Articles by: "George Henneke"
A new approach to defence industrial policy

When policymakers discuss the AUKUS partnership, they like to focus on the flashy bits: nuclear submarines, hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence. Politicians of all stripes can rarely resist the temptation. But beneath the surface are a …

No one knows how to make a guided missile

The Department of Defence isn’t at a loss for advice in the run-up to its release of the defence industry development strategy, expected early this year. Following on the heels of a NIOA Group (et …

US Congress fires the AUKUS starting gun

Welcome, Australia, to the American culture wars. With passage of the US National Defense Authorization Act a mere two and a half months late, we’ve seen the first significant legislative action since the AUKUS partnership …

How to make a defence ‘prime’

Following the 2023 defence strategic review and in the face of an increasingly challenging security environment, Australia’s long-standing goal of building sovereign industrial capacity has taken on new urgency. But the lofty ideal has never been …

In defence innovation, private capital is not a free lunch

Australia’s Department of Defence is redesigning its processes for identifying, developing and procuring innovative new technologies. Even the name of its new organisation—Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator—emphasises the core mission of bringing on capability at speed. …

Defence innovation: a view from Indo-Pacific 2023

Only rarely at last week’s Indo-Pacific International Maritime Exposition did defence acquisition officials rise to speak without emphasising the importance of fielding new capabilities at speed. Among those taking this line were the leadership team …

Defence innovation and the valley of death

It’s time to recalibrate the debate over defence innovation. Nothing illustrates how far we’ve drifted like the current passion for ‘picking winners’. The phrase was once pejorative. It has become a mission statement. Recent contributions …