RUSI - Smart Thinking

The Royal United Services Institute is the world’s oldest and the UK’s leading defence and security think tank. An Independent institution, RUSI produces evidence-based research, publications and events on defence, security and international affairs to help build a safer UK and a more secure, equitable and stable world.

As a research-led institution, all RUSI activity is linked to its world-class research base. RUSI analysis is accurate, objective and policy relevant. RUSI maintains a wide range of multidisciplinary research specialisms, split across nine research groups as well as extensive network of eminent associates and consultants.

RUSI is the podium of choice for world leaders and senior policy-makers and attracts high quality speakers and participants at its events, which vary in size and format from seminars to conferences.

RUSI is also a membership led organisation, with its members – both individual and corporate – enjoying unique access to the defence and security community.

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Latest reports

Strengthening UK-South Korea cyber security cooperation

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines the current state of bilateral cooperation on cyber security and provides recommendations to strengthen the partnership. This research paper highlights the critical importance of the UK–Republic of Korea (UK–ROK) Strategic Cyber Partnership (SCP) in addressing shared cyber security challenges and advancing mutual interests, including in the Indo-Pacific....

Conventional prompt strike in European military power

This report from UK think tank RUSI explores the critical role of conventional prompt strike capabilities in enhancing European military power. Conventional prompt strike (CPS) capabilities – such as medium-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) – play a critical role in enhancing European military power. Drawing on lessons from recent conflicts, this research...

Privacy-enhancing technologies in the crypto industry

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines the growing role of PETs in the crypto industry and the need to balance compliance with innovation. This Insights Paper examines the need to balance compliance objectives with the growing role of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) in the crypto industry. Based on discussions from a July 2025...

Deputising UK counter-cybercrime operations

This report from UK think tank RUSI explores the potential of deputising private firms for cybercrime disruption in the UK. This paper, 'Exploring Cyber Deputisation: Enhancing UK Cyber Statecraft Against Organised Cybercrime', examines the potential of deputising private sector entities to conduct disruptive cyber operations against serious and organised cybercrime targeting the UK. Amid escalating...

Preventing violent extremism: Integration amid a funding crisis

This report from UK think tank RUSI stresses the need to integrate preventing and countering VE across development and security coverage. By contextualising violent extremism (VE) within broader conflict systems, this paper stresses the need to integrate preventing and countering VE across development and security coverage. Despite several conceptual and operational barriers, this approach would...

Terrorist financing in the age of large language models

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines how advances in AI and LLMs could be exploited to support terrorist financing activity. This research briefing by Jason Blazakis examines how advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) could be exploited to support terrorist financing activity. The report argues that LLMs could act...

Fighting organised crime: Recovering illicit assets in Chile

This report from UK think tank RUSI offers actionable recommendations to enhance Chile's institutional resilience. This paper highlights the critical need for Chile to strengthen its asset-recovery frameworks to combat the growing threat of organised crime and money laundering. It provides an in-depth analysis of the structural challenges hindering Chile's ability to trace, seize and...

Air manoeuvre forces in European large-scale combat operations

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines how European armies can best prepare air manoeuvre forces to maximise their effectiveness. The density and complexity of the emerging battlefield is making it harder for military units to manoeuvre. Air Manoeuvre - the movement of troops by air for advantage - offers a means of rapidly...

Rebooting the UK’s cyber strategy

This report from UK think tank RUSI outlines six key priorities for the upcoming National Cyber Action Plan. This paper highlights the urgent need to revamp the UK's cyber strategy to address systemic vulnerabilities that threaten national security and economic growth. With cyber attacks costing UK businesses billions annually and high-profile incidents such as the...

Nuclear deterrence in shifting Euro-Atlantic security architecture

This report from UK think tank RUSI highlights the critical importance of maintaining credible deterrence to prevent escalation and safeguard European security. This paper explores the evolving role of nuclear deterrence in Euro-Atlantic security amidst challenges such as Russian aggression, US disengagement, and growing Chinese assertiveness. It highlights the critical importance of maintaining credible deterrence...

Prototype warfare in the maritime domain: Opportunities and approaches

This report from UK think tank RUSI explores the transformative concept of prototype warfare in the maritime domain. This research paper discusses the concept of maritime prototype warfare, emphasising its potential to address the Royal Navy’s strategic challenge of managing increasing demands with limited resources. By advocating for operational and commercial innovation, a shift in...

Leveraging partnerships and technology to tackle money mules

This report from UK think tank RUSI underscores the importance of coordinated efforts and innovative solutions to disrupt money mule schemes. Public–private partnerships can play a key role in both tackling and preventing money muling in Ukraine and beyond. This paper highlights the critical role of public–private partnerships and technology in addressing the growing threat...

Responding to Russian sabotage financing

This report from UK think tank RUSI discusses how public and private sectors can leverage finance to address the sabotage challenge. Europe faces a rising threat from sabotage that leverages social media, cryptocurrencies and a supply of disposable agents who are willing to take on a range of disruptive tasks in return for payment. While...

The evolution of Russian and Chinese air power threats

This report from UK think tank RUSI discusses the evolution of Russian and Chinese air power threats. This Insights Paper demonstrates that in 2025, Chinese air power in particular poses a fundamentally different level of threat to traditional US dominance in the air domain than it did in 2020. Russian air power has evolved in...

Critical minerals crime: Lessons to learn from gold mining

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines critical minerals crime and the lessons to be learnt from gold mining. The report investigates how to prevent organised crime from infiltrating critical mineral supply chains by applying lessons learned from the "cautionary example" of illegal gold mining

Upcoming events

16 March 2026

Location: Online

Think tank: RUSI

Cyber Monitoring Centre – The 2025 year in review

At this event hosted by UK think tank RUSI their Cyber and Tech team will host the Cyber Monitoring Centre for a review of its work during 2025. In 2025, the Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) completed independent assessments of two major cyber events, providing a clearer view of their scale, financial impact and recommendations to improve the UK’s cyber...

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