I explained previously that the US places a premium on having a long-range bomber in inventory, and how big that premium can be. With the B-2, the costs of bomber programs effectively ‘hit the wall’, …
In my previous post on the US Long Range Strike–Bomber (LRS-B), I promised to return to the likely cost-effectiveness of the future system. But first I’m going to back-track to examine the possible costs in …
From the time it came into being in 1947, the United States Air Force has had a state-of-the-art long-range bomber in its inventory. The first was the extraordinary B-36 Peacemaker (see photo)—the name intending to …
For all the focus in the Australian media on recent developments throughout the Pacific, it’s strange that the potential addition of a Papua New Guinea team to the Australian National Rugby League appears to have …
The announcement by the Solomon Islands government that it intends to ‘broaden its security and development cooperation with more countries’ has provoked a rash of commentary from Australian and New Zealand journalists, academics, think-tankers and …
Few parts of the world paid as high a cost during the Cold War as Southeast Asia. The superpower conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union divided the region into pro- and anti-communist …
New Caledonia’s third independence referendum under the 1998 Noumea Accord was held on 12 December as planned by France, over the opposition of the indigenous-based independence parties. Those parties had called for non-participation if the vote proceeded …
France’s valued role in the Indo-Pacific is under pressure, as it proceeds with its own plans for settling the future of New Caledonia in apparent disregard for the local practices of its indigenous Kanak communities, …
Facebook’s decision to announce its rebrand to Meta last month was no doubt accelerated by its latest controversies. But, decoys and diversions aside, it also provided insight into Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the future—one seemingly shared by much …
Stability in Australia’s near neighbour across the Coral Sea, and the influence of France in the region, are at risk with a call by pro-independence parties not to participate in New Caledonia’s final independence referendum …
As the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted critical problems in Papua New Guinea’s vaccination programs and threatened the country’s health security and economic prospects, how, and why, must Australia help? Australia provides development aid to PNG …
Papua New Guinea is divided over its Covid-19 response. The virus has spread throughout the country since March and is now pushing hospitals to capacity in the nation’s worst Covid-19 surge so far, but a …