Analysis - Defence Connect

What sort of Defence policy do we need for the ‘new world’?

March 05 2025

With the world becoming a more dangerous place, seemingly by the day, it is becoming clear that even our most recent defence policy developments leave...

Chinese cyber espionage activity on the rise, according to new report

Nation-state threats led by China have risen in 2024, with preventing a possible US response to an attack on Taiwan and disrupting the AUKUS alliance particular goals of the...

March 04 2025

The world has changed – has the Australian government taken notice?

Opinion: It’s important not to panic and to jump at ghosts and shadows. But when the facts change, a sane person changes their plans. Simply continuing down the same...

March 03 2025

Top takeaways: Palmer Luckey discusses rebuilding US defence industry, weaponising visas and expansionist China

American entrepreneur Palmer Luckey has shared his thoughts on how the United States can best rebuild its defence industry and contend with the expansionist aspirations of...

February 28 2025

China brings its tension and aggression in south-east Asia into the peaceful south Pacific

Opinion: The Chinese military’s no-notice live-firing between Australia and New Zealand is bringing deliberate and dangerous behaviour into our peaceful neighbourhood,...

February 27 2025

What exactly do we mean when we say Australia ‘must become a naval power’?

With Beijing’s recent exercises close to home, Jennifer Parker, retired naval officer and expert associate at the National Security College - Australian National...

February 26 2025

‘Adapt or die’, warns former MI6 chief in era of great power competition

Hard power looks to be back on the menu as nations long dependent on US strength are reeling from seismic global shifts, with former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger warning allies...

February 25 2025

Building robust, trans-Tasman interoperability and interchangeability through leading-edge simulation

Opinion: Following the election of the Albanese and Luxon governments, there has been a marked increase in support of the historic defence partnership between Australia and...

February 24 2025

Foreign intelligence agencies targeting defence personnel, industry and AUKUS: ASIO

Foreign intelligence agencies will increase their targeting and sabotage of defence personnel, industry and AUKUS, according to a recent speech by the head of the Australian...

February 20 2025

Black, white and shades of grey: Why Australia needs to be less reductive in our approach to defence

The 2023 Defence Strategic Review introduced the idea of a “Focused Force” as the future direction of the nation’s defence strategy and force posture, but...

February 19 2025

Are we ready to hear hard truths, or will we continue burying our heads in the sand?

With concerns about the Australia–US relationship continuing to simmer away, highlighting our national psychology of anxiety, yet another commentator has highlighted...

February 18 2025

Nation-state hackers continue to target Australian organisations as grey-zone operations intensify year on year

While financial crime is the most common driver of cyber attacks against Australian entities, espionage is still a key concern of cyber professionals, according to a new...

February 17 2025

AUKUS: From strategic partnership to a deal kept on the road by Aussie cash

Opinion: No one should take any comfort from the recent engagement that Defence Minister Richard Marles had with newly appointed Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth in Washington...

February 13 2025

Drones in, humans out: Top takeaways from Elon Musk’s West Point military address

The age of human-piloted fighter aircraft is over, space is the ultimate high ground and the modern front-line warfare is a machine battlefield, according to a recent address...

February 13 2025

Japan’s 2024 industrial policy: A bold strategy to strengthen the defence industrial base

Opinion: Late last year, the Japanese government unveiled a landmark policy developed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that marks a major shift in Japan’s...

February 12 2025

Fear of abandonment: America First doesn’t mean Australia last

Like a girlfriend with an anxious attachment style, Australia has once again (and perhaps predictably) responded to US President Trump’s accelerating and unapologetic...

February 11 2025

Warriors vs Soldiers – what does a modern military really need?

Warriors v soldiers – what does a modern military really need?

It may seem like a debate about semantics, but how we describe the brave individuals who defend our society can shape their mindset – for better or worse.

February 10 2025

Other side of history: Challenging perspectives from Japan’s Yushukan war museum

The history of international warfare is often a matter of perspective – this frame of reference is almost always written by those victorious in combat.

February 07 2025

The key lessons Australia needs to learn from the Ukraine war

Opinion: After a long period of relative peace between the major global powers, a war involving Russia broke out involving new technology that offered insight into how future...

February 06 2025

Defence recruitment shortfalls, culture and patriotism are back in the spotlight, but the criticisms miss some key points

Australia’s Defence recruitment is back in the spotlight, with former Army chief Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Peter Leahy AC slamming cultural shifts and waning...

February 05 2025