Remote Warfare: Lessons Learned from Contemporary Theatres

Emily Knowles and Abigail Watson

27 June 2018

This report is a first attempt to identify some of the factors that have helped or hindered the UK’s current approach to remote warfare. It is structured around two main sections:

• Practical challenges for British forces engaged in remote warfare.

• Military myths around remote warfare that are feeding strategic incoherence.

This report is aimed at military decision-makers and speaks to skills, training, and doctrinal gaps in the British armed forces. It does not cover the political or grand strategic levels, or the legal environment that also shapes British approaches to modern warfare. Those aspects are covered by two other reports – for release between May and July 2018 – which will complete this series.

Image credit:Defence Images/Flickr.

About the authors

Emily Knowles is Director of the Remote Warfare Programme.

Abigail Watson is a Research Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

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