Smith and Houston, we have a problem

The two independent leads of Australia’s defence strategic review, Stephen Smith and Angus Houston, have got their work cut out for them.

Impactful projection

Larger stocks of long-range weapons will be needed to ensure Australia can deter aggressors in the future.

Sending Bushmasters would prove support for Ukraine

Sending Australian Bushmasters to Ukraine will be a highly visible demonstration that the world is watching and supporting the fight against Russia, a symbol as important as any military capability they will provide.

Nine observations on the war in Ukraine

A week and a half since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, here are nine observations on developments in the worst war in Europe since 1945 – not least that NATO air power could have turned Russia’s long and lumbering convoys into mincemeat.

Energy innovation offers lessons for defence

The electricity sector offers a striking example of disruptive innovation in action around us, and it’s a case that has key lessons for the Department of Defence.

The U.S. Navy falls under China’s shadow

The growing strength of the Chinese Navy, and the escalating costs of countering its threat to Taiwan and the Pacific, will force the United States Navy to make some difficult choices in the years ahead.

Australian universities should rethink their broken business model

COVID-19 offers Australian universities a one-time opportunity to rethink their currently failing business model, which appears to be built on greed and scale rather than a real commitment to offering a high-quality educational and life experience.

Lessons for supply chain resilience from the defence industry

Defence industry experience shows that if Australia wants more resilient supply chains then it will take planning, prioritisation and an ongoing willingness from governments, the private sector and the public to endure higher costs.

Soldiers shouldn’t fight fires

As bushfires become the norm, rather than the exception, new strategies must be found to fight them, but using soldiers to augment volunteers is not a tenable way forward.

An ethical role for AI in defence

While it’s important for Defence to understand and address the ethical challenges posed by AI, it’s just as important to not let those challenges blind it to the opportunities offered by AI and discourage our defence planners from pursuing them.

Squaring the defence circle with tied hands

Defence’s worst kept secret is now officially public as Defence Minister Linda Reynolds revealed at last week’s Sea Power conference in Sydney that her Department is conducting a strategic review.

Maximising the economic benefit of Australia’s defence projects

The Department of Defence needs to ensure that current and future megaprojects actively foster Australian innovation and maximise local industry involvement in areas of high economic value.