Latest Interviews
Showing 1–15 of 17 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist6 min
The art of deception in modern war | The Economist
The event analyzes how modern deception strategies now target an adversary's intent rather than mere presence to neutralize overwhelming surveillance, drawing on historical precedents like D-Day alongside recent intelligence failures in Ukraine, Israel, and Russia. It further details how transparent battlespaces compel forces to deploy resource-intensive drone operations that paradoxically increase human density and logistical footprints, requiring teams of five and nearly two tons of equipment per unit. By forcing enemies to waste munitions on decoys, these tactics aim to degrade capabilities, though the summary notes their inherent vulnerability and limited operational endurance of roughly three days.
- The Economist7 min
Germany’s army chief on AI, drones and the future of the tank | The Economist
Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, Shashank Joshi
German land forces are prioritizing five critical capability gaps, including indirect fires, electronic warfare, and AI-enabled command and control, to support a future where tanks serve as manned "motherships" for unmanned systems. Concurrently, military strategists are treating data as a vital ammunition reserve that requires automated exploitation to overcome human processing limits on the modern battlefield. This transition faces significant NATO-wide debate regarding the optimal balance between emerging technologies and legacy platforms, a tension recently highlighted by high-profile resignations in the UK defense ministry over innovation concerns.
- The Economist7 min
Why it’s so much harder to hide on the battlefield | The Economist
Adam Roberts, Shashank Joshi, Raleigh, Anshul
The Ukrainian conflict has transformed into a translucent battlefield where ubiquitous sensors and cheap precision munitions have expanded kill zones to over 30 kilometers, forcing soldiers to face near-certain death from saturated airspace. Top Ukrainian commanders have leveraged this "democratized precision" to inflict monthly casualty rates of 35,000 on Russian forces, effectively testing the limits of Russia's training capacity through a strategy designed to bleed the adversary dry. While this environment empowers weaker nations to challenge superior adversaries, the high lethality of modern drone swarms simultaneously renders traditional amphibious assaults and major ground invasions increasingly untenable for global powers like China.
- The Economist7 min
A former CIA director on whether Russians are losing faith in Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin, Bill Burns, Shashank Joshi
CIA Director William Burns anticipated Russia's 2021 invasion based on intelligence revealing Vladimir Putin's belief that Ukraine was a domestic Russian issue and that Western allies were distracted, a miscalculation that has now led to a strategic inflection point. Following four years of conflict characterized by Russian casualties exceeding recruitment and severe damage to its energy sector, internal Moscow pressure is mounting despite Putin's tight repression and a temporary economic lifeline from energy exports to Iran. Current assessments indicate that any potential negotiation will likely require sustained battlefield support for Ukraine combined with severe economic pressure, even as the war's duration has depleted critical U.S. interceptor inventory needed by Kyiv.
- The Economist8 min
Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a dangerous gamble | The Economist
Donald Trump, Shashank Joshi, Rosie Blau
U.S. Central Command is implementing an economic blockade targeting all vessels transiting Iranian coastal waters to cripple Tehran's revenue and force negotiations on its nuclear program. This strategy risks triggering a global energy crisis with Brent crude projected to hit $150 per barrel if Iran retaliates by restricting neutral shipping in the Gulf of Oman. Analysts warn that the move may alienate key allies and ultimately fail, as Tehran appears prepared to outlast the U.S. administration amid approaching midterm elections.
- The Economist10 min
Former head of MI6: Iran has the “upper hand” in the war | The Economist
Sir Alex Younger, Shashank Joshi
Despite a powerful U.S. air campaign, Iran maintains strategic initiative through dispersed military capabilities and the threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz, creating a resilient conflict environment that paradoxically bolsters regime morale while facing an estimated 80% domestic opposition. The death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has accelerated a structural transition from religious theocracy to a pragmatic IRGC-dominated junta, characterized by the leadership of General Vahidi and the constrained influence of President Masoud Peseshkian. Analysts suggest that while the regime survives its "death throes" due to internal security crackdowns and limited Western intervention options, its long-term viability remains critically low given the population's desire for an end to theocratic rule and the potential for a successor-driven transition.
- The Economist8 min
Why are Iranian drones so deadly? | The Economist
Russia has adapted Iranian Shaheed drones into low-cost Geran munitions, creating a strategic challenge by outpacing traditional missile interceptors with volume and maneuverability. To counter this, Ukraine is exporting its operational expertise in FPV interceptor drones to Gulf states, offering technology transfers in exchange for defense investments and pressure on Western partners to supply high-end interceptors. This emerging alliance leverages Ukrainian successes in air and maritime defense to offset the economic imbalance of Russia's drone swarm tactics while reshaping regional security dynamics.
- The Economist8 min
Are Gulf states running out of missile interceptors? | The Economist
Amidst sustained Iranian ballistic missile barrages, Gulf nations and Israel are depleting their layered air defense stocks, including Patriot and Arrow systems, at unsustainable rates that could exhaust reserves within two weeks. This rapid attrition forces regional militaries to ration interceptors, raising the risk of breached defenses, increased casualties, and the targeting of high-value assets like the US consulate in Dubai. Consequently, the conflict is straining global US production capacity, threatening to divert critical munitions from other theaters while exposing long-term vulnerabilities in allied preparedness against high-intensity missile warfare.
- The Economist10 min
Will the Iranian regime collapse? | The Economist
US and Israeli forces are executing a decapitation strategy against the Islamic Republic of Iran's security apparatus, targeting senior figures like General Vahidi while neutralizing half of Tehran's ballistic missile capabilities. Despite inflicting significant damage on command structures and nuclear research sites, the conflict faces logistical risks as regional air defenses may deplete after a week of intense retaliation and accidental strikes have already resulted in American casualties. Ultimately, the war's trajectory hinges on whether the regime collapses under pressure or if political constraints force a reversal of the stated goal of regime change.
- The Economist8 min
How OSINT has given Ukraine a strategic advantage
The company initiated direct data sharing with Ukrainian military officials and former spy chief Kyrylo Budanov to provide strategic intelligence on Russian operations in the Black Sea and deep territory. While an ethics committee reviews government requests to ensure transparency, the founders emphasize that their role involves guiding technology use through selective partnership rather than claiming neutrality in conflicts with distinct societal impacts. Despite facing Russian cyber threats and being viewed as a hostile entity, the fleet maintains operational resilience through a disaggregated architecture that ensures continuous service even when individual satellites are compromised.
- The Economist10 min
Will Trump invade Greenland?
Trump, Shashank Joshi, Rosie Blau
Donald Trump's pursuit of a unilateral acquisition of Greenland has triggered a severe diplomatic crisis characterized by unprecedented accusations of blackmail and intimidation from European leaders, including the prime ministers of Sweden and Denmark. This dispute threatens to fundamentally erode faith in NATO's Article 5 and fracture the transatlantic alliance by exposing Europe's structural security deficit in intelligence, logistics, and command structures. While domestic US opposition and the military's heavy reliance on European bases constrain the prospect of annexation, the event is driving accelerated efforts across Europe to develop an independent defense vision capable of operating without US support.
- The Economist7 min
Will humans still fight in future wars?
Helsing co-founder Torsten Reil argues that European defense must pivot rapidly toward autonomous systems to counter enemy swarms in future human-free battlefields, citing Russia's successful adaptation and the threat of being outmatched without immediate action. This strategic urgency is reinforced by Germany's tenfold increase in effective spending power and a broader shift in European manufacturing confidence, which positions the continent to lead in counter-swarm innovation despite political volatility in key nations like France and the UK. Consequently, defense investments are increasingly targeting mass autonomous deployments to ensure machines fight machines, thereby eliminating the ethical dilemma of sending personnel into no-go zones while securing European sovereignty.
- The Economist10 min
Are British spies ready for future global threats?
Rosie Blau, Shashank Joshi, Rosie Bloor
Outgoing MI6 Chief Richard Moore has identified China as the primary global security threat, directing the agency's expanding mandate toward countering Russian sabotage and Iranian nuclear proliferation alongside emerging technological risks. On October 1st, Blaise Matuloli assumes leadership as the service's youngest and first post-Cold War chief, leveraging her operational background in counter-subversion to navigate a complex landscape where traditional agent recruitment is increasingly hindered by digital surveillance. Facing a finite budget against limitless strategic demands, Matuloli must balance covert intelligence collection with active disruption operations while integrating human and technical capabilities through the newly formalized National Cyber Force.
- The Economist7 min
Could Putin really start a nuclear war?
Vladimir Putin has placed Russia's strategic nuclear forces on high alert to deter Western military intervention, a move that Western allies have condemned as reckless yet have chosen not to mirror with reciprocal escalations. While this action signals Russian vulnerability regarding the slower-than-anticipated progress of the Ukrainian campaign, experts assess the risk of deliberate nuclear war as low due to mutual assured destruction, leaving accidental escalation as the primary danger. Consequently, the current geopolitical climate represents the most severe security crisis in a generation, characterized by intense conventional warfare and a critical need to maintain communication channels to prevent unintended conflict.
- The Economist9 min
Ukraine and Russia: what is really going on?
By February 2022, Russian forces had surrounded Ukraine from three sides, prompting Western intelligence to assess that Vladimir Putin faces a political dilemma between appearing weak by withdrawing or risking severe consequences by invading. Experts warn that while Ukraine lacks the air defenses to halt a full-scale assault, executing a regime-change campaign would trigger a prolonged war with substantial casualties, severe economic sanctions, and potential destabilization of the Russian regime. The crisis has forced NATO to reaffirm its territorial defense mission with new deployments in Eastern Europe and has tested US credibility regarding alliances in Asia, even as diplomatic efforts remain stalled due to a fundamental lack of clarity regarding Moscow's objectives.