Sign in

Matthew Ford

@warmatters.bsky.social
6.4K followers 959 following 3.9K posts

Saarf-Londoner. Cat Dad. Assoc Prof at the Swedish Defence University. PhD from KCL. Associate, IWM Institute. Senior fellow at Global & National Security Institute, Uni of South Florida. ex-West Point fellow. FRHistS. Series editor @Hurst Publishers

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Rachel Parris @rachelparris.bsky.social · 12h
Hey folks. In total honesty my tour is NOT selling well. I’ve sold 30 tickets in a 400 seater in Birmingham, and not much more elsewhere. If you like musical comedy, if you like standup, then please come see my show! And spread the word! The Rachel Parris Songbook tour starts in Nov! Link in bio! 🎶
57778652
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 20h
It won’t last much longer but… Mighty fine in Stockholm today.
2130
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Dr. Claudia Hillebrand @ckhillebrand.bsky.social · 22h
How to measure the economic impact of any intelligence activity is a highly complex task, and there are no comparative standards so far. But I guess a figure like £2.5bn indicates the scale of the threat, at least. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com
Russian hostile activity costs UK up to £2.5bn a year, report warns
Labour MP Graeme Downie’s research highlights lack of consistent framework for measuring economic impact of Moscow-backed hybrid warfare
053
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Pre-order 'War in the Smartphone Age' paperback 👉 hurstpublishers.com/book/war-in-...
073
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
No need to worry about the Green Party any more. They prefer electoral suicide.
090
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The new catalogue from @hurstpublishers.bsky.social Plus the paperback version of my book War in the Smartphone Age.
095
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Great to see the US Army finally catching up with me! I only published War in the Smartphone Age in 2025! amzn.eu/d/01Ja3XAy
1121
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
By me @warmatters.bsky.social 😀
1164
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
🤣
000
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Great to see the US Army finally catching up with me! I only published War in the Smartphone Age in 2025! amzn.eu/d/01Ja3XAy
1121
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Latest publication: Hammers & Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End In this article I argue that innovation has become an end-in-itself, supplanting the much harder challenge of defining a meaningful, justifiable and achievable strategy. www.militarystrategymagazine.com/article/hamm...
militarystrategymagazine.com
Hammers and Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End - Military Strategy Magazine
This article argues that contemporary Western military innovation has become a strategic dead end. Tracing the evolution of military innovation from the Revolution in Military Affairs through counteri...
37029
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Thanks David
000
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Change needs funding! Constant change needs more funding OR someone’s budget line must be cut to find the cash to fund the innovation.
010
Reposted by Matthew Ford
David Strachan-Morris @drdavidsm.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Excellent article here by @warmatters.bsky.social on how continual technological innovation has allowed states to avoid the hard questions on strategy and force generation.
132
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
In times of war, everything becomes possible. Donald doesn’t really want to get involved in forever wars though.
210
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This put my article in Military Strategy into perspective. www.militarystrategymagazine.com/article/hamm...
militarystrategymagazine.com
Hammers and Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End - Military Strategy Magazine
This article argues that contemporary Western military innovation has become a strategic dead end. Tracing the evolution of military innovation from the Revolution in Military Affairs through counteri...
190
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Love this. Poacher turned gamekeeper with no obvious conflict of interest. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
Pete Hegseth appoints Elon Musk to US taskforce on future of warfare
A year after his explosive tenure at Doge, the SpaceX CEO is back in the Trump administration’s good graces
3101
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Timely...
299326
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Allan @allanfriedman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I really enjoyed this article: we have new toys, and those will guide tactics, rather than strategy. Leaving aside current challenges around “not having any strategy,” there is also a pretty large cyber-shaped hole in this line of thinking that scholars need to fill.
153
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Guy Yeomans @guyyeomans.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"This orientation encourages a form of tunnel vision in which innovation increasingly substitutes for strategic choice when really it ought to be viewed as a means by which to create these choices..."
042
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
WOW
031
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Latest publication: Hammers & Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End In this article I argue that innovation has become an end-in-itself, supplanting the much harder challenge of defining a meaningful, justifiable and achievable strategy. www.militarystrategymagazine.com/article/hamm...
militarystrategymagazine.com
Hammers and Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End - Military Strategy Magazine
This article argues that contemporary Western military innovation has become a strategic dead end. Tracing the evolution of military innovation from the Revolution in Military Affairs through counteri...
37029
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Harsh comments but entirely fair
120
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A remarkable lesson, isn’t it!
240
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Let the evidence fit the policy preferences
030
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The idea that war does not involve vast stockpiles of weaponry is absolute nonsense. What Brits are being sold is the idea that war - if it comes - will be over by Christmas. No. 100% wrong. Once we’ve blown our exquisite munitions all that will be left are rocks. observer.co.uk/news/columni...
observer.co.uk
Britain needs some of De Gaulle’s civic patriotism to sav...
The UK could learn from the French president’s drive for economic strength and military autonomy, not least by halting tech defence firm acquisitions by the US
3140
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Public Service Broadcasting
110
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I believe in progress
161
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I believe in progress
161
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
From Stockholm to Ally Pally to see Public Service Broadcasting
090
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
To Ally Pally
010
Reposted by Matthew Ford
mlleeva.bsky.social @mlleeva.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
What is your role in Hashtag-wars? 💭 Think about this and learn more about the relation between war, media, and participation in the digital age during the #WARS seminar with Stein Tønnesson, @warmatters.bsky.social, @rhyscrilley.bsky.social and me. 📍Oct 29, 14:00 bergenglobal.no/events/hasht...
bergenglobal.no
Hashtag Wars: War, media and participation in the digital age - Bergen Global
011
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Imagine they’ve documented everything. So what? Do we think they’ve cornered value? Of course they haven’t. They’ve just redefined what value means
000
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
AI is crap with live music. no doubt they are filming people playing to improve performance. Unfortunately that won’t help.
211
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Amazing
010
Reposted by Matthew Ford
Will Davies @will-davies.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It’s always the ones you least expect
2346
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I’m entirely unimpressed to see it repeating. Like things are going backwards through incidental decisions and just half wittedness.
021
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I find it entirely depressing
110
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It helps that I’m rewatching Chernobyl. But it is remarkable to learn the same practices are employed at home.
051
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Late Soviet Britain is cannibalising public institutions. These institutions would help Britain weather the wave of destruction to history and memory that follow from the introduction of AI. These institutions also make it possible to trace our public record and hold government accountable. Shame
2102
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
nice one. Ta for sharing
130
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Will be very pleased to say hi to him.
100
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Mighty fine at work today
180
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I am of course used to First Past the Post so reading your description of tactical voting under a PR system is very interesting.
020
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Very true! But I expect grumbling from both the academics and the officers, neither of whom will be happy until Wednesday (or even after Wednesday - but are they ever?!) So I shall report back!
130
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I wonder what the mood will be like at work today?😀
281
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
How is this dramatic? You can get AI to do all sorts of things. Doesn’t mean any of it actually works or can deliver consistent results. Military actors still need to build and field it. apnews.com/article/yeme...
apnews.com
040
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Yep and now back in Stockholm!
010
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Great review of life in Wandsworth Common. 😀
020
Matthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
For my American friends… the departure point for those who established the American colonies is now a pub. The Mayflower is a great place to enjoy a good British pint. And right on the Thames.
160