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RUSI covers a broad range of areas affecting defence and international security around the world. See here RUSI commentary, reports, events and videos organised by theme and region. Scroll below for the latest content.
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Browse Regions
Avoiding the Reign of Artificial Stupidity
Article, 27 October 2020Jack Watling
Artificial intelligence in war may be a good servant, but it is likely to prove a terrible master, for while the character of stupidity may evolve, its nature remains immutable
Martial Power Programme, Military Sciences, RUSI Defence Systems
What Can Be Salvaged from the UK’s Integrated Review?
Commentary, 26 October 2020Malcolm Chalmers
The future of the UK government’s Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign policy is now uncertain. In its absence, the government should consider issuing a top-level policy...
UK
A Murder in Paris: France's Grim Reminder of the Terrorism Threat
Commentary, 23 October 2020Raffaello Pantucci
The threat of terrorism is not over, and neither are the factors which feed the violence.
France, Global Security Issues, Terrorism
The UK and Illicit Finance: Still Part of the Problem, Not Part of the Solution
Article, 23 October 2020Tom Keatinge
The UK has lost its global leadership of the fight against illicit finance. The Johnson government must get the UK back on track.
Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies, RUSI Newsbrief, UK
The Democratisation of Precision Strike in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Commentary, 22 October 2020Jack Watling and Sidharth Kaushal
The effective use of precision strike assets by Azeri forces in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict illustrates how the precision revolution has spread beyond great powers.
Military Sciences
What Can Be Salvaged from the UK’s Integrated Review?
Commentary, 26 October 2020Malcolm Chalmers
The future of the UK government’s Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign policy is now uncertain. In its absence, the government should consider issuing a top-level policy...
UK
A Murder in Paris: France's Grim Reminder of the Terrorism Threat
Commentary, 23 October 2020Raffaello Pantucci
The threat of terrorism is not over, and neither are the factors which feed the violence.
France, Global Security Issues, Terrorism
The Democratisation of Precision Strike in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Commentary, 22 October 2020Jack Watling and Sidharth Kaushal
The effective use of precision strike assets by Azeri forces in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict illustrates how the precision revolution has spread beyond great powers.
Military Sciences
Canada and the UK: A Long and Enduring Partnership
Commentary, 21 October 2020Hugh Segal and Ann FitzGerald
The common interests and tight bonds between the UK and Canada are so obvious that they sometimes need restating.
UK
Russia’s Reach Exceeds Its Grasp Over the Karabakh Conflict
Commentary, 20 October 2020Neil Melvin
Moscow’s pivotal role, but also Russia’s limitations, have been exposed by the latest war in the Caucasus.
International Security Studies, Russia
Constants and Changes in France’s Arms Export Strategy
Commentary, 19 October 2020Patrick Chevallereau
The latest report on France’s arms sales highlights some fundamental reorientations in the country’s markets.
France
The Long and Arduous Road: Ukraine Updates Its National Security Strategy
Commentary, 16 October 2020Taras Kuzio
Ukraine’s latest national security strategy document is yet another step in the country’s decades-long struggle to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine, National Security
North Macedonia: A New Member State and an Opportunity for NATO
Commentary, 15 October 2020Mark Proctor
The Alliance’s newest member could provide a bold and meaningful opportunity for NATO to show how serious it is about its 2030 initiative.
NATO, Europe
Kuwait’s Leadership Change Leaves More Question Marks for the Gulf Cooperation Council
Commentary, 14 October 2020Michael Stephens
The death of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah after a 14-year reign might have passed under the radar of the casual Middle East observer, but it marks an important milestone in the...
Unpacking the MENA, The Gulf Region
The Gambler’s Code: Reassessing the UK–China Golden Age
Commentary, 13 October 2020Oliver Yule-Smith
Good or bad, the so-called golden age of UK–China relations should be seen for what it was: a geopolitical wager.
China, UKPages
Western Way of War: Bad Procurement: A Peculiarly Western Issue?
Multimedia, 22 October 2020Peter Roberts talks to John Louth, Defence Acquisition guru, about the military-industrial relationship, balance sheets, not winging it, the conspiracy of optimism, the cost of technology, speed/pace...
Tags: Military Sciences
Japan’s Indo-Pacific Vision: What's Next After Abe?
Multimedia, 21 October 2020Veerle and Ryosuke Hanada, Indo-Pacific Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre, explore the origins of Japan’s Indo-Pacific policy, unpack its trajectory over the last few years, and look ahead at whether...
Tags: Bridging the Oceans Podcast Series, China, International Security Studies, Navigating the Indo-Pacific, Japan, India, Maritime Forces, Pacific, Central and South Asia
Conceptualising the Indo-Pacific
Multimedia, 21 October 2020In this first episode, Veerle is joined by Dr. Neil Melvin, Director of RUSI’s International Security Studies department and Aaditya Dave, Research Analyst in the Navigating the Indo-Pacific...
Tags: Bridging the Oceans Podcast Series, China, International Security Studies, Navigating the Indo-Pacific, Japan, India, Maritime Forces, Pacific, Central and South Asia
Western Way of War: Outwitted, Outgunned, and Outflanked
Multimedia, 15 October 2020The West has been losing wars for too long and needs to change, suggests James Heappey MP, UK Minister for the Armed Forces. Peter Roberts talks to the former soldier-turned politician about people,...
Tags: Military Sciences
Western Way of War: Wars Change Religion
Multimedia, 8 October 2020The West (a contested concept in itself) has been misunderstanding the relationship between wars and religion for too long, contends Ziya Meral. Framed this way makes for a different interpretation...
Tags: Military Sciences
Western Way of War: Don't Invade Parthia
Multimedia, 1 October 2020The commanders place in the Western Way of War from Boudica to Montgomery, the rise of the professional soldier, luck and talent, and strategic vision. Leaning on the Romans, the abnormal view of...
Tags: Military Sciences
Welcome to Bridging the Oceans
Multimedia, 28 September 2020In this trailer, we explore some of the key questions we’ll be asking in the flagship podcast of the Navigating the Indo-Pacific programme of RUSI’s International Security Studies department.
Tags: Bridging the Oceans Podcast Series, China, International Security Studies, Navigating the Indo-Pacific, Japan, India, Maritime Forces, Pacific, Central and South Asia
Tom Keatinge on Voice of America News
Multimedia, 23 September 2020Leaked documents allege that some of the world’s biggest banks have allowed $2 trillion worth of suspicious or fraudulent activity to take place – including money laundering for criminal gangs and...
Tags:
On the Cusp: General Riho Terras
Multimedia, 22 September 2020What can other countries learn from Estonia's defence against greyzone aggression? How to best involve youth in national security? And what was it like to do more than three years' military service...
Tags: Modern Deterrence
Western Way of War: Political Risk, the Media and the Military
Multimedia, 17 September 2020Do Values define a Western Way of Warfare? Does the military understand the media? What motivates Western politicians to make decisions? Lucy Fisher (Defence Editor of The Times) joins Peter...
Tags: Military SciencesPages
Avoiding the Reign of Artificial Stupidity
RUSI Defence Systems, 27 October 2020Jack Watling
Artificial intelligence in war may be a good servant, but it is likely to prove a terrible master, for while the character of stupidity may evolve, its nature remains immutable
Tags:
The UK and Illicit Finance: Still Part of the Problem, Not Part of the Solution
RUSI Newsbrief, 23 October 2020Tom Keatinge
The UK has lost its global leadership of the fight against illicit finance. The Johnson government must get the UK back on track.
Tags: UK
The Type 055: A Glimpse into the PLAN’s Developmental Trajectory
RUSI Defence Systems, 19 October 2020Sidharth Kaushal
The Type 055 Renhai destroyer, which displaces 12,000 tonnes, represents a significant advance in People’s Liberation Army Navy blue-water surface combatant vessel capabilities, in terms of both size and complexity
Tags: China, Maritime Forces
Space as an Operational Domain: What Next for NATO?
RUSI Newsbrief, 15 October 2020Alexandra Stickings
NATO has declared space to be an operational domain. Questions must be addressed to understand what this means for future strategy and capabilities.
Tags: NATO
Are the Baltics Really Undefendable?
RUSI Newsbrief, 9 October 2020Sandor Fabian
This article proposes that ‘professional irregular’ forces would provide the Baltics with the best defence against Russian aggression.
Tags: NATO, Russia, Defence Policy, Europe
The Key to Armenia’s Tank Losses: The Sensors, Not the Shooters
RUSI Defence Systems, 6 October 2020Jack Watling
Amid a lively debate about the viability of the UK’s heavy armour, the loss of over 42 Armenian T-72s to Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh requires further analysis.
Tags: Land Forces
United Russia’s Image Problem: Revamping the ‘Nasty Party’ Before 2021
RUSI Newsbrief, 2 October 2020Emily Ferris
Russia’s September regional elections were a litmus test of United Russia’s support. While most seats were secure, it seems likely the party is headed for a ‘rebrand’, ahead of the State Duma elections in 2021.
Tags: Russia
What Will an Indo-Pacific Supply Chain Resilience Initiative Mean for China?
RUSI Newsbrief, 25 September 2020Jagannath Panda
The emergence of alternative global supply chains could hurt China’s economic influence. Beijing must dial down its ‘charm offensive’ economic policies to remain an attractive trade partner.
Tags: China, Japan, India, Global Security Issues, Pacific
More Than Just Business: The Political Context of the UK–China Commercial Relationship
RUSI Newsbrief, 11 September 2020Andrew Cainey and Veerle Nouwens
As the UK formulates its post-Brexit relationship with China, one key policy question is how to develop the bilateral commercial relationship most effectively. This requires not just an understanding of the business opportunities, but also of the political and foreign policy backdrop to UK–China relations.
Tags: China, UK
A Return to Combat Mass? Modern LIFT/LCA Platforms to Complement the Fighter Fleet
RUSI Defence Systems, 9 September 2020Edward Hunt
The acquisition of combat-capable lead-in fighter trainer/light combat aircraft types to complement traditional fast jet types across less demanding mission sets offers a potential route towards regenerating practical combat mass for medium-sized air forces.
Tags: AerospacePages
MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two
Events, 9 December 2020An online presentation by Dr Helen Fry, historian and author, on the history of MI9 — the World War Two organisation that engineered the escape of Allied forces from behind enemy lines.
Annual Chief of the Defence Staff Lecture 2020
Events, 3 December 2020General Sir Nick Carter will deliver RUSI's annual lecture covering key topical defence and security issues.
Rising Global Violence – Where, When, Why?
Events, 25 November 2020What are the major trends in escalating global violence and how are these risks likely to evolve? Where are the key flashpoints to watch out for in 2021? This first seminar from RUSI and AUG-Talbot...
How Spies Think: 10 Lessons in Intelligence
Events, 17 November 2020An online presentation by Sir David Omand GCB, Distinguished Fellow, RUSI and former UK Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, on how the methodology used by the British intelligence agencies to...
Paper Launch - War by Others' Means
Events, 13 November 2020This paper examines how partner nation capabilities are developed and the limits of what is achievable through capacity building in time and scale.
What Can Be Salvaged from the UK’s Integrated Review?
A Murder in Paris: France's Grim Reminder of the Terrorism Threat
The Democratisation of Precision Strike in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict