The big risks of 2024: Taiwan elections, Philippine shoals, AUKUS dough

The big risks of 2024: Taiwan elections, Philippine shoals, AUKUS dough
The big risks of 2024: Taiwan elections, Philippine shoals, AUKUS dough

Keep your eyes on the Second Scarborough Shoal and other atolls in the South China Sea, where China has pressed an increasingly aggressive and dangerous campaign.

5 stories from 2023 on the historic AUKUS security pact

5 stories from 2023 on the historic AUKUS security pact
5 stories from 2023 on the historic AUKUS security pact

Even before the big announcement from the heads of state in March, 2023 has been filled with AUKUS news.

Australian startup targets AUKUS market for novel space tracking antenna

Australian startup targets AUKUS market for novel space tracking antenna
Australian startup targets AUKUS market for novel space tracking antenna

Quasar Satellite Technologies is planning to open a US office in 2024, “most likely in Colorado,” with the other option being in the Washington, DC area, CEO Phil Ridley told Breaking Defense.  

With new defense agreements, Australia and France ‘rebuild, reset’ relations after AUKUS shock

With new defense agreements, Australia and France ‘rebuild, reset’ relations after AUKUS shock
With new defense agreements, Australia and France ‘rebuild, reset’ relations after AUKUS shock

“France is a power in the Pacific, it’s a power in Europe and it’s a multilateral power, and this is a very important partnership to Australia,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies

Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies
Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies

Andrew Shearer, Australia’s Director-General of National Intelligence, also discussed how analysts will use AI, and the “lively debate” about whether Japan could join the Five Eyes.

Return of wolf warriors? China bangs drum loudly after US ship sails near Spratly Islands

Return of wolf warriors? China bangs drum loudly after US ship sails near Spratly Islands
Return of wolf warriors? China bangs drum loudly after US ship sails near Spratly Islands

“China’s actions point to a ratcheting up of pressure in support of spurious claims over the Nine-Dash Line,” one analyst told Breaking Defense.

Aussie PM raises ‘strongest possible objection’ after diver allegedly injured by Chinese ship

Aussie PM raises ‘strongest possible objection’ after diver allegedly injured by Chinese ship
Aussie PM raises ‘strongest possible objection’ after diver allegedly injured by Chinese ship

The Australian government said a Chinese ship “was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water.”

Navy pushes annual talent pipeline initiative amid submarine base workforce concerns

Navy pushes annual talent pipeline initiative amid submarine base workforce concerns
Navy pushes annual talent pipeline initiative amid submarine base workforce concerns

A Navy official recently said the service had spent at least $200 million on a partnership with a non-profit company to help cultivate the submarine industrial base.

Proposed Australian export law meant to help AUKUS sharing, but experts are sounding alarms

Proposed Australian export law meant to help AUKUS sharing, but experts are sounding alarms
Proposed Australian export law meant to help AUKUS sharing, but experts are sounding alarms

The proposed legislation “expands Australia’s backyard to include the US and the UK, but it raises the fence,” Chennupati Jagadish, Australian Academy of Science’s president, said.

BAE touts upgunned missile tubes for $45B AUD Hunter ASW fleet

BAE touts upgunned missile tubes for $45B AUD Hunter ASW fleet
BAE touts upgunned missile tubes for $45B AUD Hunter ASW fleet

“There’s no more cost that gets added to the program outside that one design zone change, therefore when you consider that as a value for money, it avoids having to complete a brand-new design from ground up,” Craig Lockhart of BAE Systems Australia said.

HII, Babcock to help build Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine enterprise

HII, Babcock to help build Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine enterprise
HII, Babcock to help build Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine enterprise

Babcock Australasia’s Nick Hines said the companies envision an “AUKUS passport” to more easily track skills of the workforce for the subs, allowing the countries to trade workers and fill gaps quickly.

US Navy sub boss reveals new details on AUKUS Virginia class sub sales to Australia

US Navy sub boss reveals new details on AUKUS Virginia class sub sales to Australia
US Navy sub boss reveals new details on AUKUS Virginia class sub sales to Australia

Vice Adm. Bill Houston said the sales of in-service Virginia-class subs will be in 2032, 2035 and a newly produced sub in 2038.

‘Really concerned’: Former Aussie Army chief wades into battle over defense spending

‘Really concerned’: Former Aussie Army chief wades into battle over defense spending
‘Really concerned’: Former Aussie Army chief wades into battle over defense spending

The retired lieutenant general, Peter Leahy, said he doesn’t see “much of a future for defense industry here in Australia, so we’ve got to pick up our game. I don’t think we can be taken seriously in the halls of Washington.”

Aussie BAE Systems new VTOL long-range drone STRIX passes design review, in static testing

Aussie BAE Systems new VTOL long-range drone STRIX passes design review, in static testing
Aussie BAE Systems new VTOL long-range drone STRIX passes design review, in static testing

After a successful “ePrototype,” company is building a full-scale prototype of STRIX and “propulsion testing has taken place on a static rig at our Henderson shipyard in Western Australia,” BAE Systems Australia said.