The Torch
Illuminating Security and Defence Issues
Welcome to The Torch, RKUSI’s curated roundup of timely and thought-provoking content from across the defence, security, and military affairs landscape.
Each edition brings together insightful articles, expert commentary, and notable developments—from Canada and around the world—that matter to our community of informed citizens, veterans, and professionals.
Explore the latest links and stay sharp on the issues shaping today’s strategic environment.
Great Power Competition
Russia
Russian spies turn European properties into “Trojan horses”, The Telegraph says
13 July, 2026
"Exploiting weak legal frameworks, clandestine Russian units are suspected of purchasing sensitive real estate close to military and civilian sites in at least a dozen European nations."...
USA
The Overstretch facing the US navy
24 September 2026 -
The US is exceeding its own plans for deployment of aircraft carriers, and the knock-on effects, and the strain, should be a cause for concern.
China
Canada, U.S. shadow Chinese research ships in the Arctic as concern grows over Snow Dragons’ presence
24 September 2026 -
Some fear Chinese icebreakers are deploying devices to track submarines, map subsea cable networks
Emerging Technologies
Rising Demand for Directed Energy C-UAS as Drone Threat Spreads Beyond Battlefield
13 July, 2026
A recent decision by the Pentagon to deploy high-energy laser and high-powered microwave counter-drone weapon systems to five U.S. military bases by the end of the year is a major boost for the growing segment of directed energy (DE) in defense. For a variety of reasons, the appeal of these types of systems is reaching a new peak....
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
13 July, 2026
A senior figure in the Ukrainian defence industry told New Scientist that a test took place two years ago involving fully autonomous drones set to destroy anything in a given area, with confirmed casualties....
Humanoid Robots To Be Developed for Ukrainian Armed Forces as Part of New Grant Competition
13 July, 2026
Ukraine will hold a grant competition to develop humanoid robots for the needs of the Armed Forces....
Canada
Canadian Army Restructuing explained
6 October, 2026
You Tube video explaining how the Brigades of Canadian Army will be changed from Geographic to Function status.
Canada’s radio-jammer ban forcing drone makers to test in Texas
6 October, 2026
Developing military drones in Canada is difficult because of federal laws against interfering with flying objects—even your own.
5 Eyes Partners
The UK’s Defence Investment Plan Has a Lethal Drone Swarm Vision
31 August, 2026
Drone swarming is often referenced as an important future capability, with little understanding of what is possible today, and how the tactic is enabled.
F-35 Fleet Readiness Falls to 25% Amid Parts Shortages and Software Delays: GAO Report
13 July, 2026
The readiness of the U.S. military's F-35 Lightning II fleet continued to decline during fiscal year 2025, with only one-quarter of the global fleet capable of performing all assigned missions, according to a new report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)....
Trump invokes law to increase weapons production after Iran war depleted US stocks
13 July, 2026
President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to force defense companies to manufacture more weapons after the war with Iran depleted stockpiles....
Podcast
What does it take to defend Canada’s Arctic?
13 July, 2026
...Anne Shibata Casselman is a science journalist based in B.C. She makes the argument that the path to asserting that sovereignty must put the people who live on the land and have claim to it at the centre. She just wrote a deeply reported piece in Maclean’s about this, called “The Arctic Needs Defending. Canada Isn’t Ready.”...
Associate Event
TransformativeTechnologies: Reshaping Defence and Security
13 July, 2026
In an era where emerging technologies are disrupting societies and transforming the character of war, the security and defence sectors must adapt. Advances in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cyber capabilities, digital infrastructure, and algorithms are altering how states defend themselves and conduct operations. At the same times, these innovations represent major economic opportunities for rapid development of high-value industries. ...
Video
Canadian Army Restructuing explained
6 October, 2026
You Tube video explaining how the Brigades of Canadian Army will be changed from Geographic to Function status.