Articles

THE new UNSW Defence Research Institute will deliver world-class defence research to enhance Australia’s security. The UNSW Defence Research Institute draws on the expertise...

Aidan Morrison argues the importance of ensuring that the Navy's new submarine adopts the best sort of propulsion. It is a matter of physics and experiment.

By Kim Beazley* Commentary on the character of our security relationship with the US rarely examines what type of ally Australia is. We first, and...

The Strategic Readiness Review provides a good start for institutional reflection and debate as the U.S. Navy moves forward in addressing warfighting readiness. However, trying to address the complex “system of systems” contributing to readiness in 80 pages is a daunting task.

Norman Friedman: A new chapter in the protracted search for Malaysian Airlines’ lost airliner (MH 370) may have important implications for mine countermeasures and for other types of undersea warfare. What is new is the use of multiple, rather than single, UUVs, which can dive 50 percent deeper than their predecessors.

Since the Government announced that Australia would pursue a defence export industry, arising from its earlier decision to embark upon a continuous naval ship-building program debate has raged about its morality and practicality. In these two articles published in the mainstream media, Fairfax columnist Nicholas Stuart argues that Australia will find it impossible to become among the top 10 defence exporters, and Raytheon managing director Michael Ward responds as to why Australia can and should.

When three American warships and a merchant vessel were attacked by cruise missiles off the coast of Yemen in 2016, their crews fired off a series of defensive systems which diverted some of the missiles and brought the others down. One of those systems, and key elements of another, were developed in Australia by scientists and engineers who are producing some of the world’s most advanced targeting devices.

By Graeme Dobell* The US is the essential status quo power, led by a revisionist president. China loves the current status quo, while liking how...

By Alexander Trauth-Goik* As the Australian Parliament opened for 2018 this week, the major parties began another year of spirited and often combative debate. What continues to be lacking, however, is substantial foreign policy debate. Visible divisions between the major parties over the direction of Australian foreign policy are observable. Most significantly, the Coalition and Labor remain at odds over their perception and approach towards China.

In the latest episode of the Australian Naval History video and podcast series, an expert panel, which includes the ‘shipwreck hunter' David Mearns, discuss...