The logic of conventional deterrence

Much of the responsibility for Australia’s future security will be borne by our diplomats and the foreign policy they are charged with pursuing, as well as our military force.

Killing the Caliph won’t destroy Islamic State

The recent killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by American special forces is cause for celebration but it won’t guarantee total defeat of the terrorist organisation.

Robots can outwit us on the virtual battlefield, so let’s not put them in charge of the real thing

StarCraft II is the latest complex game to be conquered by artificial intelligence. But if robots now reign supreme at virtual war, where does that leave us when it comes to real conflict?

Special forces – special problems?

The ADF is subject to the rule of law, and our troops and their leaders are rightly accountable for their actions in battle, but the context and history of our special forces must also be understood before any rush to judgement.

Defending Australia in an age of strategic disruption

The threat to Australia is real and increasing, for the first time since the Second World War.
The ADF must increase its readiness for conflict, with more training, higher stocks of munitions and protected operational bases in the north.

Rebooting Australia’s defence industry policy

Policymakers must seize the opportunity to develop a proper defence industry strategy that will boost Australia’s military capability as well as its economy as the strategic outlook continues to darken.

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.

World peace (and how we can achieve it)

A new book by security expert Alex Bellamy is a ‘must read’ for anyone with even a passing interest in the theory and, more importantly, the possible practice of world peace.

Australia’s expanding navy helps us play a larger regional role

The Royal Australian Navy is building relationships with allies and gaining experience in an increasingly complex and uncertain Indo-Pacific region.

Beijing’s show of military might is a wake-up call for Australia

The massive military parade on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China was a clear demonstration of China’s increasing desire to project power across the Pacific.

A cold, hard reality check on Antarctica

The Antarctic Treaty System is a consensus arrangement that has been in place for more than 50 years but this Cold War peace agreement is inadequate to respond to the security challenges of the 2020s.

Let’s “think different” about national security

We know what the future of our region looks like, but unless we start thinking about how we think, that knowledge may not be enough to help us cope with it.