Cockatoo Island shaped national capability, resilience, innovation, and a deep connection to local and global events. Over 290 vessels were constructed including Australia’s first aircraft carrier- HMAS Albatross in 1928. Last ship, HMAS Success, launched in 1984.

With public support, planned spending doubles over four years. Upgrades include anti-tank and drone defences, uncrewed vehicles, intelligence, cyber and modernised frigates. Trans-Tasman force integration a goal and emphasis on Five Eyes interoperability. AUKUS Pillar Two discussed.

Dolphins produce shared, context-specific whistle sounds. Efforts to decode this communication may guide how we prepare to understand potential intelligent life beyond Earth—offering insights into non-human languages and shared meaning across species.

The new Cyber Warfare Common Remuneration Framework will better address retention and the development of deep technical skills required in the cyber domain, with the key aim of building a fit-for-purpose cyber warfare workforce.

In 1917, the USS F-1 sank in a collision off the coast of California, killing most of its crew. Although originally discovered in 1975, researchers had no images of the wreck until very recently.

Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 and still provides data from interstellar space. NASA engineers restored control just in time—reviving backup thrusters once thought unusable and extending the life of humanity’s most distant spacecraft.

Finance is now considered a warfare domain. Resilience and deterrence would be enhanced through a proposed office managing financial threats—merging intelligence, regulation and strategy to respond more effectively in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) will fly alongside aircraft like the F-35 and F-47—also known as Next Generation Air Dominance—to expand the reach of the US Air Force’s (USAF) limited fleet of crewed fighters.

While Russia could run out of quality recruits, force replenishment through 2024 was far more successful than many predicted. Its army is now 15-percent larger than it was when it first invaded Ukraine.

Fast, adaptive learning driven by frontline feedback is reshaping modern warfare—ignoring these shifts risks leaving national defence strategies outdated and ill-prepared for rapid technological change. Australia lacks embedded adaptation mechanisms.