Oliver Steward
Oliver is a student at the University of East Anglia studying for a PhD in International Security. His interests include strategy, grand strategy in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific, international relations and politics, maritime strategy, counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency warfare, and maritime policy.
L85A3: The rifle that refuses to give up
The L85A3 was officially presented in the Defence Vehicle Dynamics exposition near Bedford in the UK in 2016 and shows no sign of going anywhere.
The British SA80 Assault Rifle: Was it ahead of its time?
It is no doubt that, despite serious issues, the SA80 was revolutionary in its design.
The UK needs a new Strategic Defence and Security Review
While it is the case that Britain only had a Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015 circumstances have clearly changed.
North Korea: Global small arms exporter revealed
The secretive Communist state of North Korea otherwise known as the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea' has traditionally been seen by some international commentators and readers as an isolated state, which has little to do with the outside world.
Zapad 2017: Flashpoint of a new Cold War between West and Russia?
The latest Russian exercise named 'Zapad-2017' are symptomatic of a wider geopolitical conflict we are currently seeing in Europe.
The decommissioning of HMS Ocean without replacement: Strategically nonsensical?
The planned decommissioning of the Royal Navy’s helicopter carrier HMS Ocean in 2018 without replacement is a nonsensical step and puts accountancy and politics above our nation’s security and our national interests.
Why Britain needs to build a fleet of ‘budget frigates’
The construction of more affordable and hopefully more exportable 'budget frigates' could help revitalise the British shipbuilding industry.
The fall of Singapore: An avoidable catastrophe?
The Fall of Singapore represented the collapse of British influence in South East Asia, and severely diminished the British Empire's Asia-Pacific clout.
The Russian Bear Strategic Bomber: A Cold War relic with a New Purpose?
The Russian ‘Bear’ strategic bomber was built by the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War with the United States. Its initial...
The Rise of China: Will it lead to a security dilemma in the Asia-Pacific?
The rise of China as an emerging military power is obvious to anyone who is a student or follower of international security.