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Australia’s total mobilisation in a Taiwan contingency: The 2028 reality check
If China moves against Taiwan by 2028, Australia could face a wartime transformation spanning defence, industry, supply chains and...
L3Harris demonstrates integrated networking for next-gen US Army operations
L3Harris has demonstrated an integrated mission networking capability during US Army Lightning Surge exercises, showcasing how res...
Government unveils US$3bn facility to supercharge Australian defence industry
The Albanese government has unveiled the US$3 billion (4.2 billion) Defence Industry Growth Facility to provide loans, guarantees,...
Lockheed Martin unveils AI-powered battle manager for Guam missile defence
Lockheed Martin has demonstrated an AI-enabled battle management prototype designed to integrate Guam’s growing integrated air a...
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye: My 5 favourite analysis pieces of the last few years
The time has come for me to call time. After nearly four years with Defence Connect (this time) and nearly a decade in total, I wi...
Feature Insights
Confronting an emboldened new Axis
Across the globe, the post-Second World War order is under direct assault by an emboldened collection of nations committed to overthrowing the global...
November 02 2023
What makes a ‘balanced fleet’ and how do we build one?
With the Defence Strategic Review’s emphasis on developing a “Focused Force”, a push to deliver a “Balanced Fleet” might seem quite contradictory, but for...
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 eastern...
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
‘Focused Force’ v ‘Balanced Force’? The question is, are we getting the mix right?
The Albanese government’s Defence Strategic Review heralded a shift away from the structure of a “Balanced Force” towards a “Focused Force”,...
October 06 2023