Colin Clark, the founding editor of Breaking Defense, is now our Indo-Pacific Bureau Chief, based in Sydney, Australia. In addition to his foundational efforts at Breaking Defense, Colin also started DoDBuzz.com, the world’s first all-online defense news website. He’s covered Congress, intelligence and regulatory affairs for Space News; founded and edited the Washington Aerospace Briefing, a newsletter for the space industry; covered national security issues for Congressional Quarterly; and was editor of Defense News. Colin is an avid fisherman, grill genius and wine drinker, all of which are only part of the reason he relishes the opportunity to live in Australia.
cclark@breakingmedia.com
The investment by Australia and the United States into funding the new Google internet cables means the Pacific islands can avoid becoming integral parts of China’s global data collection.
The news came hours after a Pentagon official said an American delegation would attend a Chinese security conference, amid strained military-to-military relations between Washington and Beijing.
“We know about the disappearances within the PLA and elsewhere. But no one really knows why,” said Ian Chong, associate professor at the National University of Singapore.
“Our investment in reducing our size, weight and power of our Maverick system is really capturing the attention of people over there,” Simon Palumbo, co-founder of Silentium Defence, said.
“I read about so many people in my position, who say, I’m going to triple revenue by whatever. I don’t get into that game. Perhaps that’s because of my defense upbringing. I know how to turn capital into capability. I look at value in a company. Revenue to me is one marker. Value is the most important marker for me,” Warren “Macca” McDonald, CEO of Lockheed Martin Australia, told Breaking Defense.
“The Army may be critically without sufficient replacement Black Hawks to transition away from the grounded Taipans,” shadow Defense Minister Andrew Hastie said. That could, he said, mean the Australian Defense Force would “not have enough helicopters to perform missions, including training and exercises with international partners.”
“They’ve managed to do it. That’s the key takeaway,” Euan Graham, China export at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said of Taiwan building its first submarine. “And they did it against very strong political headwinds that apparently affected the supply of equipment. This is impressive.”
“The purchase of an additional Triton will enhance operations from Australia’s northern bases, a priority under the Defence Strategic Review,” Pat Conroy, minister for defense industry, said in a statement.
“It’s partly long-lead items but it’s also partly working on those yards where our submarines will come out of for us,” Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead told Breaking Defense.
“One of China’s most salient advantages in the competition is its ability to identify and woo both public influencers and elites in [Pacific island] governments, whether via licit or illicit means,” MITRE analysts conclude.
The new map sparked sharp reactions from India, Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. The new document was released one week before the G-20 summit in India. President Xi Jinping was to attend but news reports now indicate he will not.
At AUSA Global Force 2024, IAI presented integrated, AI-driven combat systems – both manned and unmanned – that are opening new opportunities on the battlefield.
At AUSA Global Force 2024, IAI presented integrated, AI-driven combat systems – both manned and unmanned – that are opening new opportunities on the battlefield.
