The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy. Read more
In this episode, the Remote Warfare Programme are joined by Rory Cormac and Andrew Mumford of the University of Nottingham to discuss their new project on collusion. Read more
This briefing explores the strategic consequences of remote warfare for Protection of Civilians (POC) and outlines practical lessons the British armed forces can draw from contemporary theatres to improve its capacity for POC in partnered operations. Read more
Our work focuses on areas where the military is responding to conflict and instability. Breaking out of a cycle of violence requires military interventions that contribute to the conditions needed for lasting peace settlements. Otherwise, as we see too often, warfare exists to serve itself, with catastrophic consequences. We work closely with partners in military, government, parliamentary and expert communities to help build effective, accountable and sustainable approaches to defence and security.
This means analysing and understanding the contemporary defence environment. We have seen long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan decrease the risk appetite for military intervention among politicians, parliaments, and publics. When combined with major developments in military technology and an increasing focus on counter-terrorism, this creates an incentive for the British government to take a remote approach to warfare. This involves supporting local groups – who are now doing the bulk of the frontline fighting against terrorist groups – in an attempt to counter threats without putting large numbers of British boots on the ground. The effectiveness of this approach has been under-explored, and efforts to study it are complicated by a lack of government transparency.
In order to fill this gap, we commission and conduct research on the opportunities, risks and costs of remote warfare. By engaging with a broad range of experts in troop-contributing countries as well as on the ground in conflict zones we make sure that our research and policy recommendations are robust, fair, and applicable to contemporary priorities and challenges. This means tailoring our work for the policy-makers, military decision-makers, and parliamentarians that have the power and the responsibility to improve defence and security policy.
On 28 February and 1 March 2019, the Remote Warfare Programme and the authors, held a two-day conference on remote warfare. This essay provides an overview of the event and reflects more broadly on remote warfare scholarship. Read more
To discuss a recent German court case regarding drones, the Remote Warfare Programme team are joined by Fiona Nelson of ECCHR and Jennifer Gibson of Reprieve. Read more
The Remote Warfare Programme are joined by Nic Marsh and Marie Sandnes of the Peace Research Institute Oslo to talk security assistance and building partner capacity in Africa. Read more
Based on field research conducted in Africa with British and international military personnel, this brief focusses on the military contribution to UK efforts in Kenya, Mali and Nigeria. Read more
The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen sit down with Dr. Larry Lewis to discuss working with strategic military partners and civilian casualties. Read more
The Remote Warfare Programme provides its monthly update on the developments in UK defence and security policy. Read more
The Remote Warfare Programme team critically discuss the recently released Modernising Defence Programme review. Read more
The Remote Warfare Programme team revisit the 2013 parliamentary vote over intervention in Syria and whether the result reflected a shift towards a pacifist parliament as some have claimed. Read more
In the aftermath of President Trump’s surprise announcement that US forces will withdraw from Syria, MPs expressed their concerns at abandoning the fight against IS pre-emptively and leaving Kurdish partners behind without adequate support. Read more
In the 12 days of December that parliament sat, the long-awaited release of the Modernising Defence Programme could and should have been the big news. Instead it was released two days before the Christmas recess began and it was deemed underwhelming by MPs and analysts alike. Read more
The Ministry of Defence’s long-awaited Modernising Defence Programme was released this week. The report appears to reinforce the government’s shifting strategic focus towards countering state-based threats, despite the fact that remote warfare is likely to dominate British military engagement in the foreseeable future. Read more
This briefing examines how choices made throughout the anti-IS campaign have contributed to several of the factors that are currently destabilising the Iraqi security sector. Read more
As the Brexit negotiations continue at full speed, other significant issues, such as defence, seem to have taken a backseat in parliament this November. Read more
Westminster’s October agendas were once again dominated by discussions on the value and impact of the UK’s relationship with Saudi Arabia. Read more
This paper considers the state of play of intelligence sharing in contemporary remote warfare, and the degree to which the benefits of sharing are balanced by the mitigation of risk. Read more
Defence appeared a leading issue in the fringes at both the Labour and Conservative Party conferences, although much of the media coverage surrounding the two conferences focused on more parochial issues. Read more
Little time was spent in parliament in September, as the parties picked up and moved out for their annual conferences. Read more
In this podcast a distinguished panel discuss the political, legal, and military implications of remote warfare. Read more
This report assesses the costs and benefits to the UK of its defence and security relationship with Saudi Arabia, as well as the extent to which the UK is able to exert leverage and influence over Saudi Arabian foreign policy. Read more