China’s expanding presence beyond the first island chain is most likely to generate incidents, friction and escalation risks not through deliberate aggression but through growing operational proximity. As Chinese military, paramilitary and law-enforcement activity becomes …
With China increasing restrictions on critical minerals trade, including tighter export controls on rare earth elements announced in March, the United States and allied countries are trying to bring more mineral supply to market. To …
When submissions to the government’s request for expressions of interest (REOI) for the Advanced Capability Investment (ACI) fund close this afternoon, officials will face a familiar challenge: not a shortage of proposals, but uncertainty about …
A major strategic shift in the Indo-Pacific is happening quietly: China’s presence in seas and ports far from its coast is becoming routine. The frequency of its appearances has been rising for about a decade. …
Washington and Manila have moved from intent to design, announcing plans for a 4,000-acre (16 square km) economic security zone to anchor allied supply chains in the Philippines. That move should inspire Australia’s approach to …
China and Iran have gradually deepened research ties in dual-use and emerging technologies over the past 15 years, the latest update to ASPI’s China Defence Universities Tracker (CDUT) shows. The scale of this collaboration is …
China’s defence and security presence beyond the Western Pacific is set to intensify over the next decade, expanding its access, influence and operational reach across the Indo-Pacific. In the Southwest Pacific, Beijing is likely to …
Australia should have a big concern. Britain, a country that Australia is relying on for its future submarine force and much else under AUKUS, looks seriously unserious about naval defence. Quite apart from the challenge …
Northern Australia will decide whether Australia will sustain combat power where it matters most or fail to do so before tempo can be maintained. Policy has settled on the importance of geography. Execution will determine …
The world is a more dangerous place than it was two years ago. The priorities outlined in Australia’s new National Defence Strategy (NDS) and its accompanying spending plan, the Integrated Investment Program (IIP), reflect this. …
Anzac Day signifies tragedy. It speaks to futility and loss, the death of young Australians in their prime. We try to make sense of this ‘senseless loss’ by honouring their courage and extolling Anzac values. We …
Japan is re-arming powerfully – but Taiwan can’t rely on its help. The island must prepare to hold out alone against a Chinese attempt at subjugating it, at least until international help can be marshalled. …
On New Year’s Eve in 1977, US president Jimmy Carter hailed Iran as ‘an island of stability in one of the more troubled regions of the world’, which he credited to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s …
China’s newly released 15th five‑year plan offers a revealing insight into how Beijing understands future military power. Among quantum technologies, nuclear fusion energy, embodied intelligence and 6G communications, the plan identifies brain‑computer interfaces (BCIs) as …
Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) program is a spending priority in the 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) and the accompanying spending plan, the Integrated Investment Program (IIP). Both offer signs of progress and …
Iran has suffered greatly from US bombing, but it has been outmanoeuvring the superpower in the information domain. Each of the two countries is using internet culture against the other during hostilities that began on …
Australia’s reliance on imported urea is a clear strategic weakness that is allowing the instability in the Gulf region to directly affect our food production, transport systems and economic stability. Establishing a system that tracked …
China may claim neutrality and call for peace in the Middle East, but it is heavily invested in the Iran conflict. Perhaps because of its dependence on Iran for energy security, it is transferring dual-use …
Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) marks a quiet but consequential shift from its predecessor, fundamentally redefining the political objective underpinning the Australian Defence Force’s five key tasks. While the 2024 strategy focused on maintaining …
Establishment of the Australian government’s proposed Advanced Capability Investment Fund (ACIF) is an overdue step. Up to A$500 million in public capital, boosted to at least A$1 billion with private investment, will be spent to …
