How does the UK transition its armed forces to a true warfighting footing?

In Season 3, Episode 2, we are joined by Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, to discuss the structural and cultural changes required to rebuild Britain's defence industrial base.

The conversation tackles the reality of legacy procurement delays and the push for faster, more adaptable equipment delivery. Defence Minister Luke Pollard unpacks the Royal Navy’s transition to a hybrid fleet of uncrewed and autonomous platforms, the practical steps being taken to clear hurdles for SMEs, and how a reformed defence strategy can deter peer adversaries while acting as a genuine engine for UK economic growth.

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As global threats escalate and technological innovation outpaces traditional training, the UK defence sector faces a defining strategic challenge: an industry-wide skills shortage.

In the Season 3 premiere of Defence Talks, we are joined by:

* R. Adm. Rose OBE, Director of People and Training for the Royal Navy;

* Dr Mary Haigh, Deputy Global Chief Information Officer and Director Digital Delivery Office at BAE Systems; and

* Paul Oxley, Director General, ADS Skills.

With a significant retirement wave approaching as over 30% of the workforce surpasses the age of 55, a projected surge of up to 50,000 new vacancies, and training pipelines stretched to keep pace with rapid AI and cyber advancements, the sector must adapt decisively. Join us as we unpack the need for cross-sector collaboration, ‘squiggly’ career paths, and a STEM education push.

Our guests set out how to build a resilient, highly-skilled workforce capable of safeguarding our national security while driving national economic growth.

Find Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast.

Welcome back to Season 2 of ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’.

In this special episode, Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, our Co-founder (Strategy), and Paul Mason, journalist, author and our Adjunct Fellow, are joined by Baroness Dr Sophy Antrobus MBE, Co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute and Member of the House of Lords, and Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist.

What lessons does the US-Israel-Iran conflict hold for the UK? The panel examines the strategic environment Britain faces and the interests shaping its response. They discuss key military lessons, including missile production depth, air and naval superiority, and force mix, as well as the geoeconomic impact of rising energy prices. The conversation also explores the wider implications for Russia’s war in Ukraine and Britain’s ability to protect its assets and personnel in the Middle East while safeguarding its interests in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.

Find ‘Defence Talks: Securing UK Advantage’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Pocketcast and Overcast.

You can find out more about Defence Talks here.