On 24 February, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin began his war of subjugation and extinguishment against Ukraine. He was not alone in thinking it would be a quick victory. He was certain he had the measure of …
In the digital age, where technology governs nearly every aspect of our lives, a significant challenge looms over Australia—the shortage of critical and cyber technology skills. It poses a significant threat to the economy and …
As highlighted by Tuvalu’s recent election and recent political instability in PNG, amongst other countries in the region, Australia’s engagement with Pacific island countries can change suddenly, but our principles and support should firmly be …
Scorpions are fascinating. Found on every continent except Antarctica, their fossil records span 420 million years. Indeed, they might be the oldest land animals still in existence. With astonishing resilience, they withstand heat and cold …
Australia sees itself as the natural leader of the South Pacific. The preferred senior-partner synonyms these days are ‘partner of choice’ and ‘principal security partner’. Australian leadership ambition has a deep-seated strategic denial instinct, the …
The September 2023 announcement designating Townsville as the hub for armoured vehicles and Army attack and medium-lift aviation triggers a sense of déjà vu—about Plan Beersheba. This strategic shift, a direct outcome of the 2023 …
Writing in The Australian Financial Review on 5 February, my former ASPI colleague, Jennifer Parker, put forward an excellent argument for granting more leeway to serving Defence personnel to speak out on defence affairs, raising …
Rapid technological change has brought myriad new sources of uncertainty and variability to the modern battlefield, and to public discourse. For millennia, militaries have integrated emerging technologies into evermore practical and impactful weapons. The proliferation …
Pakistan’s elections on 8 February were meant to bring stability to the country after almost two years of turmoil but the fraudulent nature of the polls has deepened political divisions. It will also bring more …
The global institutional architecture designed in the aftermath of World War II to ensure that disaster was never repeated is showing its age. The United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are all …
The last four years have been tough for Australia. We have seen the disastrous 2019-20 fire season, the Covid-19 pandemic, devastating floods and cyclones, the most comprehensive punitive trade measures used against any country in …
In a sold-out stadium in Miami on 21 March 2023, watched by a record audience worldwide, Shohei Ohtani, Japan’s talisman player, threw out the final pitch against US star player Mike Trout. Trout, Ohtani’s former …
The navy is under-gunned for the strategic circumstances Australia faces. For years, commentators have criticised its existing and planned platforms for possessing too few missile cells. Many of them have suggested that the best remedy …
On 14 January, Nauru re-established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) ending nearly 20 years of links with Taiwan. The news came as a surprise to some, especially since former Nauru President …
In the last few years Asia’s food security has suffered a series of crises induced by conflict, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, causing great disruptions to food supply systems and increasing the number of …
India recognises that its ambition to be a global power cannot be achieved unless it becomes technologically advanced. Indian leaders have known since independence that technology is key to developing the country and are very …
On 14 February, over 200 million Indonesians will vote in the world’s largest direct presidential elections. Three candidates—former Jakarta governor Anies Basewdan, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo—are vying for …
The future of air combat is about teaming between crewed platforms and autonomous systems rather than relying purely on exquisite stand-alone and extremely expensive crewed platforms. With that mind, the development of the MQ-28A Ghost …
Russia’s war against Ukraine is about to enter its third year. There is much to feel good about, but there are also grounds for worry. In short, it is time to take stock. What Ukraine …
Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the loss of the Royal Australian Navy destroyer, HMAS Voyager (II), which sank 20 nautical miles south-east of Jervis Bay. Of the 314 crew of Voyager, 82 were …