Emil Archambault
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emilarchambault.bsky.social
Emil Archambault
@emilarchambault.bsky.social
3K followers 420 following 980 posts
Fellow, Center for Security and Defense / Zentrum für Sicherheit und Verteidigung, @dgap.org
Postdoc, Durham University.
Remote war, armed drones, OSINT / guerre à distance, drones armés, enquêtes OSINT.
Personal account, EN/FR/DE
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emilarchambault.bsky.social
FCAS lives to fight another day, NGF (combat aircraft) included.

I still believe all (state) parties fundamentally have an incentive to cooperate.
“We believe in it, we are moving forward, and we will convey the necessary messages to the industries and steering bodies,” Macron said at a joint news conference with the German leader.
November 19, 2025 at 9:39 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
What is wrong with this government.
« All schools in England to be given AI-generated pupil attendance targets » Guardian headline
November 12, 2025 at 7:53 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
The new French Minister of Defence has...interesting hobbies.
Par for the course for a French politician, I guess.
"En s'inspirant de sa femme, il est par ailleurs l'auteur de romans érotiques[81]. Le plus connu est Le Ministre (2004) [82]. Vers sa vingtaine d'années, il aurait écrit un livre aux éditions Harlequin sur le thème d'une histoire d'amour dans le milieu hospitalier, sous le pseudonyme « Duc William »[83]. En 2023, il sort un livre, Fugue américaine, raillé en raison de son style, en particulier d'un passage technico-érotique[84]. En 2024, il publie La voie française." https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Le_Maire#Vie_priv%C3%A9e
October 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Finally someone says it. About time.
Laura Kayali, Politico, tweet: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pours cold water on the drone wall at the @WarsawForum : "We won't have a drone wall in 3 or 4 years." #WSF2025
September 29, 2025 at 12:53 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Some days the German language feels quite natural. And some days I have to do a double take.
A shop sign advertising « Loser Tofu » (in German it means « loose tofu »)
September 27, 2025 at 1:56 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Well obviously Dassault would suggest that, they're not the ones working on the other FCAS pillars 🙄I struggle to see MBDA (Remote carriers), Thales (cloud, sensors) or their subcontractors being happy to lose work only so Dassault can earn more money.
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
Seemingly backing Dassault's request, the French official told reporters that "if we put the cursor a little more on the NGF pillar and increase the French share a little, [there could be] other effects in compensation on other pillars, these are options to explore." In other words, that other aspects of the program could be shifted to favor other partners.
September 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Des pistes cyclables pour se rendre au métro et des réparations de chaussée, ça ne sert pas aux usagers, dit la brilliantissime Ministre Guilbault.

Vraiment, ça fera du bien de la voir quitter.

www.lapresse.ca/actualites/g...
Le gouvernement se retirera de plusieurs investissements jugés non essentiels pour la livraison du service de transport collectif. Des exemples : un nouveau centre administratif, des pistes cyclables à proximité du métro, la réparation de chaussées municipales dans le cadre de projets de voies réservées aux autobus, ou l’aménagement d’infrastructures pour le personnel.
September 6, 2025 at 11:42 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Nigel Farage accused of...doing exactly what he says he's doing?
Leaving the ECHR has been a core Reform platform since years. How is he being "accused" of it, when it's exactly what he proposes?
Pope accused of being Catholic, etc.
"Nigel Farage accused of ‘ripping up’ human rights laws after unveiling plans for mass deportations" Guardian headline
August 26, 2025 at 12:49 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
The UK government's argument on Palestine Action is essentially circular: you can be confident that Palestine Action meets the standard to be proscribed, because the government decided to proscribe it.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Palestine Action is a 'violent organisation' that has committed 'significant injury', says No 10 Palestine Action is a “violent organisation” that has committed “significant injury,” Downing Street said. Asked about people arrested as part of protests linked to the group, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “We’ve said that many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear: this is a violent organisation that has committed violence, significant injury, extensive criminal damage, and as I say, it has met the tests as set out under the Terrorism Act to be proscribed.”
August 11, 2025 at 1:44 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Voilà un graphique explicatif de PRO.
August 9, 2025 at 7:38 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Might as well have elected Priti Patel. Depraved.
Keir Starmer posting a video of asylum seekers being deported from his official twitter account.
August 8, 2025 at 10:19 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
That is not how averages work, @telegraphnews.bsky.social. The word you’re looking for is “median.”
An Infograph from the Telegraph, showing that 50% of Brits earn more or less than the “average salary” of 29 328£. That is not an average, that’s a median.
July 20, 2025 at 11:44 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Let's revisit quickly what a metaphor is, and what "literal" means, because a "literal" wall of drones is not a thing (unless you stack them 6 feet high, of course).
www.newsweek.com/drone-wall-c...
"The proposed drone network is not metaphorical. It's a literal "wall" of AI-powered reconnaissance drones, supported by a mesh of sensors, satellite surveillance and mobile countermeasure platforms designed to detect and disrupt potential threats."
July 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Berlin calling! I am delighted to join the @dgap.org’s Center for Security and Defense for the next year as a British Academy Global Innovation Fellow. Find me in Berlin, and get in touch for all things military technology, future of war, and German/European defence policy!
The sign indicating the DGAP, Internationale Politik journal, and DGAP Consulting.
July 8, 2025 at 11:29 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Shout out to the time Greece's PM's official Instagram referred to Mark Rutte as the leader of the Underworld.
"It was with great pleasure today I welcomed my friend Prime Minister of the Underworld Mark Rutte in Athens.
June 25, 2025 at 12:21 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
It has been “substantial” - which is defined as “an attack is likely” since February 2022, and it has never been below “substantial” since its inauguration in 2006.

It tells us absolutely nothing, and it’s pure fabulation.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Thre...
Table of changes in the UK threat level, since 2019. It has been “substantial” since 9 February 2022, before which it was “severe”.
June 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Good morning #BISA2025! No better way to start the morning than a good discussion on technology and war! I’m presenting work on how we represent mass violence in war, and the political impacts of such aggregate representations. We hope to see you there!
FR 20 Panel / Technological Trends and Future War Room 3, Assembly Buildings Conference Centre Sponsor: War Studies Working Group Convener: Neil Cooper (Kent State University) Chair: Neil Cooper (Kent State University) Emerging technologies that catalyse the civilianisation of warfare: evidence of ongoing normative transformations from Ukraine Author: Joe Murphy (The University of Edinburgh) The French Army transitions to 'High Intensity' Warfare: Strengths, Drawbacks, and Challenges of French Ambitions. Author: Lucie Pebay (University of Bath) Invisible frontlines: cyber operations in Iran's military strategy Author: Eugenio Lilli (University College Dublin) ‘The Digital Battlefield as a New Battle Space’ Author: David Galbreath (University of Bath) Open-Source Investigations and the Visualisation of Mass Violence Author: Emil Archambault (University of Durham)
June 20, 2025 at 7:09 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Want more? At 10:45, we’re questioning where the human ends up in all this. Come for presentations on drone operators’ changing identities, the visuality of FPV drones, and military AI and (human) strategy.
See you there!
#BISA2025
TH 19 Panel / The Politics of Human-Machine Interaction in Military Technologies Room 7, Assembly Buildings Conference Centre Sponsor: War Studies Working Group Conveners: Anna Nadibaidze (University of Southern Denmark) , Bibi Imre-Millei (Lund University, Sweden) , Tom Watts (Royal Holloway University) , Emil Archambault (University of Durham) Chair: Tom Watts (Royal Holloway University) Discussant: Natasha Karner (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) Peacekeeper, Warfighter: Perception of Canadian Military Identity and Ethical Reflections on Military Drone Use Author: Bibi Imre-Millei (Lund University, Sweden) Human-Machine Visuality and Representations of War Author: Emil Archambault (University of Durham) War Reimagined? US Strategic Culture, Artificial Intelligence, and Great Power Competition Author: Tom Watts (Royal Holloway University)
June 19, 2025 at 6:45 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Morning #BISA2025, if you’re looking for some critical war studies and military technologies research, come to the 9:00 Critical Drone Scholarship after GWOT.
Stellar presentations on drones and gender & feminism, disability studies, and cultural urban studies. See you there!
TH 19 Panel / Critical Drone Scholarship beyond the War on Terror ¶ Grand 4, Europa Hotel Sponsor: Critical Military Studies Working Group Conveners: Emil Archambault (University of Durham) , Karia Hartung (Royal Holloway, University of London) Chair: Emil Archambault (University of Durham) Discussant: Emil Archambault (University of Durham) Coercion from Afar: Exploring the Coercive Effects of Armed Drones from a Feminist Perspective Author: Karia Hartung (Royal Holloway, University of London) ‘They know my guys are good’: Physicality and Elitism in Canadian Drone Operator Identity Author: Bibi Imre-Millei (Lund University, Sweden) Drone Training: Normate Extinction in the Militarized University Author: Amy Gaeta (University of Cambridge) ‘Hot Air in Shenzhen’: Experimental Attachments in Drone Leisure/Security Author: Callum Smith (Queens University Belfast)
June 19, 2025 at 6:41 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Highlights so far: Sammy the Seal and the Big Fish.
A statue of a cute looking seal looking up at you. A statue of a big fish, made of news clippings (I think?) about Belfast history.
June 18, 2025 at 9:56 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
#BISA2025 here we go!
A large yellow “BELFAST” sign
June 18, 2025 at 8:04 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Diversionary war, 2025 edition.
“Strikes on Iran ease pressure on Israel to end starvation in Gaza”
June 15, 2025 at 9:39 AM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
Speaking of which, seen at TLC, quite the inspirational author choice.
(And quite an ironic quote given the author’s transphobia)
An inspirational quote by JK Rowling on a poster on the wall: « It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities. »
June 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
La CAQ a aussi promis un belvédère pour voir les envolées de castor, des barrières anti-yéti, et une traverse de licornes.

Et on vend ça en parlant du "vrai monde". Tout ce que le "vrai monde" a à faire dans ce projet-là, c'est payer pour l'éléphant blanc de la CAQ.
www.lapresse.ca/actualites/p...
"En conférence de presse, la ministre des Transports Geneviève Guilbault a martelé qu’il était essentiel de construire un troisième lien autoroutier, un projet désiré par le « vrai monde ». Mais elle n’avait aucune donnée pour l’appuyer. Elle a affirmé par exemple que « c’est une évidence » que les automobilistes vont économiser du temps, sans autres précisions. Mme Guilbault affirme aussi que ce projet sera moins coûteux qu’un pont à l’Est, malgré la nécessité de construire un tunnel, une autoroute en tranchée et des ouvrages complexes pour se raccorder aux autoroutes existantes, sans toutefois offrir de documents détaillant les différences. Elle a aussi indiqué que ce projet sera favorable au transport collectif, encore une fois sans expliquer comment."
June 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
emilarchambault.bsky.social
I'm not an economist, but even I can understand the difference between 160 billion and 11 billion. What gives?

www.theguardian.com/business/202...
"Pensions report cuts Reeves’ planned growth funds from £160bn to £11bn"
June 7, 2025 at 2:32 PM