Charlie Alford

Universities betray public trust by joining MoD ‘Battlefield Advantage’ alliance

Post author:The Canary
Post published:17 July 2026
Post last modified:18 July 2026

A coalition of campaign groups has accused UK universities of quietly integrating themselves into the UK’s defence infrastructure after 35 institutions signed up to the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Universities Alliance (DUA). The Ministry of Defence says the alliance aims to: reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security. It wants to strengthen links between universities and the defence sector, and translate research into “battlefield advantage”. Campaigners say the move represents a significant shift in the role of higher education and has taken place without meaningful public debate. Among the founding members are: University of Oxford. University College London. King’s College London.…

Kill chain: British Army tests new Anduril battlefield spy drones

Post author:Joe Glenton
Post published:10 July 2026
Post last modified:10 July 2026

The British Army has field tested a range of new AI drone equipment. The military wants to shorten so-called ‘kill chains’ using technology from AI war firm Anduril among others. An entire infantry unit was re-purposed to train in drone warfare. The regiment did so on UK terrain chosen to “closely resemble the heavily forested landscape of Finland”. The army’s website said: Unlike traditional infantry units, these battalions won’t just rely on soldiers moving across the ground. Instead, they will specialise in drones and other unmanned systems to find and defeat enemies in the air and across the electronic spectrum — an…