In this episode, podcast host Meia Nouwens is joined by Tom Waldwyn, Research Associate for Defence Procurement, and Haena Jo, Research Analyst for Defence and Military Analysis, to discuss the increasingly diversified landscape of defence industry and defence procurement.
&nbsp;
With successive governments in Turkey, South Korea, Brazil and Poland having invested heavily in their defence industries in recent years, could these countries soon provide greater competition for Western and Russian defence companies? While the big defence companies are still at the top of the pecking order, Tom and Haena explain that today’s defence-industrial landscape is more diversified.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Meia, Tom and Haena also discuss the export successes of other emerging defence-industrial nations, as well as the challenges they are facing. Drawing in particular on examples from Turkey, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, they highlight the importance of politics and political will in driving defence-industrial growth, and they note the different approaches that emerging defence-industrial countries have taken to get where they are today.

We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Date of recording: 18 March 2021
 
Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.


The changing defence-industrial landscape

In this episode, Sounds Strategic host Meia Nouwens is joined by John Krzyzaniak, Research Analyst for Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy, and Timothy Wright, Research Analyst and Programme Administrator for Defence and Military Analysis, to discuss Iran, its missile-development programme and the JCPOA. 
&nbsp;
With a new, Democrat-led administration in power, is the United States in a better position to make progress on the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and negotiations with Iran? Meia, John and Timothy discuss where the JCPOA stands now, the impact of domestic politics in both Iran and the US on bilateral negotiations, and how far the Biden administration is willing to go to revive the agreement. 
&nbsp;
Meia, John and Tim also consider the status of Iran’s missile-development programme and the strategies that are driving Tehran’s investment in it. While noting that missiles are likely to be an ongoing focus for any negotiations between the US and Iran in the future, they argue that it is unrealistic to expect Iran to restrict its missile programme.&nbsp;

We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Date of recording:&nbsp;30 March 2021

Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.


Reviving the Iran nuclear deal: prospects and challenges

Meia, Erica and Franz-Stefan explore the motivations behind NATO’s focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and the future potential of this technology for security and defence. What role can NATO play in setting standards for the military use of AI?
Erica and Franz-Stefan also explain why AI is so prominent in national-security thinking, noting the progress of the technology as well as the potential risks, challenges and ethical concerns associated with it.&nbsp;
We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.
Date of recording:&nbsp;8 April 2021
Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.


NATO and artificial intelligence

In this episode, Sounds Strategic host Meia Nouwens is joined by Robert Ward, IISS Japan Chair and Director of Geo-economics and Strategy, and Yuka Koshino, Research Fellow for Japanese Security and Defence Policy, to unpack the policy priorities and challenges on Japanese Prime Minister Suga’s 2021 agenda.
Ahead of the next&nbsp;IISS Shangri-La Dialogue&nbsp;in June,&nbsp;Meia, Robert and Yuka discuss Japan’s&nbsp;domestic political environment and the challenges Prime Minister&nbsp;Suga Yoshihide’s administration will need to tackle&nbsp;in 2021. As Robert and Yuka explain,&nbsp;the administration’s focus areas include the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s slow vaccine rollout, the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Liberal Democratic Party leadership race, and Japan’s 2021 general election.
Robert and Yuka also explore Prime Minister Suga’s economic agenda and progress towards digitalisation, foreign and security policy priorities and goals, the role of the United States in Japan’s Indo-Pacific vision, and the impact of COVID-19 on structural reform and Japan’s thinking on economic security.
We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.
Date of recording:&nbsp;29 April 2021
Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.


What next for Suga's Japan?

We are a world-leading authority on global security, political risk and military conflict. We were founded in 1958, and have offices in London, Washington, Singapore and Bahrain.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies

Popular tracks