The Challenge of Supply Chain Resilience: The Case of Rare Earth Minerals

08/03/2022
By John Coyne Recently, ASPI researcher Albert Zhang shone a spotlight on a sophisticated Chinese Communist Party information campaign targeting rare earths and Australian company Lynas. This research has powerful implications for those policymakers seeking to create resilient supplies of rare-earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals. REEs are a group of 17…

The Chief of the UK General Staff’s Perspective on the European Defense Challenge

08/01/2022
By William Leben The British Army’s main effort is now mobilisation to deter Russian aggression, and it must accept ‘ruthless prioritisation’ to this end, General Sir Patrick Sanders has said. Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute’s Land Warfare Conference in London, the British Chief of the General Staff (CGS) articulated his army’s…

U.S. Space Leadership Mandates Musk’s Heavenly Gaze

07/26/2022
By Richard Weitz Whatever benefits Elon Musk might have brought to Twitter as its owner, U.S. space power will undoubtedly benefit from the deal’s collapse. Generous support in Congress, including enormous subsidies, and strong NASA backing empowered SpaceX to contribute to the recent resurgence of U.S. interest, investments, and technologies…

The HMAS Canberra Works with USMC Aircraft Onboard for RIMPAC 22

07/25/2022
By Robbin Laird HMAS Canberra was born in a strategic context for Australia considerably different from today. When the Australian government was considering adding an LHA to the force, the main focus was upon supporting HADR operations along with an ability to transport the Australian Army to regional areas of…

An Update on B-2s Engaged in Training with the RAAF

07/25/2022
n an Australian Department of Defence article published on July 11, 2022, the arrival of B-2 aircraft to Amberley airbase was highlighted. B-2 Spirit bomber aircraft from the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) will be visiting RAAF Base Amberley this month as part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) initiative. Several PACAF…

Disruptive Change in European and Trans-Atlantic Defense and the Nordic Opportunity

07/15/2022
By Robbin Laird The coming of Sweden and Finland into NATO is not simply an additive event. But the prospect of Nordic defense integratability provides for an opportunity for disruptive change to reset and recast how North Atlantic defense can be done. When combined with the significant fleet redesign for…