Beijing has warned Australia to “be careful” against acting on its “unwarranted anxieties toward China”, questioning how relations can improve while Canberra accuses it of coercion. In an opinion piece by Chinese government mouthpiece the Global Times, Beijing lamented that despite a significant thawing in the bilateral relationship, Australia’s newlyContinue Reading
Autonomous, stealthy undersea robots known as “Ghost Sharks”, capable of gathering intelligence, will become a centrepiece in Australia’s bid to bolster its ocean patrols and protections. The Albanese government has doubled down in its commitment to delivering the Ghost Shark program, confirming it would become “mission zero” for the AdvancedContinue Reading
Beijing has taken aim at the Albanese government’s inaugural national defence strategy, urging Canberra to drop its “Cold War mentality” as it denied China posed any risk to regional stability. Defence Minister Richard Marles unveiled the strategy on Wednesday, announcing Australia would bolster its navy over the next decade toContinue Reading
A top weapons manufacturer has argued that Australia’s defence industry is far too reliant on the UK and the US for munitions, declaring that the government must overhaul its defence strategy to favour local procurement. NIOA Group chief executive Robert Nioa called for “urgent action” to strengthen Australia’s national securityContinue Reading
The chief of the Australian Defence Force has “wisely” walked back his comments after sensationally accusing Jacqui Lambie of “maliciously” misrepresenting the pay packages of senior brass. General Angus Campbell lashed the Tasmanian senator during an estimates hearing on Wednesday morning, saying she should be “ashamed” of herself. Senator LambieContinue Reading
Western countries have not only lost the industrial capacity required to fight a war, but they’re rapidly forgetting how to make the things they used to — and should consider bringing retired workers back to pass on their knowledge to the next generation, defence experts say. While recent headlines haveContinue Reading
Australia’s defence strategy “just doesn’t cut it” amid a rising China, former defence force chief and one of the co-author’s of the wide-ranging Defence Strategic Review has warned. Sir Angus Houston, appearing at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies on Thursday, heavily criticised Beijing’s growing military activity inContinue Reading