Rephonic
Artwork for Talking Strategy
World War II
NATO
Russia
Military Strategy
Leadership
Royal Air Force
Ukraine
Arthur Tedder
Strategy
Royal Navy
Cold War
Catherine the Great
Ottoman Empire
British Army
Air Power
Field Marshal William Slim
National Security Strategy
Guerrilla Warfare
US Marine Corps
Moshe Dayan

Our thinking about defence and security is shaped by ideas. What we see depends on our vantage point and the lenses we apply to the world. Governments, military and business leaders are seeking to maximise the value they gain from scarce resources by becoming more 'strategic'. Standing on the shoulders of the giants of strategy from the past helps us see further and more clearly into the future. T... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes100Founded4 years ago
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Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for Talking Strategy

Latest Episodes

In our 100th episode, we talk to RUSI senior research fellow Dr Jack Watling about the transformation in Ukraine in response to Russia's War.

Against what many considered a materially superior adversary, Ukraine has not only withstood Russian aggre... more

Professor Olivier Schmitt describes the systemic challenges of military transformation, given rapidly evolving technology and NATO's distinct strategic cultures.

Modern defence and security reviews highlight the deteriorating security environment a... more

We look at how Russia's armed forces are learning lessons from combat and examine Moscow's ambitions in its war against Ukraine.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine is part of a long-term, much larger project of turning Russia into a regional hegemo... more

The Centre for Economic Security's Dr Rebecca Harding argues for the importance of financial markets as the fourth pillar in supporting effective mobilisation.

Conversations about industrial mobilisation often focus on the triumvirate of government... more

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Recent Guests

Jack Watling
Senior Research Fellow, warfare and strategy expert; author of Arms of the Future and other works
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Episode: S6E21: Dr Jack Watling on Ukrainian Adaptation to War
Olivier Schmitt
Head of Research at the Institute of Military Operations, Royal Danish Defence College
Royal Danish Defence College
Episode: S6E20: Preparing for War: Adaptable Forces and Societies
Andrew Monaghan
Russia expert focusing on Moscow's thinking about war and geostrategic competition
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) - Senior Associate Fellow
Episode: S6E19: Adversarial Strategy: Russia's Preparations for a Long War
Rebecca Harding
Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Economic Security and independent trade economist
Rebeccanomics; Centre for Economic Security
Episode: S6E18: Bullion to Bullets: Mobilising the Financial Markets
Andrea Thompson
Group Managing Director of BAE Systems, Digital Intelligence Business
BAE Systems
Episode: S6E17: Industrial Mobilisation: Harnessing the Capacity of Defence Primes Andrea Thompson
Christian Brose
President and Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries
Anduril Industries
Episode: S6E16: Harnessing Disruptors in the Defence Industrial Ecosystem: Anduril Industries
Archer M. Macy Jr.
Rear Admiral (retired), US Navy; former Director of the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization
Center for Strategic and International Studies; Center for Naval Analyses
Episode: S6E15: Integrating Today's Forces for Air and Missile Defence
Andrew Renwick
Curator of photographs, Royal Air Force Museum Hendon
Royal Air Force Museum Hendon
Episode: S6E14: Force Integration in 1940: Dowding's Air Defence System
Roman Andrzejczak
Former Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces
Polish Armed Forces
Episode: S6E13: Transforming Poland's Military: General Rajmund Andrzejczak

Hosts

Paul O'Neill
Host of the series and representative of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Beatrice Heuser
Co-host and expert on historical and strategic topics

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 176 ratings
  • Such great commentary, highly encouraged for life long learners.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Zex
    5 months ago
  • Quality Content

    Excellent pods with two top notch moderators, Professor Heuser has written extensively on strategy and gets the most out of a wide range of speakers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    george_51
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Brilliant and accessible

    What a privilege to listen to these conversations so expertly guided by Beatrice Heuser and Paul O’Neill

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Leicalily
    United Kingdom4 years ago
  • Scholarly and enjoyable

    A great pod, genuinely informative and well presented. Far better than the rambling, ambiguous chatter which was the Western Way of War series.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Henry de Grosmont
    United Kingdom4 years ago
  • Brilliant for Strategic Theorists

    Loved Beatrice’s Evolution pf Strategy. This is an excellent resource that I’ll be using for my latest book!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    maxmckeown
    United Kingdom4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, rigorous discussions guided by top-tier moderators.
Excellent resource for strategic theorists and practitioners alike.
The depth and quality of guests stand out, with strong historical and strategic perspectives.
Content is scholarly and accessible, avoiding vague rambling often found in similar series.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#202
Germany/History
Apple Podcasts
#30
Singapore/History
Apple Podcasts
#42
Poland/History
Apple Podcasts
#135
Norway/History
Apple Podcasts
#187
Switzerland/History
Apple Podcasts
#197
New Zealand/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S6E19: Adversarial Strategy: Russia's Preparations for a Long War
Q: You were one of the first people I heard to say that Russia thought we were at war with it. When did you begin to say so and what made you think so?
The explicit statements and the aggressive postures emerged over more than a decade, with clear signals from the leadership starting in the 2010s and accelerating through 2019 into 2022, showing that Moscow anticipated conflict and prepared a wide range of non-military and military tools accordingly.
S6E20: Preparing for War: Adaptable Forces and Societies
Q: How do budgetary ideologies shape Western armed forces compared to threat assessments, and what impact does outsourcing and just-in-time logistics have on long-term readiness?
Budgetary ideologies drive how funds are spent, outsourcing, and logistics philosophy; these priorities can overshadow threat assessments and create dependency on industrial and supply chains, a dynamic recently highlighted by the war in Ukraine.
S6E20: Preparing for War: Adaptable Forces and Societies
Q: In your book, you touch on problems of doing so within an alliance. Can you tell us about different national ideologies that are obstacles to coordination within alliances, especially in recruitment of soldiers?
Olivier explains that recruitment models are sedimented in political history and threat perception, making harmonization across Europe difficult; volunteer vs conscript structures shape readiness, reserve mobilization, and even strategic options within alliances.
S6E17: Industrial Mobilisation: Harnessing the Capacity of Defence Primes Andrea Thompson
Q: What implications does this have for procurement and interfacing with platforms versus digital tools?
Procurement must shift to flexible, outcome-based, and potentially co-created models. The aim is to deliver capability and outcomes at pace, not just the technology, with joint risk-sharing and end-to-end consideration from trial to deployment.
S6E17: Industrial Mobilisation: Harnessing the Capacity of Defence Primes Andrea Thompson
Q: From a digital perspective, what are the biggest enablers of preparedness for Western armed forces and how can industry accelerate those?
The biggest enabler is data treated as a strategic asset, with secure, portable, and accessible pipelines. AI-enabled decision making, secure infrastructures, open architectures, and rapid, iterative development with feedback loops are crucial to accelerate capability.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Talking Strategy

What is Talking Strategy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series covers defence, security, and strategic thinking through conversations with leading policymakers, military officers, industry executives, and scholars. Episodes frequently explore industrial mobilization, defence procurement, innovation, and historical case studies to illuminate how strategy shapes real-world outcomes. Notable strengths include high-caliber guests from government, industry, and academia, plus a rigorous, idea-driven approach that connects theory to practice. Listeners likely comprise defense professionals, researchers, and decision-makers seeking deeper understanding of strategic challenges and practical implications for national security, policy, and industrial capability.

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Which podcasts are similar to Talking Strategy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Talking Strategy:

1. Global Security Briefing
2. School of War
3. Irregular Warfare Podcast
4. War on the Rocks
5. Modern War Institute

How many episodes of Talking Strategy are there?

Talking Strategy launched 4 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Talking Strategy?

Recent guests on Talking Strategy include:

1. Jack Watling
2. Olivier Schmitt
3. Andrew Monaghan
4. Rebecca Harding
5. Andrea Thompson
6. Christian Brose
7. Archer M. Macy Jr.
8. Andrew Renwick

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