We're recording this from Tampa ahead of Special Operations Forces Week, and it felt like the perfect moment to dig into a world that operates mostly in the shadows but plays a huge role in how modern conflict and defence actually works.

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, we sat down with Leo Blanken, associate professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School and former New Zealand soldier now chief commercial officer for Kraken Technology Erica Dill Russell to unpack how special operations forces have evolved into a global ecosystem.

We explore how these elite units have grown from small, highly specialised teams into something far more influential. Not just on the battlefield, but across alliances, procurement, and innovation. What emerges is a picture of a tightly connected global network that is quietly driving change at speed.

What You’ll Discover

- The Rise of a Global SOF Network: Special operations forces have evolved into an interconnected international ecosystem built on shared culture, trust, and collaboration.

- Technology at the Core of Modern Warfare: From drones to cyber and space capabilities, SOF are now deeply embedded in the development and deployment of cutting-edge tech.

- Speed vs Scale in Military Innovation: The rapid, agile approach of special forces is now influencing how conventional militaries and industry develop and deploy new capabilities.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.

Host Peter Apps is joined by US Naval War College Professor Nikolas Gvosdev and CHACR director Major General Andrew Sharpe to unpack “Operation Epic Fury” and what it tells us about modern warfare. What starts as a discussion about Iran quickly turns into something much bigger. This is about how wars actually unfold today, why they rarely go to plan, and why the systems we’ve relied on for decades might not hold up anymore.

Discussion points include:

- Why You Can’t Bomb Your Way to Victory: Tactical success means little without a clear strategy or political endgame to back it up.

- The Shift from Alliances to Fragile Coalitions: Long-standing global alliances are being tested, replaced by more fluid and uncertain partnerships.

- Modern War Is Faster, Messier, and Less Predictable: From drones to disrupted supply chains, today’s conflicts evolve in ways no war game fully captures.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, we are talking to NATO expert Sten Rynning, Professor of War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark and Eva Sula, a former Estonian government official turned defence industry adviser also as a mentor for NATO tech innovation hub DIANA.

Following the fallout of January's Greenland row, we are looking at the complex role of the US – now watched uneasily by many on the continent, but still at the centre of military planning. We look at institutional and geographic challenges, politics, supply chains and logistics – and what nations really need to do to keep the peace in Europe.

What We Explore

- Trump 2.0's NATO Shock: How a second term could force Europe to step up on defence spending and capabilities and the risks if we don't.

- Hybrid Threats Evolving: Russia's info ops and China's subtle influence - why the alliance needs a unified playbook to counter them.

- Deterrence Reimagined: Why NATO's future hinges on credible threats, stronger partnerships, and learning from Ukraine's fight.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.