Il piano dell’Australia per opporsi alla Cina

November 2024 - Carl Rhodes (invited article for Limes Rivista Italiana di Geopolitica)

Australia’s relations with China have seen a partial reset, with economic coercion easing but military intimidation persisting. The 2024 National Defence Strategy, emphasizing a “strategy of denial,” aims to deter conflict and protect Australia’s sovereignty through increased defense spending and a focus on increased cooperation with the US. While the strategy prioritizes near-term capabilities, concerns remain about the pace of acquisition and the potential impact on long-term readiness.

Small Aircraft, Sizeable Threats: Preparing Army to Counter Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems

2024 - Carl Rhodes

Small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) are widely available, militarily effective and challenging to defeat. This Occasional Paper on counter-sUAS, prepared under the Army Research Scheme, reviews recent employment of sUAS and evaluates methods to sense and engage these systems.

Trump’s Disintegrated Deterrence and Lessons for Australia

17 April 2025 - Carl Rhodes

The American approach to deterrence has shifted from integrated to disintegrated under President Trump, lacking coordination within the US government and with allies. This shift necessitates a distinct approach for Australia and other allies. Integrated deterrence strategy aims to harmonise efforts across agencies and allies. Trump’s administration, characterised by internal disconnects and a focus on Europe and the Middle East, has weakened deterrence integration. 

Australia needs a centre of excellence to counter small drones

3 September 2024 - Carl Rhodes

The Australian Army must ensure all its soldiers understand the danger posed by small, cheap drones and train them to counter that threat. To best support our forces, a centre of excellence that gathers existing knowledge and provides timely intelligence to Defence is needed.

The Deterrence Down Under Podcast (all episodes starting in January 2025)

Hosts - Carl Rhodes, Christine Leah and Natalie Treloar

Carl is a regular host and contributor to the Deterrence Down Under Podcast, which is part of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies podcasting network.