Feature Insights

November 02 2023

Across the globe, the post-Second World War order is under direct assault by an emboldened collection of nations committed to overthrowing the global ...

With the Defence Strategic Review’s emphasis on developing a “Focused Force”, a push to deliver a “Balanced Fleet” might seem quite...

November 01 2023

Nuke subs no panacea: Australia’s maritime strategy and a ‘balanced’ naval fleet

Australia’s future fleet of nuclear-powered submarines has been heralded as the silver bullet to our tactical and strategic challenges, seemingly leaving the...

October 31 2023

Time is of the essence: The need to wake from our ‘Peace Dividend’ slumber

Time is well and truly of the essence with the heady days of elated victory following the collapse of the Soviet Union now over, yet for some reason, despite the...

October 30 2023

Looking closer to home for the implications of Beijing’s Mediterranean deployment

It is not unusual for any naval power to deploy forces to areas of strategic importance, and in many ways, Beijing’s recent deployment of a naval task force to the...

October 27 2023

I was wrong: Compared to the DSR, Defence of Australia would have given us ‘real’ power

When introduced, the Defence of Australia doctrine and associated force structure drew quite a bit of flak, particularly from the mid-to-late 1990s. However, when compared to...

October 26 2023

Renewed concerns about the impact of ‘dysfunctional’ US

Despite a seemingly robust US response to the renewed tensions in the Middle East, there is a growing sense among Australia’s own strategic policy community that the...

October 25 2023

Generational anxiety: Can Australia ‘calm the fear’ of nuclear-powered submarines?

Time will tell if the Australian public can overcome decades of national fear regarding nuclear-powered submarines, weapons, and related nuclear energy technology.

October 23 2023

War-fair: All defence tech is equal, but some are more equal than others

A People’s Liberation Army soldier setting man-shaped targets ablaze with a man-portable flamethrower during an attacking drill should resonate strongly with Australian...

October 20 2023

Congress calls for third US nuclear submarine yard

With growing pressure on the US defence industrial base to deliver more nuclear-powered submarines, a congressional commission has called for an additional submarine yard to...

October 20 2023

Concerning polling reveals 78% of Americans lose faith in US

New polling out of the United States has revealed the majority of Americans have lost faith in the direction of the country and its future at a concerning time in global...

October 19 2023

Viewing the potential of President Trump 2.0 with clear eyes

No other contemporary Western leader has elicited such a visceral reaction quite like former president and presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump. But is the potential...

October 18 2023

Where is the trust? Are we dragging our feet on USVs?

Autonomous systems are rapidly changing the nature of the contemporary battlespace and the maritime environment is at the forefront with several successful trials in recent...

October 17 2023

The decline of global stability and rise of ‘homeland economics’

The Great Financial Crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, and now energy shocks have all served to undermine the stability of the global order, giving rise to “homeland...

October 16 2023

US involvement in Middle East risks yet another ‘forever war’

With indications pointing towards a growing US presence in the eastern Mediterranean to provide unspecified support to Israel following the devastating attack by Hamas,...

October 13 2023

Learning lessons from Ukraine: Mass still critical to success

The devastating conflict in Ukraine is rapidly emerging as a form of proving ground for the new technologies, platforms, and doctrines of the 21st century. However, one...

October 12 2023

Be prepared, be vigilant: Early lessons from Hamas’ ambush

It goes without saying that Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel will go down in history as one of the greatest intelligence failures in history, with important...

October 11 2023

Hamas murderers’ plans won’t play out as they hope

Opinion: Hamas terrorists entered Israel on Saturday with two goals: to kill as many Israelis as possible and to abduct large numbers to be used as hostages, human shields,...

October 10 2023

Analysis reveals startling ship numbers, timeline for China’s naval expansion

It is no secret that Beijing has been embarking on the largest peacetime modernisation and expansion of its military capabilities, with new analysis revealing the...

October 09 2023