Grumpy Strategists episode 77: Those silly Canadians. Drone wars – US joins Ukraine. & Zumwalt: The Expense Continues
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Written by

Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge
July 20, 2026

It’s a packed episode from the SAA bunker deep in the Brindabella Hills: Marcus gets into the world of high fashion with Gina Rinehart and Pauline Hanson, Michael marvels at Canada’s “Three Stupids” from their recent submarine decision (although it’s not clear who the stupid ones are: the Canadians who will get actual, new, submarines within a decade, or us AUKUS folk Downunder). Then the Grumpies assess the American military’s first active use in war of unmanned surface attack drones and outline the effects of Ukraine’s increasingly long range strategic bombing campaign against Russia, using drones and domestically designed and made cruise missiles. The episode ends with the mystery of a secret court martial of a senior Australian Navy officer, another scathing Audit report on Defence’s management of taxpayer $millions, and the eerily-similar emptiness of UK Government and Australian Government “new defence money” numbers and plans.

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