What can be done to punish Russia's illegal war against Ukraine? How extensive are the war crimes being committed by Russian forces? These are just some of the questions that Dr Frank Ledwidge (University of Portsmouth) answers in this episode. Frank is a former barrister and military intelligence officer, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, and has also been involved in the prosecution of Serbian War criminals. He’s also been out to Ukraine to speak on the issue of International Law, so he's the perfect person to have on the show!

In today’s show we have Dr Jim Beach talking about the role aircraft played in intelligence gathering during the First World War. From as early as September 1914, aerial reconnaissance was playing a significant role in finding the German army on the Western Front, and by 1918 aerial photography was capturing around 20,000 images per month, which is a truly staggering figure. Dr Beach previously served as an Officer in the Royal Marines, before ending his military career as an Army Education Officer. Jim now works as senior lecturer in history at the University of Northampton. Jim’s research focuses on military intelligence during the First World War, so he’s ideally placed to tell us about the early uses and significance of aerial ISR.

In today's show, we have Dr Pablo Brauer talking about information operations and how they’ve been employed during the war in Ukraine. With the prevalence of disinformation and misinformation, information operations have never been more important than there are today. We'll be asking Pablo how information operations are employed, what types of info ops exist, and how Russia has been utilising the information environment to aid their military efforts in Ukraine and beyond. Dr Brauer has an extensive background in cyber security and information technology having served in the US Navy. His tours included the U.S. Special Operations Command, the National Security Agency, U.S. Cyber Command, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He has also taught at the US Naval Academy, the California State University at Monterey Bay, and Carnegie Mellon University. Dr Brauer also founded the DISARM foundation which aims to combat the spread of disinformation. You can find their work here: https://www.disarm.foundation/

In this episode, we're exploring the limitations of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in making or advising on command decisions in war. With many advocates of AI suggesting that it will transform war, it's worth going back Clausewitz and what he teaches us about the nature of war. War cannot be reduced to algorithms, says Clausewitz, and so AI will only ever have a limited role in war - unless there's a major paradigm shift in how AI is developed. To explain this argument further, we have Dr Cameron Hunter (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) on the show to tell us that, at present, AI can only do deductive and inductive reasoning, and so will never be able to grapple with the nuances of policy, strategy, and command. Because AI can only look for patterns in the available data, it cannot predict how the enemy might adapt and respond, nor can it account for chance or other intangible factors that shape war.

Today we have Dr Harry Raffal on the show to tell us all about the role of air power during Operation Dynamo, more commonly known as the evacuation from Dunkirk, in 1940. Harry is the resident historian at the RAF museum, and did his PhD on this very subject. The role of the merchant navy rescuing the trapped soldiers has become the defining image of Dunkirk, for obvious reasons. But air power played an important, yet somewhat forgotten, role. So we'll be asking Harry how both the Royal Air Force and Luftwaffe were used during the operation, the challenges of employing air power in northern France, and the effect that air power had for both British and German forces in May 1940.

UN Peacekeeping missions have a long history. Although these operations play a vital role in international security, there have been various mistakes and failures associated with them. In today's show, we have Dr Margot Tudor (City University London) explaining the origins of Peacekeeping, what the UN's early objectives looked like in relation to these missions, and what often constrained their effectiveness. Dr Margot Tudor has just published a book on the early history of Peacekeeping missions, so she is the ideal person to give us an introduction into the history of these operations and their contribution to international security.

In this show, we ask Aleix Nadal about what the UK is doing in the space domain. It's no secret that the UK isn't exactly a major player in terms of space power, so we'll be asking Aleix about the types of capabilities the UK has access to, the strategies and structures that govern UK space power, and what the future of UK space power looks like. Aleix is currently doing his PhD on the history of space thought and policy within the UK armed forces at Kings College London, where he is also part of the Freeman Air and Space Institute. And he has also worked at the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna.

In today’s show, we'll be discussing why Russia has resorted to using an attritional approach against Ukrainian forces given the huge costs that attritional warfare often incurs. Such a strategy is completely unlike how a NATO army would choose to fight – they would preferably use what the British Army refers to as the manoeuvrist approach. Given that NATO hasn’t fought any major conflicts for sometime now, the difficulties in manoeuvre warfare – even despite the major technological developments of recent years – needs to be fully understood. And so there is much to learn in looking at how these two sides have been fighting this war. We have on the show with us today Professor Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at University College London and senior associate fellow at RUSI. Professor Galeotti is an expert on Russian affairs, and has written over twenty books covering Russia's recent political and military history.

Welcome to series three of the Air Power and International Security Podcast! Today we have a fantastic episode dedicated to General Giulio Douhet, one of the most important figures in the conceptual development of air power, and his ideas regarding the employment of strategic bombing. General Douhet is known for his advocacy of bombing civilians, so we're asking how these ideas were formed, and how this extreme approach was justified by Douhet. Professor Thomas Hippler (University of Caen) joins us on the show today. Professor Hippler is a renowned scholar who has published widely on the use of strategic bombing. He has also written the most authoritative book on Douhet to date. Thomas' extensive research examining Douhet's early work means that he is ideally placed to discuss Douhet's thinking about warfare during the 20th century and the role of air power within it.

On this show we’ve talked a lot about strategy – whether that’s national strategy, military strategy, or how air, space, and cyber power contribute to strategy. But we’ve not really addressed the issue of strategy itself, which is as complex as it is important. Today we’ll be tackling some of this complexity with Paul O’Neill (RUSI), who talks us through the different types of strategy that exist, the purpose of strategy, how strategy can be developed and implemented, and how all this relates to the conduct of war and the running of military organisations. Paul has extensive experience in the world of strategy making. He retired from the RAF as an Air Commodore and was part of the team that wrote the SDSR in 2015. He also served as the Senior Advisor on strategy and policy to the Afghan Ministry of Interior. Paul is currently the Director of Military Sciences at the Royal United Services Institute.

In today’s show, we’re going into more detail about why Argentina failed to defend the Falklands Islands in 1982, and how poor leadership and command ultimately hindered their military effort. Dr Ben Jones will be telling us all about the ill-preparedness of Argentine forces, the lack of jointery and integration between the three services, and the structural issues within Argentine command and control. Although capturing the Islands was relatively easy, defending them was a whole other matter. Something that Argentina's military leadership was not equipped or prepared for.

Today's episode features a discussion with Colonel Professor John Andreas Olsen about his latest book, Air Power Pioneers from Billy Mitchell to Dave Deptula. Colonel Olsen talks us through the reasons for writing a book about the individuals that have shaped the development of air power, why he chose those individuals in particular, and what we can learn from the study of air power pioneers. Colonel Olsen has written numerous books on air power history and theory, and currently serves in the Norwegian military at NATO HQ.

Ever wondered how air campaigns are commanded? In today's episode, Air Marshal (retd) Greg Bagwell talks us through his deployment as the UK Air Component Commander during Operation ELLAMY. In 2011, the UK and a coalition of the willing intervened in the Libyan Civil War to protect civilian lives against the aggressive actions of Libyan Security Forces. ELLAMY saw the UK deploy various surface and sub-surface vessels, as well as a comprehensive air package to the theatre of operations. We'll be asking Air Marshal Bagwell how air campaigns of this scale are managed, how command is conducted in a multinational operation, and how effective air power was during this mission.

In February 2022, Russia inexplicably invaded Ukraine and attempted to decapitate the Ukrainian political leadership. Alongside its military advances towards Kiev and into the Donbas, the Russian invasion also involved a major cyber offensive against Ukrainian infrastructure. So in today's episode, we have Dr James Lewis on the show to tell us more about the ways in which Russia utilised cyber space to enhance their invasion, how effective offensive cyber has been during this conflict, and the lessons we can learn for future cyber warfare. Dr Lewis is a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. Before that, he was a member of the US Foreign Service and Senior Executive Service, where he focused on international diplomacy and cyber security. To view Dr Lewis' report on Russian cyber operations in full, follow this link: https://www.csis.org/analysis/cyber-war-and-ukraine

ISIS - otherwise known as ISIL or Daesh - rose to prominence in 2013-14 after they became a significant force in the Syrian civil war, and began launching several successful offensives against Iraqi security forces. By the end of 2015, ISIS controlled territory stretching from western Iraq to eastern Syria. They gained notoriety for imposing an incredibly brutal interpretation of Sharia Law on the people under its control, which was estimated to be between eight and twelve million people. The creation of an Islamic Caliphate threatened stability in the Middle East unlike anything that came before it, whilst its unprecedented use of social media established ISIS as the leading jihadist group world wide. But was the emergence of ISIS as a regional and global threat a strategic surprise? Dr Aviva Guttmann (Aberystwyth University) is on the show today to talk about the factors behind this success. Dr Guttmann is a specialist in counter terrorism studies and has recently written an article in which she describes the rise of ISIS as a 'partial surprise'. So we'll be asking Aviva what was surprising about ISIS, and why was it difficult for analysts to fully predict?

With the Integrated Review 'Refresh' published last month, we thought now would be a good opportunity to reconsider some of the impacts that the Integrated Review, and by extension, the Defence Command Paper, has had on the UK's air mobility force. Given that air mobility is an often neglected role of air power, we'll be asking Andy Netherwood why air mobility is important and it should be taken very seriously. Following the publication of the Integrated Review in 2021, the Ministry of Defence cut the RAF's Air Mobility Force by almost 30%, so we'll be asking what this has meant for the UK's warfighting capabilities, interoperability with international allies, and global influence more broadly. Andy served in the RAF for over twenty years as a C-130 and C-17 pilot. He also worked at Air Mobility Force HQ, where he was responsible for developing air mobility capability. He is now the Air and Space Power editor at the Wavell Room.

In this episode, Dr Cassandra Steer gives us an incredible overview of how International Humanitarian Law (IHL) or the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) affects operations in space. Dr Steer is a global authority on this subject. She is the deputy director of the Australian National University’s Institute for Space, and has published widely on the application of LOAC and the use of force in space. This is a brilliant episode that provides much needed detail on the regulations currently in place, what sorts of norms exist in space, and the challenges that law makers face in securing the space environment.

Today is all about the US Army Air Force's approach to strategic bombing in the run up to, and during the Second World War. Unlike the RAF, which very much focused on indiscriminate area bombing, the Americans - led by a group of air minded thinkers based at Maxwell airfield in Alabama, sometimes nicknamed the 'Bomber Mafia' - developed ideas and approaches focused on precision bombing. Intended to target key economic nodes or choke points in enemy infrastructure, precision bombing has often been described as a more humane way of conducting a strategic air offensive. However, such ethical considerations were not what motivated the 'Bomber Mafia', who were simply focused on the most effective way to use air power in the pursuit of strategic goals. Moreover, given the operational difficulties of flying over Germany and Japan, the actual practice of strategic bombing differed greatly from the theories developed during the interwar period. We have on the show today Professor Alan Allport (Syracuse University, New York), a renowned historian who discusses the bomber mafia in great depth and brilliantly places the US bomber offensives into the wider context of the Second World War.

In today's episode, Dr Patricia Shamai (University of Portsmouth) discusses the mechanisms and regulations that the international community have in place to stop the development and spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. While Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) works to stop states from using nuclear weapons against other nuclear armed states, this doesn't apply in the same way against chemical weapons, for instance, that don't necessarily cause the same degree of mass destruction. Dr Shamai points to the stigma that has developed in response to chemical and biological weapons, in particular, which has led to their limited use. However, she also contends that this stigma is being eroded, much to our detriment. So, check this episode out to learn all about Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and how the international community can continue to keep the world safe from their devastating effects.

The Chinese Air Force, or to use it's proper name, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), was officially founded in July 1949. Since then, it has largely relied on Soviet or Russian made aircraft and has only been involved in two major conflicts: the Korean War in the 1950s, and the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979. Over the past 20 years, however, China has been quickly expanding and enhancing its air capabilities, most notably with stealth aircraft like the J-20 and J-35. So this episode considers how capable the PLAAF currently are, and to what extent they pose a threat to the US Air Force, for example. In today's show, we have Dr Brendan Mulvaney talking about the PLAAF's aircraft, capabilities, training, doctrine, and preparedness. Brendan was a pilot in the US Marine Corps, has a PhD in international relations from Fudan University in Shanghai, and currently serves as the Director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute at the Air University* in the US. * Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied are solely those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of the Air University, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other U.S. government agency. 

Today we have an episode dedicated to unpacking the distinctions between disinformation, misinformation, and fake news. More specifically, we’ll be considering how these things influence security, and what can be done – if anything – to stop the spread and influence of fake news. In the wake of Brexit, Donald Trump’s presidency, and the plethora of lies shrouding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there cannot be any misgivings about how important this subject is in relation to security. So today we have Dr Linda Monsees on the show. Linda is an expert researcher looking at the interplay between technology, security, and information, and specifically on the impacts that technology is having on democracy. Linda has worked in various Universities across the UK, France, and her native Germany, and now works at the Institute of International Relations in Prague. Linda has published widely on cyber politics and the proliferation of fake news, so there is nobody better to hear from on this subject.

Today we have Dr Roger Launius on the show talking about the space race that took place between the USA and the USSR during the Cold War. In particular, we focus on the race to the moon that famously ended with US astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landing on the moon in 1969. Roger will be explaining why the space race was so important to US national security, how NASA managed to pull off such a feat, and what it meant for relations between the superpowers during the Cold War. Roger is well placed to cover these subjects. He has worked as a historian with the US Air Force, Chair of Space History at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, and served as the Chief Historian at NASA between 1990 and 2002. He has won an array of awards for his work promoting American space exploration, including the John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award and a NASA Distinguished Service Medal. 

Here is our long awaited episode on the use of Air Power in the War in Ukraine… In this show, Dr Frank Ledwidge (University of Portsmouth) talks about why the Russians failed to establish air superiority, how they are conducting their strategic air campaign, and what measures the Ukrainians have adopted to mitigate the numerical strength of the Russian Air Force.

In this show, Harry discusses the revival and rebuilding of Russia's armed forces with Professor Bettina Renz (University of Nottingham). After the end of the Cold War, during which the Soviet Union had exhausted itself trying to keep pace with American military and technological advancements, the Russian military were left to decay. In the 21st century, however, President Putin set Russia on a course intended to expand and enhance their military capabilities. In this episode, Professor Renz discusses why this military revival took place, what sort of capabilities Russia developed, and how effective it was in modernising their armed forces. Professor Renz provides some really useful context that helps us understand how Russia has been fighting in the ongoing war in Ukraine*.  Bettina is the ideal person to discuss this subject with. She is a renowned expert on Russian security and defence policy in the post-Cold war era and has published widely on military reforms, civil-military relations, and military operations. Her latest monograph, Russia's Military Revival, was published in 2018. Professor Renz also has an active interest in contemporary war and strategy, and in the role of airpower in modern conflict.  This is a fantastic way to kick off series two! If you enjoy this episode, do check out the next one (released simultaneously to this) in which Dr Frank Ledwidge gives us some amazing insights into the air war taking place in Ukraine. *This episode was recorded in November 2022, so any events that have taken place in Ukraine since then will not have been taken into account.

What better way to end the first series of Air Power and International Security than to have Justin Bronk on the show discussing the future of air power? This is a fantastic episode in which we take a closer look at the future capabilities of the RAF, its operational readiness to meet the challenges of the future, and how air power might feature in future operating environments. Justin is a renowned expert on all things air power. He is a senior research fellow at RUSI and has recently submitted his PhD examining the development of combat aircraft in Britain. The Air Power and International Security Podcast will return in the Autumn with more episodes on air power, space security and cyber warfare, as well as international relations and current affairs. 

The potential for conflict between China and Taiwan seems to be growing. China seems intent on reunifying the once Chinese island of Taiwan into the Peoples' Republic of China one way or another. Any hostile action on the part of China, however, may incur a military response form the US, Taiwan's principle ally. But would America risk nuclear war with China to protect Taiwan? Clearly this scenario has been the priority in the Ukraine War, but could America risk China expanding into the Pacific, claiming a key geostrategic location as well as a vital cog in global commerce?  So in this episode we hear from Michael Mazza, who is a Chinese and Asia-Pacific analyst at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, about how likely war is between China and Taiwan, and whether America is able to deter hostile action and, if necessary, defend Taipei.

In this episode, we have Group Captain (ret.) Dr Paul Stewart on the show to talk about the development and importance of photo reconnaissance during the Second World War. Most people seem to known about the eccentric cryptographers working at Bletchley Park, but few people seem to be aware that another secret department, housed at RAF Medmenham from 1941, began producing thousands of intelligence reports that massively aided the Allied war effort.  Dr Paul Stewart recently completed a PhD that examined RAF Medmenham's history, after a 35 year career as an RAF Intelligence Officer. 

In this episode, we hear from Dr Mike Martin about his work in Afghanistan and his research into the local experience of the conflict there. Mike spent time in Afghanistan as a Political Officer in the British Army, and as a Pashto speaker, he was brilliantly placed to understand the wider struggle going on in Afghanistan, as well as evaluate Britain's military strategy in the conflict. Mike's first book, An Intimate War (2014), was based on numerous interviews with Helmandis caught up in the conflict. It shows us that Britain, and Western allies in general, grossly misunderstood the war that they were engaged in. Rather than a binary conflict between two sides (Western democracy vs the Taliban, which is how the west framed the conflict), war had been waging for decades previously and was being fought, not alone these ideological divides, but because of local struggles and personal vendettas. By overlooking this context, western military forces exacerbated the situation and employed strategies that were doomed to fail from the outset.  This episode thus reminds us of how important it is to understand the war that is being fought. 

On the 5th of June 1967, Israel launched a series of devastating attacks against neighbouring Arab states. This would be the third Arab-Israeli war in less than twenty years. In the months preceding June 1967, tensions increased significantly after Egypt threatened to close the straights of Tiran to Israeli shipping for the second time. In May, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the shipping lane, even after Israel had threatened military action. What ensued is arguably one of the most impressive air campaigns in all of history.  As the name suggests, the Six Day War didn't last very long. Despite facing a coalition of Arab states, Israeli airstrikes had a crippling effect on Egypt's Air Force (the biggest air force in the conflict), before turning its attention to Jordan and Syria. Through a remarkable display of ingenuity, agility, and interoperability, Israeli forces managed to capture key areas including the Golan heights from Syria, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, as well as the Gaza Strip from Egypt, which all remain in Israel's control to this day.  To try and understand how Israel managed to inflict such a devastating defeat against all odds, we have Ilan Warshai on the show. Ilan is a specialist in Israeli air power and has worked with the Israeli Air Force's historical branch. He is also a reserve Colonel in the Israeli Army and an airline pilot.

What is the difference between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Weapons? What capabilities do these systems offer in a military context? But perhaps more importantly, can the use of such weapons ever be ethical? In this episode, Professor Pete Lee (University of Portsmouth) moves us away from Terminators and science fiction, so we can appreciate how greater autonomy might affect operations in the near future and what that means for the militaries employing such technology.  Professor Lee had a career in the RAF as a chaplain before starting an academic career that has seen him research the use and psychological impact of remotely piloted systems, before moving on to consider the ethical issues and questions arising from the use of modern technology in war.

In 2021, the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy announced that the UK will increase its cap on the number of operational nuclear warheads that it has available. Previously, the UK had committed to only maintaining 225 warheads and was working to reduce that number down to 180. Now, however, the UK can keep 260 warheads in its nuclear arsenal. This raises various questions. Why is the UK acting in opposition to the non-proliferation treaty? What threats have emerged to warrant this increase in WMDs? Is Nuclear war becoming more likely? And do more nuclear weapons make nuclear war less likely? Thankfully, we have Dr Matthew Harries (RUSI) on the show to discuss these very pertinent questions and explain the rationale behind the UK's decision to increase the cap on its nuclear warheads.

The Falklands War of 1982 - or the Falklands Conflict, if you prefer, as war was never formally declared - saw Britain launch a task force to recapture the islands after Argentine forces had invaded. Not only was it a huge effort to simply project force down in the south Atlantic 8,000 miles from the UK mainland, but on top of that, British forces had to launch an amphibious assault on the other side globe, and then defeat Argentine soldiers dug in at Port Stanley (the islands' capital) in battle. But through what was a tremendous, if impromptu, joint endeavour between Britain's three services, the task force was able to recapture the islands within ten weeks after Argentina's initial invasion.  This episode with Dr Ben Jones (University of Portsmouth) considers how British forces were able to achieve this incredible victory and how important air power was to that success. Tomorrow (14 June 2022) marks 40 years since Argentine forces surrendered at Port Stanley ending a war that took 255 British lives, 649 Argentinians, and 3 Falkland Islanders, and so we felt it appropriate to include an episode to commemorate the occasion.

With the swift fall of Kabul in 2021, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, can NATO continue to deter adverse behaviour against member states? Moreover, how can NATO respond to the European Union's growing purview, or China's increasing influence as a major superpower? These are some of the thought provoking questions that will be addressed in today's show.  This episode features Dr Dominika Kunertova (Center for Security Studies Zurich) discussing how recent events and geopolitics have shaped NATO's cohesion and outlook. She points out the NATO has perhaps overstretched itself over the past 15-20 years, and needs to focus more on its primary objective - collective defence - at the expense of secondary missions like crisis management and stability beyond its borders. Dr Kunertova also considers how air power and enhanced missile capabilities, in particular, will prove crucial assets for the military alliance going forward.

When was the first space war? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away perhaps? Not quite. It was actually much closer to home. In fact, the first Gulf War in 1991 is often regarded as 'the first space war'. Why? Because it was the first conflict in which space power provided a significant advantage, especially to tactical operations.  With the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS), satellites offered a means of navigation not previously available. Given that much of the fighting took place in uncharted desert, this was of huge importance in guiding US forces to their designated target. But space based systems also ensured that the US Army weren't beholden to line of sight communications either, giving them another sizeable advantage over Iraqi forces.  In today's show, we have Colonel Ronan Ellis (ret. US Army), talking to us about his experiences as Commander of US Army Space Command before and during the Gulf War. Colonel Ellis was literally the person responsible for creating the doctrine and practices that gave us the first space war, so you won't find many people better qualified to discuss space power in the Gulf War!

With cyber becoming a bit of a buzz word at the moment, there is much hype surrounding the potential capabilities and advantages that operating in and from cyberspace can offer. But what sort of activities even constitute a cyber attack? What does cyber warfare actually look like? And most importantly, are offensive cyber operations legal under the law of armed conflict?  In today's show, we have Dr Heather Harrison Dinniss (Swedish Defence University) discussing how far - and indeed if - international law can regulate cyber operations. She also explores the ongoing attempts to come to some sort of consensus among the international community regarding the use of cyber space. In doing so, Dr Harrison Dinniss provides a really useful way of thinking about how cyber warfare can be compared to conventional forms conflict. 

Ever wondered how Putin rose to power in Russia? Or why we hear so much about Russian Oligarchs in the news? Or why Russia believes it has a right to govern or influence politics in eastern Europe? This episode is for listeners wanting an introduction into Russian politics or anybody after more context behind Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine. In this episode, Dr Natasha Kuhrt (King's College London), an expert on Russian relations, examines some of the reasons behind Putin's constant use of intimidation on the international stage and why Russia has become such a belligerent power, which is essential if we are to understand why Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. People are beginning to talk of a second Cold War - sometimes between the US and China - but the term is also occasionally used to refer to tensions between the west and Russia. If we are to understand European security, therefore, we must understand what is escalating these tensions and why Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, the 1st Viscount Trenchard, served as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) for a hundred days in 1918, and was later reappointed to this position in 1919. Trenchard was to then serve as CAS for over ten years during which time he was instrumental in maintaining the survival of the Royal Air Force against staunch opposition to the idea of an independent air force. During his tenure, Trenchard laid the foundations for much of the RAF's development during the run up to the Second World War, and very much created the culture and sense of identity within the RAF that endure to this day. Despite being initially opposed to the creation of an independent air force, while he commanded the Royal Flying Corps on the Western Front in 1917, Trenchard's influence during the 1920s has often led to him being styled as the 'Father of the Royal Air Force'. Today we have Dr Sophy Antrobus (King's College London) on the show. Sophy served in the RAF for twenty years as an Air Operations Officer and has since undertaken a PhD during which she researched the early politics of air power during the inter war period. 

With space increasingly in the news because of the potential for conflict in and from space, we decided to learn more about the capabilities of space power and the implications of space warfare. Today's episode is with Dr Bleddyn Bowen (University of Leicester) who gives us a fantastic insight into why space power should always be implemented within conventional strategy and political objectives, and why we should move away from exaggerated expectations about what can be achieved in and from space.  Bleddyn wrote the highly regarded book, War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics, and here discusses the likelihood of space war.