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RUSI Defence Systems
Concise briefings on strategic, conceptual and acquisition issues faced by the global defence community, designed for analysts and practitioners
March 2020, Vol: 22 No: 1
A Case for Replacing the RAF’s Sentinel R.1 Fleet with Additional P-8A Poseidon Aircraft
RUSI Defence Systems, 13 May 2020, No: 1Justin Bronk
The Sentinel R.1 Airborne Standoff Radar aircraft are superb and relatively efficient aircraft which provide critical airborne intelligence gathering services for joint commanders around the world. However, as a small and bespoke fleet they are expensive and vulnerable to cuts. A highly classified US Navy radar pod for the P-8 Poseidon could give the RAF a more efficient solution.
Tags: Air Power and Technology, Equipment and Acquisitions, Martial Power Programme
Defence Data Realities
RUSI Defence Systems, 29 April 2020, No: 1Roland McTeague
There is more to successful data exploitation than buying tools and expertise. It requires hard thinking and basic management. An analytics specialist offers some guidelines for data analytics success in Defence
Tags: Information
The Far-Right Radicalisation Pipeline and State War-Fighting Capacity
RUSI Defence Systems, 16 April 2020, No: 1Jackson Oliver Webster
Online radicalisation is a key feature of contemporary far-right movements, and is not only a worrying domestic security concern for increasing numbers of Western countries, but points to deeper Defence vulnerabilities in future state-on-state crises.
Tags: Tackling Extremism, Information
The US Marine Corps is Fixing Itself to Confronting China
RUSI Defence Systems, 2 April 2020, No: 1Sidharth Kaushal and Jack Watling
The US Marine Corps is reorganizing itself to confront China. Ensuring that it can hold ground and sustain its deployments without diverting naval resources will be a major challenge. Meanwhile US allies in other theatres must adjust to the USMC’s shift in focus
Tags: United States, Military Sciences, Martial Power Programme
Catch Me If You Can: The Challenges of Orbital Rendezvous and Proximity Operations
RUSI Defence Systems, 31 March 2020, No: 1Alexandra Stickings
Rendezvous and Proximity Operations in space add a layer of complexity to an already confused conversation concerning weapons in orbit. Consensus regarding their use and potential threat is needed to prevent miscalculations and unwanted escalation of tensions
Tags: Aerospace, Military Sciences, Martial Power Programme
The British Army Must Extend the Range of its Precision Strike Capability
RUSI Defence Systems, 27 March 2020, No: 1Jack Senogles
Whilst an effective capability in Afghanistan, the EXACTOR missile is not able to meet the British Army’s emerging precision guided munitions requirements in an Eastern European context
Tags: UK, Land Forces
German Decision to Split Tornado Replacement is a Poor One
RUSI Defence Systems, 26 March 2020, No: 1Justin Bronk
If the reported intention to replace Germany’s ageing Tornado fleet with a mix of up to 90 Eurofighters, 30 Super Hornets and 15 Growlers is correct, the Luftwaffe will be getting the worst of all previously mooted outcomes
Tags: Air Power and Technology, Germany, Military Sciences
Modelling the Vulnerability of Aircraft Carriers in the European Theatre
RUSI Defence Systems, 20 March 2020, No: 1Sidharth Kaushal
This article uses a variety of salvo combat models to generate a crude outline of the vulnerability of an aircraft carrier manoeuvring in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea or the Barents Sea in a conflict involving NATO and Russia
Tags: Military Sciences, Martial Power Programme, Maritime Forces
Your Tanks Cannot Hide
RUSI Defence Systems, 5 March 2020, No: 1Nick Reynolds and Jack Watling
Massed Turkish drone and artillery strikes against Syrian tanks and armoured vehicles have major implications for the viability of traditional armoured manoeuvre warfare on the modern battlefield
Tags: Turkey, Military Sciences, Syria, Martial Power Programme
Keeping Sailors Out of the Minefield
RUSI Defence Systems, 19 December 2019, No: 1George Galdorisi
Naval mines constitute a constant threat to global shipping, and due to proliferation, cost-effectiveness and increasing technical sophistication are likely to play a significant role in many future conflicts. Unmanned mine-countermeasure solutions derived from commercially available technologies could be rapidly developed to provide the US Navy and others with a better response
Tags: Maritime Forces
Future Vertical Lift… Why the Eagles Aren’t Coming
RUSI Defence Systems, 4 September 2019, No: 1Jack Watling
The US Army’s Future Vertical Lift programme is premised on an obsolete concept of employment. The helicopter will continue to be a critical tool in warfare, but like the horse in the Second World War, its place on the modern battlefield is as a beast of burden
Tags: Military Sciences, Martial Power Programme, Land Forces
First Flight of Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik-B UCAV
RUSI Defence Systems, 9 August 2019, No: 1Justin Bronk
Russia’s first UCAV prototype marks a milestone for the country’s troubled efforts to field truly modern airpower capabilities, and should also be a wakeup call to NATO Allies still publicly opposed to or unconvinced by the need for Western UCAVs to be part of future capability plans
Tags: Air Power and Technology, Military Sciences, Martial Power Programme
Novel Concepts for Amphibious Force Resupply
RUSI Defence Systems, 28 June 2019, No: 1George Galdorisi
The United States continues to place a premium on amphibious forces as part of its global response capabilities. Unmanned surface vessels have recently been tested which offer a significant advance in the ability of amphibious forces to conduct important ship-shore resupply from standoff distances
Tags: Equipment and Acquisitions, Maritime Forces
The Myth of the Narrative Fighting Vehicle
RUSI Defence Systems, 30 May 2019, No: 1Jack Watling and Adam Maisel
Adversaries currently outmatch the British Army in information warfare. While it is encouraging that officers with a background in combat arms are calling for the development of this capability however, it is important not to expect too much.
Tags: Military Sciences, Information, Martial Power Programme
Complexity is Cheaper than Simplicity: The Reason Cyber Security is Hard
RUSI Defence Systems, 23 April 2019, No: 1Kristofor Bolton
In most industries simplicity is cheaper than complexity; streamlining processes and shedding excess reduces the cost of doing business. Within the technology sector, there is a trend to accomplish the same goal by doing the opposite. This increased complexity has a negative effect on security
Tags: Cyber, Future UK Cyber Security Strategy ProjectPages
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