Resilience State

In this episode of Resilience State, we dive into one of the defining features of modern warfare: the rise of drones.Ukraine has become a real-world laboratory for drone warfare — testing cheap, expendable UAVs at scale, under brutal combat conditions. But what does this actually mean for how wars are fought today, and how states like the UK should be thinking about defence tomorrow?We’re joined by David Kirichenko, Ukrainian-American journalist and Associate Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, who has spent extensive time reporting from the front lines of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion. David walks us through how drones are used on today’s battlefield, from FPV strike drones and fibre-optic systems to long-range deep-strike operations inside Russia.David's suggested commentators:https://x.com/solonko1648https://x.com/Y_Chornomoretshttps://x.com/BohdanKrotevych 

In Episode Two of Resilience State, we look beyond defence spending headlines to examine how failures in procurement shape real military capability.Joined by Professor Keith Hartley, one of the UK’s leading defence economists, we examine why defence procurement repeatedly fails, and why these failures are not accidents, but the result of how defence markets are structured.The episode explores defence as a public good, the incentives shaping procurement decisions, and why governments struggle to cancel failing programmes even when costs spiral. We also discuss the trade-offs between defence spending and other public priorities, the role of competition and substitution, and whether market principles can realistically improve defence outcomes.Together, the conversation explains why fixing defence procurement is not just a technical problem, but a political and economic one.Episode Links: Professor Hartley's suggested reading listhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Economics-Arms-Big-Business/dp/191111624XProfessor Hartley suggested that for those interested in working with the Ministry of Defence, a strong grounding in economics (such as an MSc in Economics) is particularly valuable, while a solid economics degree more broadly is well-suited to careers across the defence industry.

In this first episode of Resilience State, we ask a simple question: what does security actually mean today — and why does it matter to everyday life?Modern security isn’t just about weapons, armies, or defence spending. It's about supply chains, energy prices, political stability, and whether societies can function under sustained pressure.Joined by experts Dr Louise Tumchewics and Elijah Glantz, we begin in Europe, examining how the war in Ukraine, rearmament, and hybrid threats are reshaping the security landscape.We then turn to the Sahel to explore how governance breakdown, illicit economies, climate stress, and regional fragmentation all overlap to drive instability.Across both conversations, the episode explains why events happening far beyond the UK still affect our security at home, and why military strength on its own is not enough to keep societies safe.Episode LinksLouise’s suggested reading list⁠https://www.foreignaffairs.com/⁠⁠https://theconversation.com/uk⁠⁠https://warontherocks.com/⁠Elijah’s suggested reading list⁠https://www.africa-confidential.com/news⁠⁠https://www.jeuneafrique.com/⁠⁠https://guardian.ng/⁠Referenced reportingLuke’s referenced reporting on Russian bombing activity:⁠https://www.euronews.com/2025/05/14/germany-arrests-three-ukrainians-for-plotting-russian-sabotage-bomb-attacks⁠Honey Louise’s referenced reporting on the “Great Drone Wall”:⁠https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkl3d6pegpo⁠Honey Louise’s referenced reporting on the French Army Chief of Staff:⁠https://www.france24.com/en/france/20251120-france-top-general-under-fire-after-saying-country-must-be-prepared-to-lose-children⁠