Whitehall Papers
About the Book Series
The Whitehall Paper series provides in-depth studies of specific developments, issues or themes in the field of national and international defence and security. Published twice a year, Whitehall Papers reflect the highest standards of original research and analysis, and are invaluable background material for policy-makers and specialists alike.
The Role of Dissimilar Rearmament in Allied Deterrence
1st Edition
Edited
By Sidharth Kaushal, Paul O’Neill
October 29, 2025
Force structures around which western militaries were built after the Cold War, with their emphasis on comparatively small numbers of exquisite systems, will not withstand sustained combat with a peer competitor. As a consequence, there has been a growing emphasis on the employment of second tier ...
Sifting the Ashes: Retaining the Hard-Won Lessons of Britain’s Afghan War
1st Edition
By Jack Watling
October 22, 2025
The British military spent 20 years fighting in Afghanistan. Considering the UK’s achievements against its objectives, defeat seems the most accurate description of the campaign’s outcome. How institutions respond to and learn from failure is a good measure of their effectiveness. But Britain's war...
The Balance of Power Between Russia and NATO in the Arctic and High North
1st Edition
By Sidharth Kausha, James Byrne, Joseph Byrne, Giangiuseppe Pilli, Gary Somerville
October 14, 2022
The resurgence of Russian power in the Arctic and High North will be a key consideration for NATO planners. The Alliance’s northern flank represents both a potential vulnerability due to its relative isolation and an area in which NATO enjoys options for horizontal escalation in a conflict. ...
Necessary Heresies: Challenging the Narratives Distorting Contemporary UK Defence
1st Edition
By Justin Bronk, Jack Watling
December 21, 2021
Dominant narratives about the changing character of warfare and the revolutionary effect of technological advancement lack nuance and can ultimately be detrimental to the development of a defence capability fit for future purpose....
PRC Overseas Political Activities: Risk, Reaction and the Case of Australia
1st Edition
By Andrew Chubb
September 06, 2021
Political elites in liberal democracies are showing heightened concern about threats to national security from the overseas political activities of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its supporters. This Whitehall Paper argues that an effective liberal democratic policy response requires ...
Decision Points: Rationalising the Armed Forces of European Medium Powers
1st Edition
Edited
By Jack Watling
May 30, 2021
Using hard power in the context of an expanding set of threats is complex, expensive and risky. European medium powers, especially, must make tough choices on the future capabilities, roles and equipment of their armed forces, as well as their ability to act independently of alliance partners. ...
War by Others’ Means: Delivering Effective Partner Force Capacity Building
1st Edition
By Jack Watling, Nick Reynolds
May 19, 2021
A new era of great power competition places a strategic premium on the efficiency with which states can pursue their aims. There is therefore likely to be an expanded scope for partnered operations. Partner force capacity building has a long history, with very mixed results, yet there is little ...
Future NATO: Adapting to New Realities
1st Edition
Edited
By Jack Watling
June 17, 2020
Future NATO looks at the challenges facing NATO in the 21st century and examines how the Alliance can adapt to ensure its continued success For more than 70 years, the North Atlantic Alliance has helped to preserve peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. It has been able to adjust to ...
The Future of NATO Airpower: How are Future Capability Plans Within the Alliance Diverging and How can Interoperability be Maintained?
1st Edition
By Justin Bronk
March 05, 2020
Airpower remains the cornerstone of NATO’s military advantage, so maintaining the ability to win air superiority over peer opponents in a conflict is key to long-term deterrence stability in both Europe and the Pacific. This Whitehall Paper examines the various modernisation and future capability ...
Strategic Hedging in the Arab Peninsula: The Politics of the Gulf-Asian Rapprochement
1st Edition
By Jean-Loup Samaan
March 30, 2019
Strategic Hedging in the Arab Peninsula: The Politics of the Gulf-Asian Rapprochement offers a new perspective on the geopolitics of Gulf-Asian relations. Jean-Loup Samaan explores the dynamics underpinning the evolution of strategic partnerships between the Gulf States and Asian partners. He looks...
Security in Northern Europe: Deterrence, Defence and Dialogue
1st Edition
Edited
By Jack Watling
November 01, 2018
NATO’s Northern members are increasingly concerned about Russia’s military activities. This Whitehall Paper contains perspectives from prominent authors across the region, showing how member states are responding, individually and collectively, to Moscow’s resurgence. Overall, it identifies the ...
Making Mogadishu Safe: Localisation, Policing and Sustainable Security
1st Edition
By Alice Hills
October 31, 2018
This Whitehall Paper explores the ways in which Mogadishu’s inhabitants try to stay out of harm’s way, from security officials in the presidential compound of Villa Somalia to the city’s powerful district commissioners, from patrolling policemen to the women road-sweepers in the rubbish-filled ...