National resilience – what does it mean?

Enhancing deterrence is not straightforward and can be very expensive, as witnessed by the cost of the UK’s nuclear forces. Today, the emphasis in deterrence has shifted away from massive punishment of an opponent to a denial of benefit by demonstrating a preparedness and resilience to overcome and bounce back from any type of threat. (See Resilience First article on the topic here.)

However, this resolve cannot be achieved on the cheap and does require a more holistic approach that builds national resilience. Besides better co-ordination between departments and direction of resources, it may also involve new approaches; some have suggested a new civil defence force and mass education as Sweden has undertaken. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated thinking on this front and reinforced government moves for an integrated review.

The webinar, held jointly with PA Consulting, will explore the ways that national resilience can be enhanced in the face of the new threat spectrum.

Speakers:

Elisabeth Braw, Associate Fellow, Modern Deterrence, Military Sciences, RUSI

Alex Ellis CMG, Deputy National Security Adviser, Cabinet Office

Chair:

Cate Pye, Partner, PA Consulting