What if the UK's defence future hinges not on its own capabilities, but on bridging gaps in an unpredictable US partnership?

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Peter Apps speaks with Matthew Saville, Director of Military Sciences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), about his two decades in the MOD - from Iraq intelligence to Ukraine support and the evolving US-UK relationship amid Trump's return. They discuss hybrid threats, rapid tech shifts in Ukraine, procurement pitfalls, and Europe's uneven readiness for escalating conflicts.

What You’ll Learn

- US-UK Dynamics: How unpredictability in US policy challenges shared interests, from deterrence ambiguity to public spats on defence spending.

- Ukraine's Tech Battlefield: The interplay of drones, electronic warfare, and tactics reshaping combined arms, with lessons from rapid iteration amid industrial-scale losses.

- UK Defence Realities: Why procurement delays, force specialisation, and whole-of-society readiness must evolve to deliver coherent power beyond small-scale contributions.

Matthew’s insights underscore that in a world of rising confrontations, honest self-assessment and swift adaptation aren't optional - they're the keys to credible deterrence.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.

What if the real frontline of modern conflict isn’t on the battlefield, but in the minds and screens of everyday people?

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Peter Apps is joined by Simon Paterson, former British Army Intelligence officer and head of strategic partnerships at Boone Global, and Margot Fulda-Hardy, investigator at Graphica and ex-French government official. Together, they unpack the evolving world of information operations - from Russia’s hybrid tactics post-Crimea to China’s sophisticated influence campaigns - exploring how AI, social media, and state actors are reshaping global narratives, sowing division, and challenging democracies.

What You’ll Learn

The AI Supercharge: How large language models and autonomous tools are amplifying disinformation volume and sophistication, from poisoning narratives to fully automated campaigns.

State Actor Playbooks: Insights into Russia’s aggressive hybrid warfare and China’s subtler, network-driven approaches targeting diaspora communities and global perceptions.

Building Defences: Why cross-sector partnerships, rapid fact-checking, and societal resilience are key to countering manipulation without eroding free speech.

This conversation highlights that in an era of cognitive warfare, awareness and collaboration aren’t just tools, they’re essential shields for safeguarding truth and stability.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.

Power without a plan: what happens when the world’s strongest military hits pause?

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Pete Apps sits down with Nikolas Gvosdev, Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Professor of National Security Studies at the U.S. Naval War College, to unpack the geopolitical and strategic turbulence surrounding the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.

From unpaid federal workers to the future of American global posture, they explore how domestic political deadlock collides with an increasingly unpredictable international landscape. Nikolas sheds light on how this uncertainty ripples across alliances, procurement, and operations from the Caribbean to Eastern Europe and why questions about U.S. reliability are reshaping how friends and rivals alike see America’s role in the world.

What You’ll Learn

Shutdown Shockwaves: How a lapse in funding disrupts U.S. military operations, civilian workforces, and global confidence.

Strategic Drift: Why political instability is creating unpredictable shifts in U.S. defence posture and alliance planning.

New Power Models: How Washington’s turn towards private-sector security and external funding could reshape future military commitments.

This episode is a reminder that strategy doesn’t exist in a vacuum - it’s forged in the space between politics, power, and perception.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.