We know that the British Army’s Strike Brigade is built around the concept of disaggregated operations across a large area where forces concentrate at points in time and space to deliver a range of meaningful effects. They are based on a collection of ‘medium weight’ tracked and wheeled vehicles, none of which can exploit the mobility advantages of support helicopters because they are too heavy. The Light Strike Brigade is therefore based on the core principles of the joint land strike concept but with much lighter vehicles that can exploit the mobility afforded by UK Support Helicopters. It is not

Where quad bikes are focussed on load-hauling, motorcycles tend to a focus on speed. The military motorcycle has generally lost favour in most western forces but is it time to have another look? This article from Sputnik News describes the value of motorcycles in the close urban terrain of Salma in Syria. The use of motorcycles in a military context is hardly new, German and Russian forces in WWII made extensive use of them for reconnaissance, seeking out gaps and Israel suffered at the hands of motorcycle-borne forces. Conventional motorcycles were also used for convoy marshalling and despatch rider duties

Quad bikes (or small all-terrain vehicles) are in common service with a number of military forces to provide mobility and logistics support, generally dismounted forces, light role infantry for example. In UK terminology, a quad bike is typically a four wheel ride on vehicle with a weight of less than 550kg but the definitions and regulations can depend on other factors (click here to find out  more) Background It should come as no surprise that the Quad Bike is actually a British invention we failed to exploit. The Standard Ultra Lightweight and Jungle Airborne Buggy were produced in 1944 and

Since there were first soldiers the weight they have carried has been subject to cyclical variation and much discussion. The upward trend that saw its zenith during operations in Afghanistan is now subject to a realisation that it is both unsustainable and undesirable. The Recurring Problem of Overburdened Soldiers The problem is not new. In ancient Greece, Iphicrates recognised the disadvantage of overburdened soldiers and introduced the concept of an organised light force called Peltasts that emphasised mobility and firepower over protection to overcome the much heavier armed and armoured Spartans at the Battle of Lechaeum. During the Thirty Years

A few thoughts on the utility of the US Expeditionary Transfer Dock and its potential for the UK, expanding into other roles as part of a wider discussion. The US sea basing concept envisaged a far offshore collection of logistics and combat vessels that could deliver forces and all their sustainment needs directly to the objective without needing to build up stores at a beach location or operate in vulnerable areas close to shore. The sea base would eliminate the need to organise, redistribute and repack supplies onshore, and palletise what was needed, to order, all whilst afloat. Technical challenges included asset visibility in the deployed

The final of the ‘scene setting’ posts in this series, a look at the UK’s defence and security commitments and approaches in the Middle East, Africa and a small section on further east.

Charles Edward Inglis designed the first dry gap prefabricated military bridge in service with any Army anywhere in the world. A description of his many designs

The UK should approach the defence of Europe with a number of basic principles in mind and prioritise smart partnerships, improving the capability of allies and having skin in the game where it counts

Part 3 of the occasional series on SDSR 2018, an examination of alliances, politics, Europe and beyond. Where to do more and where to do less.

If the UK is to avoid its finite defence resources being spread across multiple risk area in increasingly thinner layers it must prioritise, and learn to live with consequences.

It is easy to advance a case for more defence funding, in our echo chambers we would all agree. Instead, am going to make a case for change based on reality

A proposal from Anglo Engineering Concepts to meet British Army vehicle capability gaps and drive down support costs by adopting system engineering thinking and a design language that places the designer close to the user. Anglo Engineering Concepts is run by an experienced design engineer that previously worked as one of the three design engineers in the Drawing Office of Alvis. The design engineers’ remit was to bring forward realistic innovation – this approach of creating designs stretching beyond current capability that could be manufactured in the near future from available technology has since remained a core design principle.  In