This Month
Australia spends $190m on Solomons policing
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah Manele announced the agreement on Friday.
- Tom McIlroy
Trump won’t torpedo AUKUS subs deal, says Marles
Despite fears the president-elect will cool on the pact as the US struggles to produce enough submarines, the Australian defence minister says he will back the deal.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
Collins-class submarines listed as ‘product of concern’
The government has promised to fix maintenance issues with the navy’s submarine fleet amid concerns they can’t go to sea as much.
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Nothing like an ACCC cartel case to scare the pants off corporate Australia
Cartel cases – even the ones that bomb – are scary. This is questionable, but definitely worth watching.
- Anthony Macdonald
Downer EDI, Ventia Services execs named in price-fixing allegations
The contractors’ shares tumbled as investors worried whether the allegations would hurt their ability to win tens of billions of dollars of future Defence contracts.
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins
This is why the US military takes Elon Musk’s Martian dream seriously
The Pentagon figures a rocket transport system could shuttle troops and weapons to Asia within 90 minutes if a war broke out with China – and SpaceX’s Starship rocket is about a decade ahead of any rival.
- Eva Dou and Aaron Gregg
These new missiles mean the Navy has its most lethal fleet yet
Warships are now capable of firing missiles with a range 20 times greater than before, after destroyers test fired a Tomahawk missile last week.
- Andrew Tillett
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
What Defence spent on consultants could run submarine fleet for a year
What would Defence’s $811 million in spending on the big five consulting firms in 2022-23 buy? Turns out the answer is quite a lot.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- AUKUS
Former spymaster has an appetite for disruption
Former ASIS chief Paul Symon has joined former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos and former head of Operation Sovereign Borders Lee Goddard to advise venture capital firm Salus.
- Andrew Tillett
November
- Opinion
- Opinion
This is why we don’t need to worry about the Brits and AUKUS
The alliance sets the tone for the UK to make a distinctive contribution to NATO’s ability to retain sea control of the North Atlantic.
- Alessio Patalano
Brisbane military supplier sailing with a tailwind
Being portside ready to stock military ships is a niche sector that takes strategy and sharp negotiation skills to win the race.
- Nina Hendy
Australia, US, Japan to strengthen military ties in face of China threat
Defence ministers agreed to a new “commitment to consult” over regional security issues and invited Japanese troops to train in Darwin.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett
Defence considers recruiting from PNG to see off China’s influence
In the jockeying for influence, the South Pacific’s largest nation has emerged as a key target given its proximity to Australia and rich natural resources.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett
Three challenges for Australia as the US turns inwards
America will accelerate global fragmentation as it becomes more isolationist, leaving its ally very exposed, says one of our most experienced public servants.
- Heather Smith
- Exclusive
- Defence spending
$10b warship decision months away despite China fears
The government has whittled down to two contenders for a lucrative navy project, but there are questions why a final decision won’t be made until mid-year.
- Andrew Tillett
- Exclusive
- Defence spending
Navy’s $10b warship contest down to Germans, Japanese
The Albanese government will make a final decision next year on the winning designer for a contract to build 11 new light frigates for the navy.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- Defence spending
AUKUS problems go beyond Trump
While people fret about US ties under a Trump presidency, US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy has highlighted some issues go beyond personnel.
- Andrew Tillett
October
- Opinion
- Opinion
Missile ambitions are the key to our future defence
Australia’s defence strategy could survive a faltering of AUKUS submarines, but not the loss of the plan to build missiles at home.
- Peter Dean and Alice Nason
Missile factory too late, too slow for China threat: experts
The factory will be established as the centrepiece of the government’s plans to build up a domestic stockpile of rockets and missiles.
- Andrew Tillett
- Analysis
- Opinion
The map that Canberra doesn’t want you to see
Australia’s military integration with the US proceeds apace, but is the Albanese government coming clean on the risks?
- James Curran