Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage

Council on Geostrategy
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Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage is a podcast presented by the Council on Geostrategy in partnership with trade association ADS Group, and sponsored by industry powerhouse BAE Systems. Hosted by Paul Mason and Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, this podcast explores the key themes in British defence in the context of an increasingly contested international security environment. It will consider how the UK can shape the international agenda, focusing on how technology, innovation, skills, and defence strategies help to advance Britain’s interests, as well as those of its key allies and partners. www.britainsworld.org.uk

  1. 2d ago

    First Sea Lord: Driving the Naval Transformation

    With steady-state peacetime patrols officially over and the countdown to full warfighting readiness by 2029 underway, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins – First Sea Lord, Chief of the Naval Staff, and the first Royal Marine in history to lead the Royal Navy – sits down for an exclusive, wide-ranging deep dive on Defence Talks. In conversation with Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė and Paul Mason, the head of the Royal Navy offers an unvarnished assessment of a volatile global landscape, exposing the escalating Russian subsurface threat actively targeting critical underwater data and energy infrastructure. Drawing direct lessons from asymmetric Ukrainian victories in the Black Sea, he details why maritime power is undergoing its biggest paradigm shift in a century and why the Royal Navy must adapt at pace. The discussion unpacks deep interchangeability with Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies across the High North, alongside the blueprint for a lethal hybrid fleet pairing conventional crewed warships with autonomous escorts and deploying the cutting-edge Atlantic Net surveillance network. Crucially, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins also outlines an internal overhaul of the Royal Navy itself: transforming officer education, top-down leadership, and empowering frontline innovators to build a force equipped to win. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    First Sea Lord: Driving the Naval Transformation

  2. Aug 19

    Information warfare: AI, subversion, and foreign influence

    In this episode, we unpack everything you need to know about information warfare, the cognitive battlespace, and how democracies can counter hostile state narratives. Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė is joined by: * Dr Rob Johnson, Director of the Oxford Strategy, Statecraft, and Technology Centre, and former Director, Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC); * Simon Bergman, CEO of M&C Saatchi World Services and former British Army officer. The conversation tackles the escalating geostrategic pressures across the digital domain and how adversaries like Russia, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Iran conduct influence operations below the threshold of conventional armed conflict. We explore the spending disparities between allies and hostile states, the critical role commercial and creative industries play in modern national security, and how rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping cyber resilience and data warfare. Finally, we examine how democratic societies can build cognitive resilience through better data hygiene, proactive communication strategies, and whole-of-government agility. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    Information warfare: AI, subversion, and foreign influence

  3. Jul 20 ·  Bonus

    Special Episode: Farnborough International Airshow 2026

    In this Special Episode, we unpack everything you need to know about the Farnborough International Airshow this week. Viktorija Starych-Samuoliene is joined by: * Kevin Craven, CEO, ADS Group; * Véronique Bardelmann – CEO, SVP Europe; CEI, Safran Group and, ADS Vice President for Aerospace The conversation unpacks the main themes and aims of the Farnborough International Airshow, the geopolitical context that makes the Airshow so important this year, and the relationships that need to be strengthened to ensure the UK’s aerospace and defence industries see the greatest growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    Special Episode: Farnborough International Airshow 2026

  4. Jul 14

    NATO Summit 2026: Delivering after Ankara

    In Season 3, Episode 3, we unpack everything you need to know about the recent NATO Summit in Ankara. Paul and Viktorija are joined by: * Sir Stuart Atha KBE CB DSO, Director at BAE Systems, Head of the UK NATO Industrial Advisory Group; * Emma Baker, Group Facilitator, UK NIAG Delegation; * Charles Clover, Defence and Security Correspondent, Financial Times. The conversation tackles the primary geostrategic pressures driving the alliance. We unpack the key takeaways from the summit and the recent NATO Industrial Advisory Group Plenary hosted in the United Kingdom (UK) for the first time this century. We also explore the practical implications of a ‘NATO-first’ posture for UK defence planning, and the critical capability gaps European allies must address as the United States’ priorities shift. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    NATO Summit 2026: Delivering after Ankara

  5. May 19

    Defence Minister: The path to warfighting readiness

    How does the UK transition its armed forces to a true warfighting footing?  In Season 3, Episode 2, we are joined by Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, to discuss the structural and cultural changes required to rebuild Britain's defence industrial base. The conversation tackles the reality of legacy procurement delays and the push for faster, more adaptable equipment delivery. Defence Minister Luke Pollard unpacks the Royal Navy’s transition to a hybrid fleet of uncrewed and autonomous platforms, the practical steps being taken to clear hurdles for SMEs, and how a reformed defence strategy can deter peer adversaries while acting as a genuine engine for UK economic growth. Find Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    Defence Minister: The path to warfighting readiness

  6. May 12

    Defence experts: How skills can futureproof UK security

    As global threats escalate and technological innovation outpaces traditional training, the UK defence sector faces a defining strategic challenge: an industry-wide skills shortage. In the Season 3 premiere of Defence Talks, we are joined by: * R. Adm. Rose OBE, Director of People and Training for the Royal Navy; * Dr Mary Haigh, Deputy Global Chief Information Officer and Director Digital Delivery Office at BAE Systems; and * Paul Oxley, Director General, ADS Skills. With a significant retirement wave approaching as over 30% of the workforce surpasses the age of 55, a projected surge of up to 50,000 new vacancies, and training pipelines stretched to keep pace with rapid AI and cyber advancements, the sector must adapt decisively. Join us as we unpack the need for cross-sector collaboration, ‘squiggly’ career paths, and a STEM education push. Our guests set out how to build a resilient, highly-skilled workforce capable of safeguarding our national security while driving national economic growth. Find Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

    Defence experts: How skills can futureproof UK security

  7. Mar 11 ·  Bonus

    Special episode: The impact of the Iran conflict on UK defence

    Welcome back to Season 2 of ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’. In this special episode, Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, our Co-founder (Strategy), and Paul Mason, journalist, author and our Adjunct Fellow, are joined by Baroness Dr Sophy Antrobus MBE, Co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute and Member of the House of Lords, and Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist. What lessons does the US-Israel-Iran conflict hold for the UK? The panel examines the strategic environment Britain faces and the interests shaping its response. They discuss key military lessons, including missile production depth, air and naval superiority, and force mix, as well as the geoeconomic impact of rising energy prices. The conversation also explores the wider implications for Russia’s war in Ukraine and Britain’s ability to protect its assets and personnel in the Middle East while safeguarding its interests in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Find ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast. You can find out more about Defence Talks here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

  8. Feb 5

    The world in 2026: Challenges, risks and opportunities for the UK

    Welcome back to Season 2 of ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’. In Episode 15, Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, our Co-founder (Strategy), and Paul Mason, journalist, author and our Adjunct Fellow, are joined by Prof. Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at the University of Oxford, and James Rogers, our Co-founder (Research). What is the strategic outlook for 2026? We unpack the current geostrategic power balance to understand the Britain’s place in a volatile world. The discussion tackles major challenges facing the United Kingdom (UK) and its allies in 2026, including Russian aggression, the future of the ‘special relationship’ with the United States (US) and the deepening cooperation between the ‘CRINK’ nations – the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, Iran and North Korea. Finally, we explore how Britain might effectively leverage areas of strength to secure advantage in 2026. Find ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast. You can find out more about Defence Talks here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.britainsworld.org.uk

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Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage is a podcast presented by the Council on Geostrategy in partnership with trade association ADS Group, and sponsored by industry powerhouse BAE Systems. Hosted by Paul Mason and Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, this podcast explores the key themes in British defence in the context of an increasingly contested international security environment. It will consider how the UK can shape the international agenda, focusing on how technology, innovation, skills, and defence strategies help to advance Britain’s interests, as well as those of its key allies and partners. www.britainsworld.org.uk

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