This article is part of a series on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ that The Strategist is publishing in recognition of International Women’s Day 2017. Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, the first Special Forces officer to command the Australian …
Australia is now the last member of the Five Eyes Alliance to commence the process of replacing the venerable—but now obsolete—Browning Hi Power (BHP) as its primary military handgun. After entering service in 1935, the …
In a recent Strategist post, we discussed the pros and cons of different sized unmanned maritime aerial systems. We came down on the side of larger systems. Geoff Slocombe then took issue with our position, …
The Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (pictured above at ASC in Adelaide) is holding a public hearing today to consider the Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the French …
Everyone agrees that we should, whenever possible, buy military equipment based closely on existing designs rather than new ones. Doing so results in lower costs, lower risks and quicker delivery. So why aren’t we going …
In 2013 followers of regional security architecture added another acronym to their already hearty alphabet soup of acronyms. The Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) at its annual meeting held that year in …
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces several pressing issues over the next few years, many of which are linked to his commitment to revising Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. Under what’s known as the …
The demand for lithium has exploded worldwide—up by at least 68% in the past five years. If you’re unfamiliar with the reasons why, it’s easy to believe that its ‘New Gasoline’ moniker is marketing hype. …
Australia’s dread of France in the South Pacific in the 20th century has slowly turned into a new desire—that France stay and play and help pay. As the quintessential status quo power in the South …
Sea State There’s been an alarming update on 30 January’s Saudi frigate attack by Houthi rebels. Initially believed to be a suicide boat attack, the US Navy declared on 18 February that it was in …
I was invited to appear last week at a hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Review of the Department of Defence Annual Report 2015–16. The review is an …
There’s been some solid work out recently that draws a line between authoritarianism and the tendencies of the new American President, including David Frum’s cover story for The Atlantic (to which we linked a few …