by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 11, 2023 | AUKUS, China, Strategy & Capability
The first big national security decision prime minister Albanese has taken is on how Australia will work with the US and UK to build and operate 8 nuclear submarines. That’s a huge decision with long term commitments, challenges and expense. But it’s by no means the...
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 6, 2023 | Defence Budget
There’s a hole in the middle of the discussion about defence, AUKUS and nuclear submarines. And that hole is what will be done to deter conflict involving China between now and 2030. The good news is the hole can be filled and the Albanese government’s decisions on...
by Peter Jennings | Apr 6, 2023 | AUKUS, Strategy & Capability
The media headlines were all about submarines but innovation will be the productive core of the AUKUS agreement. This presents a huge stretch target for Defence and industry. Standing with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego,...
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 5, 2023 | China
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is meeting with US House Speaker McCarthy before travelling on to Latin America, and European states like the Czech Republic, Lithuania and the United Kingdom are continuing to deepen political engagement with Taiwan. At the same time,...
by Peter Jennings | Mar 23, 2023 | AUKUS
The AUKUS pathway for Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines is barely 10 days old. Already it is clear that the biggest threat to the plan is not the opposition, which is embracing bipartisan support, or China’s absurd attempts to distract from its own military...
by Peter Jennings | Mar 18, 2023 | AUKUS
Given the world’s tough economic outlook and the eroding geo-strategic situation, Anthony Albanese may not have a more positive day in office than he had last Monday in San Diego, California, at the announcement of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine pathway. Now...
by Michael Shoebridge | Mar 15, 2023 | AUKUS, Strategy & Capability
President Biden, prime minister Albanese and UK prime minister Sunak have now told the world what the ‘optimal pathway’ for Australia to get 8 nuclear powered submarines looks like. At a cost of between $268 billion and $368 billion, Australia seems likely to get 3 of...
by Peter Jennings | Mar 10, 2023 | AUKUS
Next week in the US, Anthony Albanese will make the most consequential national security announcement of his prime ministership – revealing the agreed pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The Prime Minister might puzzle at the twists and turns...
by Marcus Hellyer | Feb 28, 2023 | Strategy & Capability
There’s a deeply held view that underpins our defence industry policy, namely that as an island girt by sea Australia has to build its warships here. Which is rather odd when you think about it because we are also an island girt by air, yet very few people insist we...
by Michael Shoebridge | Feb 28, 2023 | Ukraine
A lightning attack after massing forces is how Putin began his war a year ago. But every day after that has seen the surprises going the other way, with successful counter attacks and battlefield innovation by the Ukrainian military revealing underlying Russian...
