NewsBite

Defence

Advertisement
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump’s pick for under-secretary of defence for policy at the Pentagon Elbridge Colby.

‘For us to determine’: Albanese pushes back on Trump pick’s defence call

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said it was important to meet “the expectations of our strategic partners”, flagging a major rise in defence spending if Peter Dutton wins power.

  • Matthew Knott

Latest

Elbridge Colby

Trump admin to Australia: spending $56 billion on defence isn’t enough by half

One of Trump’s top Pentagon picks, Elbridge Colby, made the United States’ first explicit call for Australia to massively increase defence spending to counter China.

  • Matthew Knott
An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank.

Australia to send Ukraine more tanks but no peacekeeping troops

The bipartisan support was announced in the wake of the ugly White House confrontation between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.

  • David Crowe
Visits by Chinese warships are sure to become the new normal.

Visits by Chinese warships off the coast of Australia will be the new normal

The insouciant voyage by the Chinese around our waters must surely be the start of things to come.

  • The Herald's View
German shipbuilder TKMS’ Meko A-200 frigate is under consideration for the Australian navy’s general-purpose frigate.

‘We want a decision’: Marles slaps down official over key navy contract

Military experts said the presence of a Chinese flotilla had reinforced the vulnerabilities of Australia’s “old and small” fleet of warships.

  • Matthew Knott

Trump has sent a wrecking ball through old alliances. The implications for Australia are severe

In a world where Donald Trump doesn’t appear to know what AUKUS is, Australia can no longer rely on decades of friendship and shared values.

  • David Crowe
Advertisement
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

As Wong and Dutton exchange fire, the Chinese flotilla laps Australia

The foreign minister accused the Coalition of seeking political advantage from ships’ exercises in the Tasman with inflammatory rhetoric on China.

  • Matthew Knott

‘We’ve been exposed’: China’s ‘act of intimidation’ – and why Australia can’t complain

Listen: International editor Peter Hartcher breaks down how Chinese warships conducted exercises off Australia, and what it says about our defence force.

  • Peter Hartcher
People’s Liberation Army-Navy Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi, and Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu in the Tasman Sea.

China agrees to consider concerns about live-fire drills, NZ says

The drills prompted passenger flights between the two countries to divert mid-flight after Chinese naval vessels warned pilots they were flying above a live-fire exercise.

  • Ken Moritsugu
A Chinese army-navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang was spotted 150 nautical miles off the coast of Sydney.

Our defences have been tested, and they’ve failed

How much faith can we have that the Defence Force will know what’s going on and keep the public informed about any threats? Very little, if the past week is anything to go on.

  • Matthew Knott

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/defence-5w8