War at sea

The sinking of the Iranian frigate Dena in the Indian Ocean on 4 March by the United States Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte is a blunt reminder that maritime war does not respect the tidy geographic boundaries delineated on paper in policy frameworks.

Sea power means more than just ships

The conflict in the Middle East and threats to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices sharply higher and proved that Australia’s prosperity depends on sea lanes it does little to secure.

The sea, the sea

The current conflict in the Middle East highlights the importance of maintaining Australia’s naval and commercial fleets and improving home grown oil refining capacity.

Israel’s “Iron Beam”

War lasers may still sound like science fiction but Israel and other nations are developing them to counter swarms of crude enemy drones and missiles in a cost-effective manner.

Hard power matters too

The United States’ and Israel’s military operations against Iran highlight the importance of the Australian Defence Force’s long-range strike and power projection capabilities.

Hands across the Tasman

Amid intensifying regional challenges and weakening multilateral systems, the trans-Tasman alliance must evolve from habit into a deliberately integrated, credible, and strategically agile instrument for regional stability.

The Navy at 125

The Royal Australia Navy has a long and distinguished history but faces a period of weakness before new ships are launched to protect this island nation from China’s growing threat to the Pacific.

It’s not about finding your dog

The public backlash to Amazon’s superbowl advert publicising its ability to collate information from domestic security cameras has increased scrutiny on the private surveillance state the big tech platforms are building.

A world without the USA

Canberra can no longer assume that Washington will underpin regional stability or the rules-based order, the foundational premise of modern Australian strategic planning. Australian policymakers must grapple with the prospect that the destabilising behaviour of US President Donald Trump’s administration is not a temporary aberration.

Framing Australia’s defence strategy

The National Defence Strategy due for release next year needs to give Australians clarity about security priorities and reassurance that challenges in the region can be met.

Beware of quick fixes

If Bondi becomes just another episode of blame followed by forgetfulness, we’ll have failed ourselves. If instead it becomes a catalyst for serious, evidence-based reform, Australia may yet emerge stronger and more resilient.

Australia’s security shake-up

Australia’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies are to be reviewed in the wake of the Bondi massacre which they singularly failed to predict or prevent.