All guns blazing – How the arms trade went into overdrive

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

Podmasters

News, Society & Culture, Politics

4.9 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As drones and missiles darken the skies above conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, is a transformation in modern warfare leading to a new arms race? And as technology and tactics evolve, which weapons and defence systems are being bought, and who is buying them? Gavin Esler discusses the realities of the arms trade in 2026 with Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher in the Arms Transfers Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:32.3	In the car?
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0:35.9	Even sleeping.
0:41.3	So when they finally went on tour, Martha bundled her flight and hotel on Expedia to see them live. She saved so much she got her seat close enough to actually see and hear them.
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0:59.6	Some follow the noise.
1:01.9	Bloomberg follows the money.
1:03.7	Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion-dollar swings.
1:07.8	There's a money side to every story.
1:10.3	Get the money side of the story.
1:12.4	Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com. It's hardly news to say that diplomats, governments and military planners seem to agree that we live in an increasingly dangerous world.
1:39.3	Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, plus plenty of other simmering conflicts or potential conflicts such as China and Taiwan
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