Hugh White’s equally ‘spirited’ response to my critique raises several questions in my mind. Unsurprisingly, I differ with him on several points. I accept—and have said elsewhere—that, unlike on land, the defence has no inherent …
The Japanese Government formally adopted its new Cybersecurity Strategy last Friday. The Strategy outlines the directions of Japanese cybersecurity policy as the country approaches the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, and faces the challenges …
Over the last few days I have found myself reflecting on the policy challenges of disrupting the cross-border trade in new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are manufactured to copy the user experiences of illicit drugs. …
As Australia prepares to expand its air war against the Islamic State (ISIS) to Syria, it’s interesting to note that the first anniversary of the beginning of the bombing campaign against ISIS has passed virtually …
Over the past few days, it’s become clear that the Australian response to the Syrian refugee crisis is inadequate. In 2014, Australia offered 4,500 spaces within the existing refugee and humanitarian programs. On Sunday, Prime …
Sea State Last week five Chinese Navy ships came within 12 nautical miles of the US mainland, sailing inside American territorial waters as they passed through the Bering Sea, coinciding with President Obama’s trip to …
Germany’s bid for the SEA 1000 Future Submarine project could reasonably be described as coming from a safe pair of hands. Since 1960, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) through its Howaldwerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) subsidiary has delivered …
The rise of Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria continues to shock and horrify us. We are all familiar with the crimes against humanity: the videotaped beheadings, the grisly torture, the ritualized rape, the …
The link between crime and terrorism was discussed during a seminar at the National Security Summit that we attended recently. The link has attracted broad attention overseas (such as here), but only limited discussion in …
While Albert Palazzo’s response to ASPI’s Beyond 2017: The Australian Defence Force and Amphibious Warfare adds another dimension to the amphibious debate in Australia, it highlights another quite interesting characteristic within Defence. Language creates a …
The differences between Australia and India will be bridged by systemic needs and policy problems, not by leadership will. Instead of leadership chemistry, the drivers can be the convergence of strategic interests and the great …
Australia’s Defence Minster Kevin Andrews was in India this week, where he met with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar as well as Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Andrews contributed an op-ed to The Hindu and delivered …
The Japanese have never exported Defence products so it isn’t surprising that, in their own words, they are ‘behind the power curve’ with respect to the SEA 1000 Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP). That was apparent …
As a young soldier I had the opportunity to see the Australian Army’s transition between rifles, from the venerable 7.62 L1A1 SLR to the 5.56 F88 Austeyr. And during my Army service I carried both, …
As always, one admires James Goldrick’s spirited defence of the importance of sea control to Australia’s defence strategy, and of the priority for major warships in our force structure. He suspects sceptics like me of …
It all seemed so much easier in the old days. Equipment got old and it was replaced, like for like. Not always of course. Remember we used to have an aircraft carrier? In fact, at …
The Beat Yakuza and mafia shake-ups Japanese police are bracing themselves for potential violence following reports of a split in one of the yakuza, or organised criminal syndicates that operate in Japan. Plans to move …
The recent Strategic Insights paper Security through aid by Anthony Bergin and Sarah Hately on the use of aid and development assistance to enhance security gives attention to important but currently neglected opportunities to counter …
It took 24 hours—and apparently an angry call from a blindsided President Joko Widodo—for Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo to revoke a raft of new restrictions on visiting foreign journalists, which were similar to those …
In the First World War, Indian and Australian servicemen fought together on the beaches of Gallipoli, in the deserts of Mesopotamia and the Middle East, and in the fields of France. In the Second World …