Off subject: Reference the Mystery Hour podcast Thursday May the 28th and the enquiry about the sequence of words Jerry and Tom and Hardy and Laurel ... this clipping from six years ago "one of the unwritten rules of English native speakers". Wish I had listened live. I would have 'phoned in.

New report on Fast Jet Training Modernisation options and important factors to consider Based on almost two years of research work, including visits to many OCUs, training squadrons and flights in most of the main new trainer options. Download full report free here: www.rusi.org/explore-our-...

🚨 Call for Papers 🚨 📢 You have until 4 June to submit your abstracts for Future Battlefield Innovation 🛰️🤖 an October conference exploring AI, drones, cyber warfare, logistics and the future battlefield. For more info visit : www.rafmuseum.org.uk/news/cfp-bcm... #MilitaryHistory #FutureWarfare

I wrote our cover story this week, a valedictory essay on the changes in war & warfare over my eight years as defence editor. It’s a reflection on the growth & limits of battlefield transparency, the lessons from different wars & the utility of force today www.economist.com/interactive/...

You definitely need to read Robin Robertson's "Mortification: Writers’ Stories of their Public Shame" with such luminaries as Margaret Atwood, Irvine Welsh, and Julian Barnes. My favourite is poet Simon Armitage's:

Ukrainian destruction of russian air defense systems over the past several months, showing a clear increase in the pace of russian AD degradation. Context thread in next post ⏬️ www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrain...

Earlier this week, FASI were delighted to host a Roundtable discussion with India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan at @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social. The discussion was centred around India’s defence transformation and its strategic engagement with global partners.

As Shaun Pinner says, it’s not about “haggling” over a “few km” of land. It’s about what happens to those people forced to live under Russian occupation

@sophyantrobus.bsky.social was joined by Lord Toby Harris, Professor Emma Williams, AVM (Ret’d) Fin Monahan OBE & Group Captain Ryan Mannering - who each shared their thoughts on the preparedness of society for conflict Thanks to all the speakers, students & guests for an inspiring evening!

The joy that is South Western Railway just keeps on giving. My train was cancelled but delay repay says because I got a later train I’m not entitled to claim. I marvel at their appallingness. It must be soul destroying working for them 🥲

📣 Opportunity: Oral History PhD Research Project w/t Imperial War Museums & University of Strathclyde. An #oralhistory of women paramilitaries during ‘The Troubles’ in Ireland and Britain. For more information visit: www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/... #Postgraduate #NorthernIreland #TheTroubles

@shashj.bsky.social: ‘A war to weaken Iran ends up with the US having to dilute sanctions on Iran. A mark of how blundering this whole endeavour has been.’

Quite the read. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Incredible amazing read. Thoroughly depressing.

November 2024

UK Spacepower: Lessons from 2025 In this latest viewpoint, @allenant.bsky.social reflects on 2025 as the ‘year of promises for UK spacepower’ and explores the urgent steps that need to be taken in 2026 to secure the UK’s defence-space strategy. Read here 👇 ow.ly/4y0m50Y81Rq

This is an absolutely incredible example of someone telling on himself, because for almost all of his life Matthew Goodwin craved nothing more than exactly this. He boasted for years of being the “youngest full professor of politics”, and then applied for post after post at more prestigious unis.

This is David Marsh. He went to my old school. He is one of the small number of European troops who went to Afghanistan and never did much nor went to the front line according to Donald Trump. He died in 2008 aged 23 in Afghanistan when the patrol car he was in was blown up in Helmand Province.

Stephen was a great contestant. But also the daily game of betting whether he would be dressed as a) a suspect in a seaside Poirot mystery, b) Christopher Robin, or c) ABBA. #thetraitors

Interesting article. ‘students show “strange deference” to AI — questioning classmates but accepting AI pronouncements’. I can see why this is especially pertinent in the PME environment for a number of reasons discussed here.

‘Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.’

What Europe could do is threaten to boycott the World Cup. It won't. But that might actually work. Trump wants his big show.

I would love to experience being in Dan Hannan's brain. Just for a little bit. What's it like to never worry about making a mistake? To just breeze merrily through a life where every wrong turn confirms your belief that you're smarter than the map?

📢 Lecture Series: Call for Papers The @rafmuseum.bsky.social is seeking proposals from postgraduate students, early-career & established researchers for the 2026 air and space power research programme. 📅 Deadline: 23 Jan ❔ [email protected] 👇 www.rafmuseum.org.uk/news/raf-mus...

This is a deeply depressing read by Rachel Hewitt and one that will feel frustratingly familiar to anyone trying to get a book published right now!! Also when she lists the big non fiction sellers - phew. open.substack.com/pub/rachelhe...

✈️ How has the RAF's culture around safety and risk shifted and what is the right balance in the context of today’s threats? Read as @sophyantrobus.bsky.social examines the RAF’s changing relationship with risk - its approach, attitude, and appetite. Explore 👇 kcl.ac.uk/warstudies/a...

This is awesome. What amazing support from Salisbury FC www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

It’s weird that news organizations like the BBC are covering this as if it’s a real thing with a real process behind it—and not clearly some nakedly invented “participation trophy” by a corrupt organization to curry favor with a corrupt and easily manipulated man-child. www.bbc.com/sport/footba...

It sure looks like Russian intelligence attempted to use military drones to assassinate the President of Ukraine inside an EU country. Looking forward to more thoughts from Belgium on why freezing Russian assets is an escalatory move that might compromise the peace process.

No BBC, this is not an escalation. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Chris Mason presuming to make a call on my behalf. I wouldn't have him queue for a shared lavatory on my behalf.

#BookReview – Flight Culture and the Human Experience balloonstodrones.com/2025/12/01/b...

Now that Roisin Agnew's doc "The Ban" is up on The New Yorker's website, here's a piece I wrote about it, and the broadcasting ban itself, on the 30th anniversary of its lifting last year, and which involved me quizzing Chris Morris about *that* sketch. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

✈️ ‘Gowns Flying’: The first one hundred years of University Air Squadrons FASI's @sophyantrobus.bsky.social examines the development of the University Air Squadrons over the past century & explores how they remain a vital link between universities & the armed forces. 👇 ow.ly/OKeQ50XgYQx

My third and final edition of the Journal of the @rafhistorical.bsky.social as editor is in print. It's the proceedings of the RAF culture seminar at @rafmuseum.bsky.social , organised by @sophyantrobus.bsky.social , @rafhistory.bsky.social, wonderfully guest edited by @sophyhiggins.bsky.social.

So assuming this story is correct -- and the WSJ reporter is excellent -- Trump's chief negotiator on Ukraine is meeting with Putin about how to end the war while also scouting sites for a possible Trump hotel in Moscow. www.wsj.com/world/russia...

Excellent analysis

Dr Julia Balm, of the Freeman Air & Space Institute, shares insights into the increasing strategic relevance of space war

Julia Lopez is rumoured to be replacing Stuart Andrew as shadow culture secretary. There should be some kind of prize if you've heard of both of these people.

I could go 'blah, blah, Betteridge' or 'blah, blah, for the 800th time, here's why this is a shit idea', but you know what, the main conclusion is just that this article is ignorant crap.

That letter from Richard Tice is unbelievable....

Don't let the excitable intern write your quotes, kids.

Agree. Also much emphasis on Service Families Accommodation but Single Living Accommodation must also be an immediate priority.

Interesting given my piece with Kevin Rowlands recently published: www.progressivebritain.org/adding-rungs... British fighter jets to carry nuclear bombs www.thetimes.com/article/b3fb...

YES! my second sport column is online! I went to watch some rugby in Twickenham: can you guess how it went? observer.co.uk/news/columni... [free to read!]

My hero. Just loved everything about her. Obvs Alan Alda is in the same league. Loretta Swit: M*A*S*H ‘Hot Lips’ actress dies aged 87 www.thetimes.com/article/24ff...

The Swedish Defence University advertises a postdoc focused on ”narrative geopolitics” - or how widespread and emotionally charged narratives influence international security, great power relations, and geostrategic rivalry. Deadline August 31: fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

💡 Rebuilding the UK's Air and Missile Defence Posture In the final viewpoint of the series, @sophyantrobus.bsky.social reflects on the future of IAMD in the UK, noting its significant shortfalls & how it could be improved through strategic themes - the 4 ‘Ps’ 👇 www.kcl.ac.uk/the-next-bat...