Britain’s National Space Council: Putting the ‘bloody Union Jack’ on top of spacepower?

Dr. Bleddyn Bowen This is a re-post from SpaceWatch.Global, a digital magazine and portal for those interested in space, where Dr. Bowen has a regular column. At the recent UK Space Conference in Wales it was announced (again) that the UK Government will set up a National Space Council (NSpC), having first signalled that intent… Read More Britain’s National Space Council: Putting the ‘bloody Union Jack’ on top of spacepower?

October 9, 2019October 8, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

The Invisible Hand of Military Merger: Organisational Culture in Kurdistan

Verena Gruber Civil wars have been an increasingly frequent occurrence since 1989. The most significant difference to “regular”, inter-state conflicts is that in civil wars solutions to both war and peace must be found within the confinement of predetermined geographical borders. Separatism is rarely a solution, because the international community currently stresses sovereign territory as… Read More The Invisible Hand of Military Merger: Organisational Culture in Kurdistan

October 7, 2019October 6, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

AI Arms and Influence

Kenneth Payne Thomas Schelling, greatest of the nuclear strategists, would have appreciated Jaguar Land Rover’s concept for a self-driving car. As it approaches a pedestrian crossing, the cartoon-like eyes above the car’s front bumper flick towards a woman who is about to step out. An intricate dance of minds ensues. We do this instinctively, every… Read More AI Arms and Influence

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

Fledglings of the Third Reich: The National Socialist Flyers Corps

VICTORIA TAYLOR Victoria Taylor is an aviation historian based at the University of Hull and Sheffield Hallam University. Her ongoing PhD research focusses on the interwar and wartime relationship between the Luftwaffe and National Socialism in the Third Reich. ‘The work of the National Socialist Flyers Corps is bearing its fruits for the benefit of… Read More Fledglings of the Third Reich: The National Socialist Flyers Corps

July 12, 2019November 20, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

UK Defence’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Landscape: is More Effort Required?

STUART MACCRIMMON Stuart is a British Royal Marines officer studying a Masters by Research degree while attending the UK Defence Academy’s Advanced Command and Staff Course. His research has examined how human-machine teaming can deliver operational success, focussing on coherent approaches to technology, people and processes. His first in a series of three blogs questions… Read More UK Defence’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Landscape: is More Effort Required?

July 10, 2019July 9, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

Brexit, European security and defence: three assumptions, three realities

DR BEN KIENZLE The referendum to leave the EU has created a situation of high uncertainty. In such a situation, policy-makers and pundits alike tend to work with a set of assumptions to make the uncertainty more manageable. The area of security and defence has been seen as one of the least controversial issues during… Read More Brexit, European security and defence: three assumptions, three realities

July 8, 2019July 8, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

Territorial Withdrawal as Multilateral Bargaining: Revisiting Israel’s ‘Unilateral’ Withdrawals from Gaza and Southern Lebanon

ROB GEIST PINFOLD Dr. Rob Geist Pinfold is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Haifa and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London The research area of territorial withdrawal continues to polarise scholars. Theorists are irreconcilably divided regarding questions of agency: is withdrawal primarily affected by the global… Read More Territorial Withdrawal as Multilateral Bargaining: Revisiting Israel’s ‘Unilateral’ Withdrawals from Gaza and Southern Lebanon

June 26, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

Embracing failure to find winning formulas

ALI RUSSELL-BROOKES Ali Russell-Brookes is a Royal Air Force Officer and student on the Advanced Command and Staff Course. She is studying for a Masters by Research with King’s College London, examining the implications on leadership for the Future Force. Using failure in the pursuit of success seems a little oxymoronic when you think about… Read More Embracing failure to find winning formulas

June 21, 2019June 20, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

HMS Warrior’s Ignominy: (AI) Technology Adoption Lessons

JASON VAUGHAN Jason Vaughan is an engineer with experience in C4ISR operations and acquisition. He is currently studying for a Masters by Research in Defence Studies with Kings College London, specialising in Artificial Intelligence. He is also a student on the UK’s Advanced Command and Staff Course. The cohort of ACSC 22 was privileged to visit… Read More HMS Warrior’s Ignominy: (AI) Technology Adoption Lessons

June 19, 2019June 17, 2019 defenceresearchLeave a comment

One to ponder: the UK’s ethical stance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in weapons systems

ROD THORNTON Rod Thornton is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Defence Education Research and Analysis, UK Defence Academy/Defence Studies Department, King’s College London. I recently attended a UK-government sponsored workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI). At the start, the convenors asked the participants – from the commercial world, the Third Sector, academia and government agencies… Read More One to ponder: the UK’s ethical stance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in weapons systems

June 17, 2019 defenceresearch1 Comment

Defence-In-Depth

Research from the Defence Studies Department, King's College London