Wargaming Insights from UK PONI-Dstl Event for Early Career Professionals

UK PONI, in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), engaged the next generation of scientists, analysts, and researchers in nuclear deterrence wargaming to deepen their understanding of international politics and security dynamics. Dstl, an executive agency under the UK Ministry of Defence, renowned for its expertise in science, technology, and analysis, developed the CONTESTED wargame to illustrate strategic competition in a clear and accessible manner. 

The original CONTESTED wargame was modified by Dstl to include nuclear components for the UK PONI participants involved in the exercise. The group comprised early career professionals from diverse sectors, including government, industry, academia, the military, and various think tanks. Most participants had limited experience in wargaming, allowing them to express their personal viewpoints during the gameplay. This diversity of thought resulted in three distinct games and outcomes among the three teams, despite all teams commencing from the same initial scenario.

Alongside the three rounds of gameplay and a networking lunch, the event featured a final session where Dstl facilitators and players shared their insights and reflections, analysing the players’ decision-making processes as well as the likelihood of nuclear use.

About UK PONI

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the UK Project On Nuclear Issues (UK PONI). Over the past 14 years, its Annual Conference has become the premier forum for emerging scholars and professionals to consider salient issues in nuclear policy, to share their work, and to connect with peers and established experts.

If you are not a member yet, you can sign up here. UK PONI offers career development opportunities for early career professionals in the nuclear field – whether in academia, government or industry – and postgraduate students interested in nuclear topics to connect and network in an informal setting. 

About RUSI’s Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme

The Proliferation and Nuclear Policy team at RUSI conducts research and convenes dialogue on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons issues. We have five main programmes of work:

• Understanding deterrence and risk in the new nuclear age
• Stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery
• Strategic and security aspects of civil nuclear power
• Understanding chemical and biological weapon threats
• Building nuclear policy networks and encouraging learning

Across all of these programmes, we write public and private analysis, we brief policymakers and parliamentarians, we bring people together in high-level discussions and next-generation networks, and we contribute to public debate.