In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, we talk varying multinational approaches military ethics with CHACR director Major General Andrew Sharpe, Colonel Dennis Katolin of the US Marine Corps, Colonel Matthias Strohn of the German Army Reserve (also head of historical analysis at CHACR) and Michelle Richards, former British army officer and CEO of Leadership Alchemy.

What You’ll Discover

- Armies and Society: The importance of maintaining higher standards and values than the societies they serve, and the challenges of separation.

- Speaking Truth to Power and Ethical Leadership: The tension between following orders, mission command, and having the moral courage to question when necessary.

- Lessons from Different National Traditions: British, American, and German perspectives on values, from the citizen in uniform to the warrior ethos and post-conflict behaviour.

Facing Coming Storms is produced by Urban Podcasts.

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.