Frank Pierson’s The Looking Glass War is a slow-burning adaptation of John le Carré’s 1965 novel, and like much of le Carré’s world, it deals not in glamour or gadgets but in the decaying realism of the intelligence game. Unlike the bombastic Bond films of the era, this one is sober, chilly, and resolutely unglamorous.
Frontline Flicks: Looking Glass War (1970) Read More »
China has mastered a subtle blend of economic coercion and cyber grey-zone tactics aimed at undermining Taiwan’s resilience—without ever firing a shot. Yet Taiwan, aware of what might lie ahead, has devoted itself to an asymmetric defence strategy that complements its conventional armed forces. Meanwhile, the U.S., Japan, Australia, and Europe are each struggling with
Economic War Before the Shooting Starts: The Unseen Taiwan Playbook Read More »
Britain is under sustained attack from Iran—not with armies, but through assassins, cyberweapons, and street-level criminal proxies. In a damning new report, the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) warns that Tehran has become one of the most active and unpredictable hostile actors targeting the United Kingdom today. Iran’s hybrid offensive is a campaign
Europe’s New Battleground: Iran’s Criminal Proxy War Comes to the Streets of the West Read More »
BAE Systems delivered robust financial results in 2024, reflecting strong defence sector momentum. Annual sales reached £28.3 billion, a ~14% year-on-year increase in constant currency terms. Underlying EBIT climbed to £3.0 billion, up 14% in constant currency, and operating profit was £2.69 billion, up 4% on a reported basis. Order intake in 2024 was £33.7 billion – slightly lower
Beijing’s strategic calculus in Ukraine is no accident—it’s a multi-front investment. On 3 July 2025, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stunned European counterparts behind closed doors in Brussels by stating bluntly that China “cannot afford to let Russia lose the war in Ukraine”, warning that if Russia collapses, the United States would be free to
China Wants the War to Continue Read More »
In the pantheon of World War II cinema, Denmark rarely takes centre stage. Yet in 2008, director Ole Christian Madsen delivered an audaciously raw and morally unsettling portrait of the Danish resistance with Flammen og Citronen (Flame & Citron). Based on real figures—Bent Faurschou-Hviid (“Flame”) and Jørgen Haagen Schmith (“Citron”)—this film is less about patriotism
Frontline Flicks: Flammen og Citronen (2008) Read More »
Modern infantry combat isn’t just about mobility and firepower – it’s about what kind of firepower you can bring to the fight without dragging the soldier down. That’s where the Rheinmetall SSW40 throws a grenade into the old assumptions. Traditional 40 mm launchers like the AG36 or M320 are simple, reliable, and universally loved in infantry
A Rifle with a Blast Radius: The New Face of Explosive Support Read More »
The UK has long underinvested in defence, hiding behind percentage-of-GDP metrics while delivering woefully outdated capabilities. The 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) commits to raising defence spending from ~2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with ambition to reach 3% “if fiscal conditions allow”. Starmer’s government has adopted all 62 recommendations of Lord Robertson’s review,
Britain’s Armed Forces at a Crossroads: Re‑Arming for a New Era of Threats Read More »
For years, Ukrainian experts have warned that the Moscow Patriarchate’s church network often serves not just religious purposes but strategic ones. This suspicion – long evident in Ukraine – is now gaining traction across Europe, from Sweden and Norway to the Netherlands. In the wake of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many European governments
Russian Orthodox Churches in Europe: Espionage Outposts Under the Guise of Faith Read More »
It takes roughly three months—sometimes less—for one side to blunt or neutralise a new weapon or tech deployed by the other. That time frame aligns with how Ukraine and Russia have structured their war economies: agile production, volunteer ecosystems, frontline feedback, and adaptive tactics. The race isn’t strategic—it’s industrial, digital, brutal—and evolving in real-time. Within
Accelerating Arms-Race: The Three‑Month Catch‑Up Read More »
