As nations race to restock their fleets and platforms emerge with ever deeper magazines, is the age of the arsenal ship finally dawning?
For some time, maritime strategists have toyed with a novel concept – a lightly crewed or even autonomous ship stocked to the gills with vertical launch missile systems. Known as
In the next large war we face, being able to manufacture at mass will be a key combat advantage. Scale, not sophistication should be our aim. ⬇️
As the Cold War ended and the West fought ‘scheduled wars’ against irregular forces in the Middle East, our Defence Industrial base devolved. Mass gave way to artisan assembly lines,
The modern battlefield is evolving rapidly. New dimensions of warfare are emerging – but there also constants in the character of war. ⬇️
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has an excellent series of articles focusing on War and the Modern Battlefield, synthesising lessons of the war in Ukraine and conflicts in
A great short read from Mick Ryan, AM on how Australia should invest if the Government chooses to match the NATO 3.5% of GDP standard. ⬇️
The ask from our principal security partner in the United States is that Australia takes a far greater share of the burden. This has been a universal push with NATO
Slowly, but surely the ghosts are stirring. Australia’s embrace of autonomous systems is critical – these offset capabilities can’t come soon enough.⬇️
This week, we’ve seen Australia’s Ghosts – Anduril’s Ghost Shark and Boeing’s Ghost Bat gain international attention. Firstly, the Australian government has signed off on procuring dozens of Anduril’s Ghost
Long war features the battle for the tactical edge, with the adaption race ascendent. But the ability to sustain and scale will decide the outcome. ⬇️
Beaten Zone Venture Partners advisor Mick Ryan had an excellent article earlier this year in Foreign Affairs magazine on why the war in Ukraine has ground to stalemate – an
Integrated Air and Missile Defence remains a key capability that Australia doesn’t yet employ. Is it time to commission a ‘Down Under’ Dome? ⬇️
Breaking Defense this week reported on Turkey’s new Steel Dome, a domestically designed and manufactured integrated Air and Missile Defence system. This system of systems will seek to defend Turkey
Is Australia leveraging our strategic geography in the way we should be? Time to super charge efforts to invest in Northern Australia! ⬇️
Robert D Kaplan’s classic ‘Revenge of Geography’ foretold of increased conflicts and division as geography and long standing geopolitical tensions eroded unipolar moment globalism and soft power effectiveness. Geography matters
Even the grumpiest of strategists have to be pleased with what the surface fleet will look like in the 2030s. But if we have to fight tonight? ⬇️
An enhanced Mogami class, a strengthened partnership with Japan – a manufacturing powerhouse and key ally in our region. This decision has lots to like – it simply leaves you
The next cycle of adaption is underway in the sky above Ukraine. Tactics, techniques and technology continue to evolve in the crucible of combat. ⬇️
After adopting Iran’s Shahed attack drones, Russia has scaled domestic production, enhanced design and is now introducing jet engines, armour plating and even commercial off the shelf AI. Shaheds are