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Dear members,
In my first three months as director-general of RUSI, I have had the privilege of working with and learning from an incredible team. Today, I’d like to highlight a selection of recent research and events.
Over the last month, RUSI has released two timely reports: the first on how the UK can maximise the value of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the second on how to enforce criminal confiscation orders. Today, we are launching a series of publications on lone-actor terrorism in Europe, the culmination of an eighteen-month project pursued by RUSI’s experts in collaboration with Chatham House, the Institute of Strategic Dialogue and Leiden University. Clearly a matter of immense consequence to Europe today, many of the issues explored in these reports will resonate across the globe.
As the UK prepares for the June 2016 referendum on its membership of the European Union, RUSI will sponsor a number of events and publications, weighing the evidence of both eventualities from a defence and security perspective. Go online now to listen to our latest coverage, a podcast discussion between our experts.
The Institute also continues to provide a platform for high-profile thinkers and practitioners. In February, RUSI hosted several prominent policy-makers. Russia’s ambassador to NATO spoke on the tensions between Russia and the West. Senior US officials discussed global migration and insecurity in the Mediterranean. The shadow defence secretary unveiled in more detail Labour’s forthcoming review of defence policy. Meanwhile, RUSI’s annual Information in Warfare Conference explored the implications of the SDSR’s impact on the UK’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Later this week, RUSI will welcome the Institute’s Senior Vice-President and former Director of the CIA General David Petraeus for an off-the-record conversation on global developments and strategic trends – one of a series of events in March covering, inter alia, defence intelligence and the security challenges of Southeast Asia, as well as marking International Women’s Day.
As ever, I hope to welcome you to one of the Institute’s many events in the near future, and invite your comments, ideas and questions in the meantime!
Karin von Hippel
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