by Marcus Hellyer | May 28, 2024 | Defence Budget, Policy, Strategy & Capability
These questions are based on the information contained in the 2024 National Defence Statement (NDS), 2024 Integrated Investment Program (IIP) and 2024-25 Defence portfolio budget statements (PBS). Note: In this essay, ‘this year’ refers to the 2024-25 budget year....
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 24, 2023 | China, Defence Budget, Strategy & Capability, Uncategorized
While there’s only a single paragraph devoted to it down on page 23, it’s clear that the Defence Strategic Review and the billions of dollars the government will spend on Defence over the next ten years is all about grappling with Chinese power in the Indo Pacific....
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Apr 17, 2026 | AUKUS, Defence Budget, Featured, Podcasts, Policy, Strategy & Capability
The Grumpy Strategists cover Australia’s new defen | RSS.com The Grumpy Strategists respond to Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, discussing and releasing the ‘new’ 2026 Defence Strategy and investment plan. Marcus sees the spirit of...
by Marcus Hellyer | Apr 17, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Policy, Strategy & Capability, Uncategorized
There’s something very familiar about the Albanese government’s new 2026 National Defence Strategy, launched yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. It continues the trajectory first set out in the previous Coalition government’s 2020...
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 16, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Indo Pacific, Policy, Strategy & Capability
Having read the 215 pages of the Australian Government’s revised strategy and investment plan, two things stand out as particularly important. The first is the almost complete absence of engagement with the changed America that is now our major ally. ...
by Marcus Hellyer | Apr 10, 2026 | AUKUS, China, Defence Budget, Featured, Policy, Strategy & Capability
Since my planned birdwatching trip to western New South Wales was cancelled due the current fuel crisis temporary supply uncertainties caused by unpatriotic Australians panic buying and I didn’t want to spend Easter solely doomscrolling conducting deep research into...
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Apr 9, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Podcasts, Strategy & Capability
America’s wartime defense budget: $1.5 trillion to | RSS.com Back in the SAA Bunker deep in the Brindabellas, Marcus & Michael declare energy independence (okay, thanks to government subsidies) and ponder the details of the Trump Administration’s new...
by Michael Shoebridge and Marcus Hellyer | Apr 1, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured, Podcasts, Policy, Strategy & Capability, Ukraine
The Gulf collective defence exercise: a war no one | RSS.com Marcus calls into the Grumpy Strategists’ Brindabella bunker with unwelcome news on more diesel supplies. After this disappointment, the Grumpies ponder the mystery of the Gulf War – a war...
by Michael Shoebridge | Mar 30, 2026 | China, Featured, Policy
We’re told the Trump Administration is playing 16-dimensional chess in its reshaping of the world economy to make America great again. But the chess moves we’ve seen so far in the key auto manufacturing sector are damaging own goals that hurt America’s homegrown...
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Mar 25, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured, Strategy & Capability
Our Kentucky Colonel masters deflection, the War & | RSS.com Well, despite the great news from Energy Minister Chris Bowen that Australia faces no energy crisis other than silly unwashed Australians panicking, the Iran War has already created a global energy...
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Mar 24, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured, Strategy & Capability
In 2056, 30 years from now, when Australia has eight nuclear powered submarines (SSNs), we will have two deployable submarines consistently available. That’s assuming all goes well with AUKUS’ “optimal pathway” and we do in fact have eight SSNs in service. Expecting a...
by Ewen Levick | Mar 20, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured, Strategy & Capability
The war between the US, Israel and Iran is now entering its fourth week, and despite the loss of many senior figures, the Iranian regime survives. It is very difficult to bomb people into democracy. And so this war risks becoming a trial of strategic endurance....
