Defining national security priorities in the current world climate of increasing globalisation is a complicated task. National security concepts that focus on military threats and responses are no longer enough to deal with the range of security risks Australia could be exposed to in this new environment. This paper addresses critical questions that highlight the...

The Australian Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of homeland and border security arrangements in Australia. The review, being undertaken by the former Secretary of the Department of Defence, Ric Smith, will report midyear. In response to 9/11, there’s been considerable planning and investment of resources by the Australian Government focused on Australia’s capacity to...

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operates a fl eet comprised of surface combatants, submarines, amphibious assault vessels, patrol boats and support vessels as well as a range of helicopters. In size it is a little larger than the navies of countries like Singapore and Thailand, but is much smaller than those of China, India and...

The Australian Army is small by regional standards and tiny given the size of our continent. This paper is the second in the series of capability snapshots produced by ASPI towards the Rudd Government's new Defence White Paper. With over 27,000 permanent and almost 16,000 part-time Reserve personnel, the Australian Army is small by regional...

This Policy Analysis suggests that both Australia and NATO have to think harder about their emerging partnership. The NATO Secretary-General recently described such partnerships as a 'permanent feature' of international security in the 21st century and Australia, with competent military forces and a willingness to deploy them far afield, brings more to a relationship than...