Asia Pacific Defence Reporter

APDR
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These podcasts are a way of shedding a bit more light on Defence decisions – particularly acquisitions – because the system has become secretive and taxpayers have a right to know what’s going on. But it’s even worse than that with Defence sometimes putting out information that is misleading and in some cases plain wrong. We discuss the Defence Strategic Review and debunk the claims that it is some sort of radical and positive move. No it is not. We also have a few words about the outrageous decision to purchase the SURTASS towed array sonar via FMS and preview the ANAO report into the Hunter class frigate program.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 17h ago

    Episode 156

    We start with some words about delayed flights in Australia and how this is a metaphor for obscure Defence decision-making, especially on subjects like AUKUS. Nuclear-powered submarines are great for travelling long distances at high speed underwater but there has never been any analysis of how this benefits Australia - particularly for the gigantic amounts of money involved. Then some more words about Ukraine and the use of AI-enabled uncrewed systems. Ukrainian forces have completed - or are just about to complete - a 4-phase offensive that has regained significant amounts of territory illegally occupied by Russia - and has continued to inflict around 1,500 casualties per day. The key enabler for this operation has been the use of uncrewed ground vehicles - a clear indication of how rapidly the nature of warfare is changing. Australia remains completely oblivious to what is going on, treating uncrewed technology as a curiosity rather than a fundamental game-changer. Even the US has woken up to this with comic book character Pete Hegseth announcing that an autonomous warfare command will be established. This is accompanied by a 120 day review into the entire future of warfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Sep 29

    Episode 155

    A lot has been happening on the international scene with Australia's PM Anthony Albanese at the United Nations in New York partly to lobby for one of the rotating seats on the Security Council. It's not clear how much support Australia will receive since we are in the process of converting ourselves into one giant US military base. Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and in addition appears to have abandoned his Middle Eastern allies, especially Saudi Arabia. On top of that, the western world seems to be melting down on the issue of whether or not Artificial Intelligence needs to be regulated. AI is already being used extensively by many militaries, including Australia. Various tests demonstrated a decade ago that AI-enabled platforms such as F-16s could defeat ones flown by humans, so why has the uptake been so slow? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Sep 22

    Episode 154

    We begin with another Defence procurement farce. Two years ago Defence abandoned a project called JP 9102 for geostationary military communications satellites with Minister Richard Marles explaining that they were too vulnerable and of insufficient capability. In an extraordinary development, Defence has just issued a tender for a satellite very similar to the one they cancelled. The problem is that we have missed at least 3 years acquiring a vital capability - and Australian industry lost more than $300 million because of the ineptitude of Defence. The Middle East continues to unravel with Donald Trump now seeking to blame Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure for high US diesel prices rather than his own stupid unprovoked war with Iran. At least Ukraine is hitting back with massive drone and ballistic missile attacks on Russia. This is demonstrating the future of warfare - mass attacks from these systems. Only now is the full extent of the damage Iran has caused to US facilities using similar weapons in the Persian Gulf region being revealed. It looks very much like Trump is abandoning US allies in the Middle East - especially Saudi Arabia. The Saudis and the Gulf monarchies believed that the US could be counted on as their security guarantor. The reality is that Trump is throwing them under the bus. Why do Australian politicians and Defence officials think we are any different? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Sep 15

    Episode 153

    In a breaking story, there is very credible reporting that the UK has deferred placing an order for future attack submarines - SSN AUKUS - until 2028. This is directly contrary to what we are being told by our government, the RAN and Defence officials. We are in the process of donating $5 billion to the UK industrial base to build submarines that haven't even been ordered. The situation in the US is no different with the Government Accounting Office - their equivalent of the ANAO - reporting on 27 August that the SSN maintenance and disposal system is a huge mess, years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. Just like the situation in the UK, we are being lied to. We are being told that US SSN maintenance is improving when in fact it is getting worse. Speaking of getting worse - the situation in the Middle East risks spiralling completely out of control. The Houthis in Yemen now control the critical passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and are threatening Saudi shipping. After the US midterms in November - if they go ahead - President Trump will have a free hand and might decide to escalate the conflict, with unforeseeable consequences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Sep 7

    Episode 152

    As the United States continues to isolate itself, the rest of the world is starting a process of realignment - with the exception of Australia, of course. More information is becoming available about how we are being turned into a giant US military base, without any public discussion. At the same time, several opinion polls are showing that even though the alliance with the US remains vital in the minds of a majority of Australians, the pattern is shifting decisively. For those under the age of 35 - the nation's future leaders - the trend is clear: increasing trust in China and decreasing confidence that the US would come to Australia's aid during a conflict. Is this shift reflected in government policy? Of course not, as we rush to further ingratiate ourselves with the flailing Trump administration. Meanwhile, China is also transforming but in an economic sense moving from a manufacturer to a creator and innovator - something APDR witnessed last week as a guest at the Asia Pacific Media Forum in Shenzhen. There could be some powerful lessons for Australia in how small, high technology, AI enabled systems can massively increase self reliance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Sep 1

    Episode 151

    The U.S. is continuing to demonstrate its unreliability as a security partner on an almost daily basis - something our politicians and Defence officials refuse to acknowledge is happening. Latest pieces of idiocy include Donald Trump's decision to try to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America as a deliberate and childish insult to Canada. More disturbingly, a Pentagon report has been leaked saying the US plans to recognise Argentina's claim over the Falkland Islands if the UK doesn't increase Defence spending to 5% of GDP - an outrageous piece of blackmail.   In Australia, the Saturday by-election for the WA seat of Secret Harbour has seen the election of a One Nation candidate with a massive 18% swing against Labor. Normally, State by-elections aren't hugely consequential for Federal governments - but this one might have national security implications. Just five days before the vote the Federal government announced a massive $12 billion investment (out of a total of $25 billion) in the nearby Henderson maritime precinct. Rather than impress voters, this huge infrastructure spend might have had the opposite effect. Also, Defence Minister Richard Marles has left for yet another visit to the US and UK spruiking complete nonsense about the strength of the relationship with Washington. He is unable to see what everyone else can - and that is the US is unravelling further almost every day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Aug 25

    Episode 150

    We have a lot of foreign policy material to cover, starting with the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump's idiotic war with Iran. Of all the Middle East countries that hate Iran, on the top of the list is the UAE. With a population of just 1.1 million people coupled with vast economic wealth, it seeks to interfere in the affairs of a number of other countries. We ask again - with all this wealth, why has Australia given about $100 million worth of AMRAAM missiles to them and why is a RAAF Wedgetail aircraft still deployed there? Probably more consequentially, a sudden rift is emerging between South Korea and the US, with President Trump now openly siding with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator and mass murderer. This is just an appalling development - South Korea is a vibrant democracy with a thriving, creative economy. North Korea is one big prison that has nothing to contribute to civilisation. Thankfully, Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles has said publicly that Australia sides with South Korea - and also Japan, which is part of the mix. This is one of the rare occasions when we seem to have realised that the actions of the US are contrary to Australia's safety and security. It's a long overdue development - and let's hope it continues. However, there is now a very real prospect of South Korea developing a nuclear weapon if it can no longer rely on the US. If that happens Japan will instantly follow. Both countries are well prepared and could field and deliver a nuclear warhead in months. If that happens, where will it leave Australia? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Aug 18

    Episode 149

    Some reflections on vital infrastructure prompted by a journey on a high speed train from Luang Prabang in Laos to Kunming in Southern China.The part of the railway in Laos took a mere 5 years to build through some of the most difficult terrain imaginable. Around 60% of the line runs through tunnels. How is it that Laos - one of the poorest countries in Asia - can build infrastructure but Australia struggles. At least we will now have a Parliamentary inquiry into national resilience. We have a look at the strange episode where Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said that the deployment of USN Virginia class submarines to HMAS Stirling would end in 2032. Since then the government has walked that back - but what was it all about? Did Australia just try to blackmail the US? Finally some thoughts on US military technology, which looks like it is veering in some very strange directions. However, our sycophants in Canberra refuse to acknowledge that something alarming is unfolding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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These podcasts are a way of shedding a bit more light on Defence decisions – particularly acquisitions – because the system has become secretive and taxpayers have a right to know what’s going on. But it’s even worse than that with Defence sometimes putting out information that is misleading and in some cases plain wrong. We discuss the Defence Strategic Review and debunk the claims that it is some sort of radical and positive move. No it is not. We also have a few words about the outrageous decision to purchase the SURTASS towed array sonar via FMS and preview the ANAO report into the Hunter class frigate program.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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