As warfare changes, so does Australian strategy

The National Defence Strategy is not as new as the government claims, but comes with welcome capability investments.

The Australian Defence Minister launched a new National Defence Strategy last week. It is accompanied by a revised Defence Integrated Investment Program (at the same link) describing important people, equipment, and weapons priorities.

Perhaps the most “impactful projection” Marles can make is to impose the government’s priorities on an often slow and bureaucratic Defence Department. The new strategy contains three foundational ideas. The first is that the security environment in the Indo-Pacific, and globally, is changing rapidly and in ways that are not favourable to Australia’s interest. Second, that the nation must focus the bulk of its defence efforts on the region. Finally, the document adopts a strategy of denial as the key approach to defence planning.

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