in an Age of Austerity, I B Tauris, 2011; 'Nuclear Weapons and the Prevention of Major War' in Camille Grand (editor), Thinking About Strategy: A Tribute to Michael Quinlan, FRS Paris, 2011; 'Unbalancing the Force: Prospects for UK Defence after the SDSR' RUSI Future Defence Review Working Paper, 2010; 'Nuclear Narratives: Reflections on Declaratory Policy', RUSI Whitehall Report, 2010; 'NATO's Tactical Nuclear Dilemma', RUSI Occasional Paper, 2010 (with Simon Lunn); 'Britain's new nuclear debate', RUSI Journal, 2009; 'A Force for Influence: Making British Defence Effective', RUSI Journal, December 2008; Global Inequality and Security Policy: A British Perspective, RUSI / Routledge, May 2008; 'Spending to Save: the cost-effectiveness of conflict prevention', Defense and Peace Economics, 18, 1, 2007; Evaluation of the Conflict Prevention Pools: Synthesis Report (co-author), Cabinet Office, 2004; 'The Economic Costs and Benefits of UK Defence Exports', Fiscal Studies, Vol. 23, No. 3, 2002, 305-342. (with Neil Davies, Keith Hartley and Chris Wilkinson); 'The Atlantic burden-sharing debate - widening or fragmenting?', International Affairs, Vol. 77, No. 3, 2001; Uncharted Waters: The UK, Nuclear Weapons and the Scottish Question, Tuckwell Press, 2001 (with William Walker); and Sharing security: the political economy of burdensharing, Macmillan, 2000.

For an extended list of publications by Professor Chalmers, click here >

 

RUSI Publications

Keeping our Powder Dry? UK Defence Policy Beyond Afghanistan
16 Feb 2011
Prolonged military commitments and financial austerity call into question Britain’s participation in the age of intervention
 Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: A Steady Crawl to Breakout Capability
15 Nov 2011
The International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report on Iran describes in unprecedented detail a country moving slowly towards a nuclear weapons option, rather than a bomb itself. This lack of a 'smoking gun' removes military response from the international community's toolbox of policy options. But this is no grounds for complacency.
The strategic defence review--British policy options
4 Aug 1997

 Analysing the implications for a complete US withdrawal in 2014
27 Jul 2011
Following a recent visit to Afghanistan, RUSI's Research Director assesses the impact of withdrawal from Afghanistan.
 Numbers and Words: Prospects for Nuclear Arms Control
30 Apr 2010
While there have been crucial advances on the arms control agenda, crucial questions remain for the major nuclear powers
 The National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review
18 Oct 2010
Are the strategic threats and opportunities adequately recognised in the Strategic Defence and Security Review?
 Can we afford to renew Trident?
30 Jul 2010
The Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced that funding for the renewal of Britain's nuclear deterrent must come from the Ministry of Defence's core budget. RUSI's Malcolm Chalmers assesses the ramifications of this announcement.
Prognosis for defence spending after Budget 2010
24 Jun 2010
The first budget of the Coalition government could lead to the core defence budget being cut in real terms by up to 15%, with numbers of military personnel being reduced by around 30,000.
A Question of Balance? The Deficit and Defence Priorities
3 Jun 2010
The deeper the immediate budget cuts that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has to make, the greater the risk of reduced capability without commensurate financial gains, argues the latest Future Defence Review Working Paper from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
 Walking, not running: New START and the Nuclear Posture Review
16 Apr 2010
The achievements of the NPR and the signing of New START are the first steps towards President Obama’s stated goal of a nuclear free world. However limited their successes may be, their announcements signify real progress in nuclear disarmament.
 Not with a bang but a whimper: Europe’s pending denuclearisation
12 Mar 2010
Within the next decade, European aircraft capable of delivering US nuclear weapons are due to be withdrawn from service. What are the options available to NATO in the debate over the continuance of its tactical nuclear capability?
 Double or Quits in Afghanistan?
27 Jul 2009
A new policy of ‘Double or Quits’ has recently emerged for Afghanistan. Following a surge in troop levels both the US and UK political leadership hope for a rapid improvement in the security situation, but without this calls for a reassessment of priorities will grow louder. There is, however, the opportunity for a ‘third way’, modelled on the British experience in Basra after 2006, where a reduced footprint provided the opportunity for the success of local Iraqi forces.
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