The enemy within

The Soviet Union relied on ideologically motivated spies in the West to leak defence and technology secrets and the recent arrests of two Russian spies in Australia suggests this problem is now re-emerging.

Australian defence and deterrence

Robbin Laird’s “Australian Defence and Deterrence: A 2024 Update” serves as a handy summation of the Defence challenges faced by Australia in a more contested world.

In defence of AUKUS

Those who value AUKUS recognise that Australia can thrive with our sovereignty, strategic choices and economic freedom intact, but only if we remain ambitious.

Drone wars

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has revealed the criticality of drones as a weapon system for modern battlefields. Yet as other states rush to follow suit, there are some sobering realities to face from “high-tech” tools of warfare.

Homes for heroes

The Australian Defence Force needs bold, creative initiatives to attract and keep enough personnel to reach expansion targets, and making it easier for young service people to buy their own home could offer a major attraction.

Fight for the future

The concept of ‘minimum viable capability’ is critical to shifting Australia’s thinking on how to get cutting edge technologies into the hands of military personnel fast enough to give them an advantage on the battlefield.

Recruiting the Pacific

Australia’s defence force needs more new recruits, so widening the net to our Pacific allies and neighbours could solve several problems at once.

Lab rats

The penetration of the Canadian government’s National Microbiology Lab by two Chinese agents underlines the importance of Australian governments and universities guarding against Chinese espionage.

The fate of Russia’s navy does not invalidate ours

Ukraine’s sinking of several Russian warships is an impressive achievement, but is part of a long tradition of asymmetric naval warfare and does not render surface combatants obsolete.

Plan B for President Z

It seems unthinkable, but the re-election of Donald Trump to the American presidency remains a real possibility, with calamitous implications not only for the United States and western Liberal democracy but Australia’s defence plans.

Sabotage down under

The Western world is under constant attack from Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean hackers, spies and saboteurs, and Australia is not immune from foreign intrusion.

Ukraine at the crossroads

Divided Americans and apathetic Europeans must double down on military, economic and political support for Ukraine or risk the spectre of a resurgent Vladimir Putin gloating in victory.