We’ve all heard about catch-22, double bind, Hobson’s choice. All these expressions describe situations in which you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. And it’s precisely the quandary the Republican Party …
Military interpretations of ‘landscape’ conventionally include notions of strategy, control and domination. They also include environmental factors that might impact Defence’s readiness to carry out conventional military tasks as well as environmental protection from the …
One obvious conclusion to be drawn from ASPI’s Defence White Paper conference last week is the need for Australia’s Department of Defence to take steps toward the establishment of a single agency to promote, coordinate, …
Welcome to The Strategist Six, a feature that provides a glimpse into the thinking of prominent academics, government officials, military officers, reporters and interesting individuals from around the world. 1. You’ve recently returned from six …
The Beat A new resource for law enforcement to tackle illicit drugs Last week, the Australian Crime Commission released the Precursor Chemicals Information Resource, a referenced guide on precursor chemicals for law enforcement and industry …
Unlike nearly all northern hemisphere diesel-electric submarines, the Swedish-designed Collins class is intended to meet a unique operational requirement—to routinely conduct long and distant patrols. This presents many engineering challenges not faced by other navies. …
What’s more important: your relationship with Turkey—your NATO ally—or the potential to make significant inroads against Daesh in Syria? That’s the question Ankara is asking the Obama administration following a spate of deadly terrorist attacks …
Following Senator Ted Cruz’s much expected defeat of Donald Trump in the 5 April Wisconsin primary, Trump’s goal of winning the majority of delegates by the time the Republican Party holds its convention in July …
The recent string of ransomware incidents targeting health records held by hospitals has demonstrated the vulnerability and appeal of healthcare organisations to cybercriminals. The trend is reflected in a data security incident report from American …
After years on the sidelines, Russia is back at the center of the Middle East geostrategic game. Against the background of an equivocal United States policy, Russia’s calculated intervention in the Syrian civil war is …
The first phase of Australian submarine activity began immediately after Federation, when there was considerable interest in the brand new technology of submersibles. Various schemes were discussed to make use of the new type for …
Britain joined what became the European Union in 1973. This year, on 23 June, it will hold a referendum on whether to leave. Should it? Current polls show a closely divided electorate. Prime Minister David …
Sea State The Navy Times has published an article claiming that the White House prevented US commanders from criticising China ahead of a meeting between President Obama and President Xi at last month’s Nuclear Security …
Editor’s note: The Strategist has invited all three SEA 1000 contenders to explain their approach to meeting Australia’s future submarine requirement. The first post in this two-part series explored several key questions pertaining to Japan’s …
Last week we wrote about the transition from the Collins class to the future submarine. Among other things, we pointed out that there’s a tight relationship between the delivery tempo, the maintenance cycle of the …
Editor’s note: The Strategist has invited all three SEA 1000 contenders to explain their approach to meeting Australia’s future submarine requirement. At the end of November last year, Japan submitted to the Australian government its …
Canberra is where strategy and politics meet. Always to confer; occasionally to collide. Ever seeking conclusion—ever settling for compromise. In the politics and strategy games, cooperation and clash are constant companions. And Canberra is where …
Welcome back for another week, this time as ASPI wraps up what has been an action-packed and star-studded program at our Defence White Paper conference. If you haven’t been streaming online or following the conversation …
Australia’s Defence White Paper comes at a challenging time in world politics. When I assumed the Indonesian Presidency in 2004, globalisation was the issue of the day—free trade, economic integration, emerging economies, global financial crisis, …
Editor’s note: The Strategist has invited all three SEA 1000 contenders to explain their approach to meeting Australia’s future submarine requirement. A common misunderstanding about the conventionally powered Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A is that is …