Think Defence

The Bayonet is Obsolete: The case for change in extremely close quarters combat

Think Defence — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:21:34 +0000

“The bayonet is obsolete.” And with those four words, I had kicked a hornet’s nest. At a recent infantry lethality workshop, I caused a bit of a stir. The event was a gathering of the principal small arms instructors from across the military, small arms engineers/scientists, staff officers and analysts, like me. We had spent […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – Think Defence 2026 (2)

Think Defence — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 10:43:53 +0000

The Light Strike series started with a practical question. How can the British Army generate a useful combat effect, at acceptable cost in people and material, against a peer opponent? Earlier parts followed that question from 24 Airmobile Brigade, through the Think Defence 2018 concept and the 2022 review, to 11 Brigade as it now […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – Think Defence 2026 (1)

Think Defence — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:20:17 +0000

As we reach the end of the series, two questions remain. Is 11 Brigade heading towards a credible Light Strike formation, and if not, what might a practical alternative look like? On the first, the answer is yes, but it still has some way to go. The alternative is a hybrid: able to delay and […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – 11 Brigade

Think Defence — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:17:40 +0000

The British Army’s 11 Brigade is currently transitioning into a specialised tactical recce-strike role, often described as the Army’s first ‘drone brigade’. After a period as the Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB), it was re-designated in November 2024 as a combat-focused unit within the Land Special Operations Force. In its previous role, 11 Brigade, it […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – TD’s 2018 Concept

Think Defence — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:23:42 +0000

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the British Army, alongside NATO partners, explored airmobile forces as an operational reserve. 24 Airmobile Brigade formed the British core of the Multi-National Airmobile Division (MNAD) and the concept was compelling. Helicopter borne anti-tank heavy teams that could bypass ground obstacles, establish blocking positions, and buy time for […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – 24 Airmobile Brigade

Think Defence — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:11:18 +0000

Continuing the Light Strike concept series, this post focuses on the introduction and strategic context of the Cold War era 24 Air Mobile Brigade. 6 Airmobile Brigade and the Transition to 24 Airmobile Brigade. The 24 Brigade operating concept came from experiments with 6 Airmobile Infantry Brigade. In 1983, 6 Infantry Brigade was redesignated as […]

Light Strike Revisited: From Concept to Contemporary Relevance – An Introduction

Think Defence — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:55:49 +0000

For well over a decade, I have returned periodically to the theme of ‘Light Strike’, a mobile, agile, and firepower-focused approach to force design that sits between traditional light infantry and heavier armoured or medium-weight formations. The idea has evolved through successive Army reform programmes, observing operational experiences, and technological shifts, but its core purpose […]

Euclid’s Army, Think Defence and the Book “What I wrote.”

Think Defence — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:45:36 +0000

Euclid's Army aims to force people to think about how armies should equip, train and organise for land warfare in the 21st Century

Resupply Reduction – Summary

Think Defence — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:39:50 +0000

Wrapping up the series on reducing resupply, I think it is important to note that there are certainly means of reducing demand across the three main commodity categories of water, food, and power. For more combat oriented supplies like ammunition and defence stores, there may be arguments to be made about lightweight ammunition, improved skills […]

Resupply Reduction — Power

Think Defence — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 21:12:24 +0000

Just like water and rations in the earlier posts, power is a complicated topic that is difficult to fully address in a single blog post; I can only touch the surface. Reduce Power Demand Power demand reduction may necessitate substantial change to operational processes or systems, challenging. Communications and Computing Equipment Communications, ECM and ISTAR […]

Resupply Reduction — Rations

Think Defence — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 20:06:41 +0000

In this part of the ‘reducing resupply’, a look at rations, and food more generally. It is probably fair to say there is less scope for demand reduction with food, and not that much more for ‘living off the land’. Like water, there is a lot of science behind combat nutrition, get it wrong, and […]

Resupply Reduction — Water

Think Defence — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:43:46 +0000

Continuing the supply reduction series, this one is about water. To restate, the exam question is: How can we reduce the frequency of resupply for small units when deployed? Water is essential to life. A blindingly obvious thing to say of course, but military operations rely on a constant supply of potable (suitable for drinking) […]

Resupply Reduction — Introduction

Think Defence — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:09:47 +0000

This series began with a discussion about the necessity to minimise resupply vehicle movements between echelons, considering the potential prevalence of FPVs and UAS on a modern battlefield. Personnel in static or semi-static positions will require resupply, but resupply vehicles will be under constant threat up to 20 km behind the forward positions. Should we adopt […]

Leadership and Retention — Part 2

Think Defence — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:30:38 +0000

There seems to be something wrong with (some of) our Captain’s today Recent years have seen a number of Royal Navy Commanding Officers removed from their posts. In May 2019, the CO of HMS Queen Elizabeth was relieved of command. It was reported he had made personal use of a car that was only for […]

Leadership and Retention — Part 1

Think Defence — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 18:01:12 +0000

Leadership and Retention — and where we have gone wrong A two part series on leadership and retention, the first one from Dom Dom is a co-founder of Shipwrekt podcast, a former sailor and army super REMF, and as a civvystill can’t keep his mouth shut. “The British soldier is a brute in a red […]

Replacing the Quad Bike ATV — Conclusions

Think Defence — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 18:31:32 +0000

In this final part of the Replacing the Quad Bike ATV series, I am going to start with a few questions. Questions Do we need to replace the existing quad bike ATVs? The Yamaha Grizzly ones we have are now end of service life, that much is certain, with early deliveries starting in 2010. So […]

Replacing the Quad Bike ATV — Trailers

Think Defence — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:05:02 +0000

Trailers, storage, and stowage are essential parts of any quad bike ATV replacement and as an integrated solution, they should ideally be acquired jointly under a single programme. Quad bikes are not used to transport bulk supplies; mixed loads of ammunition, water, fuel, tools, batteries, radios, defence stores and other military equipment will be the […]

Replacing the Quad Bike ATV — Options

Think Defence — Sat, 24 May 2025 19:59:17 +0000

Continuing the series, this post casts a wide net and examines a range of options, all available off the shelf. They are split into two groups, those that fit within the double CDS footprint, and are about the same size as the in-service Yamaha Grizzly ATV’s, and those that are slightly larger. As usual, an […]

Replacing the Quad Bike ATV — Requirements

Think Defence — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 19:02:48 +0000

The in-service Yamaha Grizzly quad bike ATVs have provided solid service for many years, but spares are increasingly difficult to obtain, and they might need replacing soon. In UK terminology, a quad bike is typically a four wheeled ride on vehicle with a weight of less than 550 kg, but the definitions and regulations can […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Comment and Proposal

Think Defence — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 09:19:49 +0000

I have a lingering doubt about all many of these options and their ability to accommodate a 95th percentile soldier and their personal protective equipment, but putting that to one side for a moment, I see two options. And so… Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — March On The first and most obvious option is to […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Runners and Riders

Think Defence — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 17:59:54 +0000

In this post, I am going to look at a range of potential vehicles that… Vehicles in category 2 and 3 are if the requirement for a common base vehicle was changed, and the Tactical Mobility Vehicle (TMV) variant was competed separately, given it is a specialised user group. As I discussed in Part 1, […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Power Systems, Weapons, and Protection

Think Defence — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:28:52 +0000

Continuing the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) series, this one looks at power systems, weapons, and protection. Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Electric Drivetrains and Alternative Fuels For the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV), it would seem natural that electric propulsion and alternative fuels would be a component of the wider requirement set. The British Army has […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Payloads

Think Defence — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:59:44 +0000

In this third part of the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) series, payloads, logistics, and fuel. Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) Payload Challenges The Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) faces some noteworthy payload challenges. In Part 1, I explained the trend towards higher kerb weights in modern vehicles and the hard upper limit imposed by the max 3.5 […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — Ambulance and C2

Think Defence — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:39:09 +0000

I am not sighted to the specific requirements, but a few thoughts on matters relating to the command and control and battlefield ambulance Light Mobile Vehicle (LMV) variants. Command and Control — Alternatives to the 9×9 Communications technology is rapidly changing, the Land Environment (LE) Tactical CIS (Tac CIS) is an expansive British Army programme […]

Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) — History and Considerations

Think Defence — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 11:17:49 +0000

The British Army’s Land Rover and Pinzgauer vehicles are to be replaced by 2030 by a group of vehicles called the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV). In this series, I examine the issues and requirements that might shape the future vehicles and describe a range of options that might meet them. History The two vehicles that […]