Placing Adaptation at the Heart of Defence Strategy
Australia is set to unveil its 2026 National Defence Strategy, shifting focus from budget‑heavy platforms to a culture of rapid adaptation. The paper argues that lessons from Ukraine and Middle‑East conflicts highlight the need for faster learning at tactical, operational, strategic and political levels. It calls for new drone and counter‑drone units, flexible mobilisation structures, and a political narrative that prepares the public for heightened threats. Ultimately, the strategy aims to embed adaptive capacity in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) long before a crisis erupts.
Discussing The Iran War And What Might Be Next
John Bigelow of the Australian Security Industry Association joins Futura Doctrina host to dissect the recent U.S. drone strike on Iran and the broader conflict. The conversation highlights how the escalation reshapes threat assessments for Western democracies, especially Australia. They...
Countering Australian Defence’s Systemic Learning Disorder
The piece warns that Australia’s forthcoming National Defence Strategy must fix a systemic learning gap that left the 2024 strategy blind to modern conflict lessons, especially from Ukraine. It highlights accelerating threats from China’s military rise and renewed Russian aggression,...
What Is Xi Jinping Learning From the Iran War?
China is closely watching the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran to extract strategic lessons for its own Taiwan ambitions. Beijing notes that the United States is stretched across multiple crises, that Trump’s impulsive style creates unpredictable deterrence, and that the conflict...
Australia's 2026 National Defence Strategy Must Build Better Adaptation Foundations From Political to Tactical Levels
The episode examines Australia’s upcoming 2026 National Defence Strategy, arguing that its greatest priority must be building adaptive capacity across political, strategic, and tactical levels rather than focusing solely on budgets or technology. It highlights how the rapid learning cycles...
AI and Critical Thinking
In this episode, Dr. Frank Hoffman discusses the intersection of artificial intelligence and critical thinking within military education and decision‑making. He defines critical thinking as a disciplined, self‑aware process essential for sound command, and warns that pervasive use of generative...
Navigating the New Interregnum
The episode examines the current geopolitical interregnum—a transitional period between the fading Pax Americana and an as‑yet undefined new world order. It highlights how U.S. actions in Venezuela and threats to Greenland have destabilized NATO, prompting speculation about a future...
Oceanic Barrier Systems: Barrier Concepts for War and Competition in the Pacific
The episode examines China’s recent deployment of 1,000‑2,000 fishing vessels to create a 400‑kilometre maritime barrier near Taiwan and Japan, interpreting it as a rehearsal for civilian‑ship‑based anti‑access tactics. It links this maneuver to broader PLA strategies that repurpose civilian...