Australia’s geography, resilience, and strategic clarity make it capable of self-reliant defence. An Echidna Strategy builds resilience and deterrence. Capability increases needed to counter ships and missiles. National self-confidence must shape defence policy.

Defence capability needs a strong economy to sustain it including affordable housing, healthcare, education and job opportunities for defence families and industry. Recruitment and retention are at stake. Energy and minerals tied to national self-reliance

This article outlines recent air, sea, land, space, local industry and cyber capability enhancements including investing in missile defence, radar technology, space operations and strengthened cyber resilience. China’s new J-36 fighter may have supersonic capabilities.

Military service cultivates purpose, resilience, and camaraderie—shaping individuals through discipline, sacrifice, and shared adversity. Its leadership fosters personal growth, strong bonds, and a commitment to duty and nation.

Australia’s strategic environment is shaped by regional power shifts, economic interdependence, and security challenges. Key factors include US-China tensions, Indo-Pacific stability, defence alliances, and climate-related security risks impacting national resilience and military strategy.

This article argues Australia faces critical challenges balancing resource management, technological dependency, and alliances amid rising global techno-nationalism and strategic decoupling pressures. Balanced diplomacy and partnerships including “friend-shoring” are crucial for Australia’s resilience.

This article chronicles the evolution of a U.S. Army combat medic's career, highlighting technological advancements and their impact on battlefield medicine, leadership, and resilience.

Australia needs to rebuild refining capacity, local manufacturing, and investing in critical industries like advanced manufacturing, shipbuilding, and alternative fuel sources to enhance resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic and fuel dependency exposed these risks.

Australia's unpreparedness —highlighted by three major reports—stems from fragmented planning, weak leadership, and inadequate systems for managing disaster risks and critical infrastructure. Building resilience demands long-term, transformative action and for evidence-based disaster funding.

The accelerated uncrewed systems delivery program prioritises resilience against jamming attacks aiming to deploy thousands of drones by 2025. Software integration enables large-scale drone coordination. $500 million allocated for fiscal year 2024.