Back in April 2015, during the very first Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research workshop – Contributing to strategic influence and prosperity – it was observed that the UK’s private security sector represented an untapped source of national influence and military capacity, which could be used to augment the over-stretched Armed Forces. It was noted that the benefits of exploiting this capacity would not be confined to the MoD and its chosen partners, but would be likely to spill over into the ‘soft power’ and influence agenda of both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development and, by bringing business from abroad to British or British-based companies, have wider income and tax benefits to service the nation’s prosperity agenda. This, it was agreed, would be an ideal subject for a subsequent study day.