𝗡𝗟𝗔𝗪 Explore its history and capabilities ➡️

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲 Investigate its history and capabilities ➡️

A brief thread on construction plant for light defence forces. Not every unit can be fully mechanised or armoured, transport or terrain constraints force compromise. What are the alternatives to picks and shovels?

One of the largest sources of instability is the lack of access to food as populations rise. Fisheries will be under pressure, conflict may may follow. Learn more ↘️

I consider the mobility challenges of operating in the High North. Click to read more ➡️

At the TD site, posts are grouped into categories, each containing a number of posts. Explore the category ⬇️

Let's talk about… The overburdened infantry is discussed with clockwork like regularity. Excessive weight carried by infantry soldiers severely impacts their physical and mental agility, whilst dramatically increasing injury rates. THREAD

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗶𝗿 An examination of this incredibly versatile aircraft ➡️

NEW BLOG POST Continuing the Resupply Reduction series, this one looks at power and comms www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2025/11/resu...

The Mastiff was introduced for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The the best example of UOR, but does it have a life beyond? Click to read ➡️

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲 An examination into its history and capabilities ➡️

𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥 (𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗡𝗟𝗢𝗦) Investigate its history and capabilities ➡️

Space debris is an increasing concern Dive into removal systems and a question on their potential military uses ➡️

Let's talk about... Aviation on the Falkland Islands before the 1982 Conflict

105 mm L118 Light Gun has been used by the British Army since 1974, it won't last forever and the world has changed since its introduction. Replacement options are? Read more ↘️

𝗔 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖-𝟭𝟳 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 It won't last forever Examine the options ➡️

Compact and designed to be stored and launched like a round of ammunition, tube-launched UAS will see more common deployment. But, what should the diameter of the tube be? Explore the options➡️

Investigate the history & capabilities of the innovative 40 mm CTAS ➡️

Investigate a rehash of an old concept ➡️

Lets discuss… Infantry Handcarts THREAD

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗠𝗠 What are its history and capabilities ➡️

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 (𝗔𝗧𝗠𝗣) I look at the back-story of this amazing vehicle. ➡️

Examine the history of the Swingfire anti tank missile www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2024/10/swin...

𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝘅 An investigation into the box, outside and inside ➡️

Tethered Uncrewed Aerial Systems offer one solution to the Achilles heel of the vast majority of small UAS, their operating endurance. Click to read more ➡️

A Royal Marine retrieves a Ghost Drone after operation. The Ghost is a single rotary blade UAS drone capable of surveillance of ground with minimal sound

Investigate the history of the Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (FCLV) — Panther. Click to read ➡️

Soldiers from Mortar Platoon, 4 Scots Mortar in action during exercise STEADFAST DART at the Smardan Training Base in Romania. The 81 mm mortar endures, even in a world of drones

𝗣𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗩 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗺𝗯 A look at its history and capabilities ➡️

The Royal AIr Force Aerobatic team, the Red Arrows transit from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to their home unit of RAF Waddington.

𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 Nellie, the shortened name for an usual trenching machine designed thanks to Churchill Click to find out more ➡️

29 Commando Royal Artillery operate the 105 mm L118 Light Gun during Commando Force training in Norway. The UK Commando Force is reaffirming its commitment to the high north by deploying to the Arctic circle for Winter Deployment 25

𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲 Dive into its history and capabilities ➡️

The unique ESARCO vehicles were developed as a private venture after lessons identified by the British Army in the 1982 Falklands Conflict, namely, the need for lightweight high mobility load carriage. www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2024/11/the-...

Let's discuss… The Swingfire ATGW 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗

As the British Army will eventually introduce Boxer RCH155, an article that looks at options of, instead, doubling down on Archer www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2024/11/doub...

A 16 part series of posts that explores many aspects of field defences, from vehicle ditches to counter UAS nets Start at Part 16, the summary www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2025/01/fiel...

A brief series of posts that examines options for restoring mobility to long-range ground launched precision weapons

NEW BLOG POST Resupply reduction, food and rations www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2025/10/resu...

The JCB Fastrac is a high speed farm and utility tractor that has an unusualability to operate at higher road speeds than conventional designs. In this post, I look at options for defence use

In this article, Matthew Ford talks about the British Army and the (new) calibre debate… www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2025/02/the-...

Read more at the link www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2023/05/anti...

Of the three, therefore, Merlin was not only the most technically challenging but also, the one that would have had the most longevity against modern opponents. All moot, of course, it never entered service, and STRIX did.

In contrast, Bussard used a home-on laser guidance system, modern laser detectors and obscurants are also designed to counter these, and someone somewhere has to designate the target.

STRIX was also autonomous but used a passive IR guidance system. Modern obscurants are designed to conceal targets and counter IR homing guidance.

Like Brimstone, it used a millimetric wave radar and target recognition system. Launched into a ‘target box’, the round did the rest, the mortar crew could be away on their toes before it hit. Using radar meant it was significantly more robust against countermeasures.

Merlin was certainly more ambitious than either STRIX or Bussard, the smaller diameter meant all the guidance systems had to be squeezed into a significantly smaller body, but the autonomous nature of that guidance system set it apart.

At the risk of being repetitive, like EFOG-M and Polyphem, if their time had come, I don’t doubt they would have been effective.

The normal range was 4.5 km but using a sustainer motor kit, the maximum range was 7,500m, nearly doubling the effective range of Merlin, although it had a smaller acquisition area of 150m2

FFV Ordnance and SAAB Missile Systems started the development of STRIX in 1983, with the first firing taking place in 1988, and entering service in 1994. The final development was funded by the Swedish Defence Material Administration for SEK300m www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCmq...