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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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The Budding Alliance Between Lockdown Critics and the Far-Right in Germany
Commentary, 2 March 2021Juliana Suess
Far-right movements are joining hands with coronavirus-deniers and lockdown critics. This is an ominous trend, but it is unlikely to have any serious impact on the upcoming elections.
Coronavirus, Germany, National Security
FCAS: Is the Franco-German-Spanish Combat Air Programme Really in Trouble?
Commentary, 1 March 2021Justin Bronk
A new European combat aircraft is still likely to emerge from a programme plagued by mismatched national positions, priorities and industrial responsibilities.
Aerospace, Military Sciences, Germany, France, Europe
Getting the Partnership Right
Multimedia, 1 March 2021The public-private partnership (PPP) concept is now an essential component in the fight against financial crime, but that wasn’t always the case. Host Tom Keatinge is joined by Paul Jevtovic, the...
Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies
21st-Century Assistance Dogs? Harnessing Data and Technology
RUSI Publications, 1 March 2021Paul O’Neill and Alison Gregory
This report reflects the learning from a RUSI/PA Consulting-hosted series of discussion groups on data and technology. The groups were held between June and December 2020, and featured...
Military Sciences, Conference Reports, Technology
Iran in the South Caucasus: Adjustment and Evolution
Commentary, 26 February 2021Emil Avdaliani
Iran’s position in the South Caucasus, a region it sees as a part of its historical interests, is coming under tremendous pressure. The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War underlined the need for Tehran to...
Unpacking the MENA, Iran
No Go for GOCO: The UK Renationalises Its Nuclear Warhead Factory
Commentary, 6 November 2020Tom Plant and Matthew Harries
The UK’s Atomic Weapons Establishment is returning to full public ownership. The flaws in the old model were clear, but the change does not guarantee improvement.
Proliferation and Nuclear Policy, UK, Defence Management, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
Brexit’s Implications for UK Defence Industrial Cooperation with Europe
Commentary, 5 November 2020Trevor Taylor
A consistent feature of official UK positions after Brexit was enthusiasm for continued UK–Europe cooperation on defence and security matters. However, difficulties in the talks endanger both...
Defence, Industries and Society, Equipment and Acquisitions, Brexit, UK, Europe
US and UK Intelligence and Security Relationship: The Way Forward – Together
Commentary, 3 November 2020John Scarlett
Whoever wins today’s ballots in the US, one element will remain rock-solid: the UK–US security and intelligence partnership.
United States, UK, Intelligence
France and the UK: A Decade of the Lancaster House Treaties
Commentary, 2 November 2020Lord Ricketts
The UK and France mark a decade since the signature of bilateral treaties designed to tighten their defence and security cooperation. There have been many achievements, but quite a few...
France, UK
The Implications of the US Elections on the Iranian Nuclear File, and the Likely Positioning of the UK
Commentary, 2 November 2020Alistair Burt
The hard work lies ahead in re-engaging with the US in handling Iran.
Iranian Nuclear Pathways, Unpacking the MENA, Iran, UK
Iran and the US: The Long and Arduous Diplomatic Road
Commentary, 30 October 2020Vali Nasr
Although a potential Biden presidency has been explicit about how it wishes to engage with Iran, its choices are far from straightforward.
Iranian Nuclear Pathways, United States, Unpacking the MENA, Iran, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
Libya: Prospects for Peace
Commentary, 30 October 2020Alison Pargeter
A UN-sponsored political dialogue on Libya’s future has begun. Although clearly a positive step, it is unlikely to provide the solution to peace.
Unpacking the MENA, Libya
The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and the Challenge for Georgia
Commentary, 29 October 2020Natia Seskuria
The recent escalation of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has once again shown that a frozen conflict can reach its melting point rapidly.
Russia, Georgia
Financial Crime Country Lists in a Fragmenting World Order
Commentary, 28 October 2020Tom Keatinge
Those that promote lists of countries that are slow to tackle financial crime must work harder to exclude politics and prove their integrity and value.
Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies, AML/CTF
Five Principles for the Next UK Cyber Strategy
Commentary, 27 October 2020Conrad Prince
The completion of the UK’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy will be delayed. But key decisions about the country’s cyber strategy must be taken soon.
Cyber Security, UKPages
Western Way of War: Taoism and Clausewitz
Multimedia, 27 August 2020States adopting a Western Way of War face challenges of opposing strategic culture that necessitate the blending of Eastern and Western theories of strategy. Chilean general John Griffiths talks to...
Tags: Military Sciences
Will Belarus be the next Afghanistan for Russia?
Multimedia, 25 August 2020Mark Galeotti, Senior Associate Fellow, draws a novel comparison between Belarus and Afghanistan, as both fall within Russias 'Sphere of Influence'. Now, President Alexander Lukashenko and the...
Tags:
Western Way of War: Does the Battle Decide the Political End State?
Multimedia, 20 August 2020Peter Roberts talks to Francois Villiaumey, formerly Deputy Director of Ecole de Guerre in Paris, about the Western Way of War from Charlemagne to Eisenhower, the fallacy of linear doctrines and why...
Tags: Military Sciences
The UAE-Israel Peace Deal
Multimedia, 14 August 2020RUSI Associate Fellow Michael Stephens looks behind the first peace deal between Israel and a Gulf Arab state.
Tags: Middle East and North Africa
Western Way of War: Air Power Beyond Tactical Effects
Multimedia, 13 August 2020After 'shock and awe', and the linear approach airforce planning, Stuart Atha talks to Peter Roberts about synchronisation, harmonisation, strategic integration, using hard power to burst A2AD...
Tags: Military Sciences
Countering Interference at the Next US Election
Multimedia, 12 August 2020Elisabeth Braw, head of RUSI's Modern Deterrence project, talks about efforts to counter foreign interference at the next US Election.
Tags: Modern Deterrence, United States, Americas, Information
On the Cusp: Dr Markus Jakobsson
Multimedia, 11 August 2020Ever heard the term SIM-jacking? If not, you should familiarise yourself with this growing form of cyber aggression. Victims include Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. In this episode of On the Cusp, Elisabeth...
Tags: Modern Deterrence
Three Perspectives on TikTok
Multimedia, 7 August 2020RUSI experts Elisabeth Braw, Sneha Dawda and Veerle Nouwens give their perspective on TikTok, the Chinese video-social sharing platform causing controversy in the United States
Tags: Cyber Security
Western Way of War: The Realities and Future of Swarming and Drones
Multimedia, 6 August 2020Peter Roberts talks drones, human control, and mowing the lawn with Dr Ulrike Franke. A great intro to the future of drone warfare, surveillance, aerial technology, remote warfare, and the offence/...
Tags: Military Sciences
Season Two: Holding Up a Mirror
Multimedia, 3 August 2020Tom Keatinge returns as host for our final episode. He’s joined by journalist and author Oliver Bullough to discuss a possibly surprise destination that poses a high risk to those that are seeking to...
Tags: Centre for Financial Crime and Security StudiesPages
Recapitalisation of the US Coast Guard: New Ships for the White, Red and Black Hull Fleets
RUSI Defence Systems, 30 June 2020Edward Lundquist
The US Coast Guard is in the midst of a major fleet reset, with new and more capable platforms to replace an aging fleet of patrol ships, inland tenders and icebreakers.
Tags: United States, Domestic Security, Maritime Forces
Deployment Options for the Future Royal Navy’s Long-Range Land-Attack Fires
RUSI Journal, 29 June 2020Ben Wan Beng Ho
A new long-range land-attack capability could be valuable for the Royal Navy.
Tags: Defence Spending, Equipment and Acquisitions, UK, Defence Policy, Maritime Forces, UK Defence, Europe
Turkey’s Military Intervention in Libya: A Surprise Triumph for Erdogan
RUSI Newsbrief, 26 June 2020Samuel Ramani
Turkey’s intervention in Libya transformed the strategic balance of a years-long conflict and bolstered its geopolitical standing in the eastern Mediterranean.
Tags: Egypt, Turkey, Libya
Understanding NATO
RUSI Journal, 22 June 2020John Andreas Olsen
NATO must be nimble as it responds to new challenges, both inside and outside the Alliance.
Tags: NATO, Americas, Russia, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, International Institutions, Europe
Insurance Gaps: A Growing Vulnerability for National Security
RUSI Newsbrief, 19 June 2020Hélène Galy and James Vickers
Insurance protection gaps are fast becoming a high-priority issue for national and international security, not just one that captures headlines in the aftermath of natural catastrophes.
Tags: Coronavirus, Domestic Security, Resilience
How Threat Actors are Manipulating the British Information Environment
RUSI Journal, 17 June 2020Daniel Dobrowolski David V Gioe and Alicia Wanless
The UK needs to update its regulatory approach to respond to emerging threats in the information environment.
Tags: Cyber, UK, Information, Technology, Europe
Assessing the UK–China Commercial Relationship
RUSI Newsbrief, 12 June 2020Andrew Cainey and Veerle Nouwens
As the UK formulates its post-Brexit relationship with China, one key policy interest is the possibility of stronger commercial ties. However, the benefits of doing business with China are less straight-forward in light of the complex commercial and political landscape of the world’s second-largest economy.
Tags: China, UK
Spare Me Your Cyber-Age Technobabble
RUSI Defence Systems, 5 June 2020Jack Watling
If Defence is to appropriately weight cyber operations then there are some dangerous myths about the practicalities of cyber warfare that need to be confronted.
Tags: Cyber, UK, Technology, UK Defence, Europe
Pakistan and the Rogue State Narrative
RUSI Newsbrief, 5 June 2020Don McLain Gill and Jovito Jose P Katigbak
Despite behaviour that often violates international norms, Pakistan has managed to maintain positive relationships with major Western powers.
Tags: Pakistan, United States, Global Security Issues, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy, Terrorism
Book Review: The Taliban at War, 2001-2018
RUSI Journal, 3 June 2020Andrew Rathmell
Andrew Rathmell reviews The Taliban at War, 2001-2018, by Antonio Giustozzi.
Tags:Pages
Precision Strike in 21st Century Multidomain Operations
Conference, 13 May 2021The conduct of 21st century campaigns will be shaped in large measure by opponents’ use of reconnaissance strike complexes to achieve effects in depth. This conference will seek to examine both the...
Strategic Command Conference: Sharpening the UK Defence’s Edge in the 2020s
Events, 21 April 2021Held against the backdrop of the substantial financial settlement for Defence but also a deteriorating security situation and the broader impact of the pandemic, the UK Strategic Command Conference...
Future War and the Defence of Europe
Events, 1 April 2021A conversation with General John Allen, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges and Professor Dr Julian Lindley-French, to launch their latest book entitled ‘Future War and the Defence of Europe’.
UK PONI Workshop: Introduction to Nuclear Weapons Policy
Events, 25 March 2021UK Project on Nuclear Issues will host an introductory workshop covering the basics of nuclear weapons policy for early career professionals. The event will take place online over two half-days.
Combat Air Power 2021: Competing Visions for the Future
Conference, 24 March 2021Evolving peer threats, new budgetary pressures and national industrial imperatives are fuelling fierce competition. This online conference will examine the key next-generation combat air approaches...
The Budding Alliance Between Lockdown Critics and the Far-Right in Germany
Getting the Partnership Right
FCAS: Is the Franco-German-Spanish Combat Air Programme Really in Trouble?