The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 3/21 . The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals Supply Chains Center for Strategic & International Studies – Mar 21 Modern society, and militaries, are dependent on rare and critical minerals that make up our electric generation and storage, computers, magnets, lasers and other essential equipment. Unlike the fossil fuels that were vital to the industrial age, the mineral required for the digital and quantum age minerals are much more constrained …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 3/21 . Information Weapons: Russia’s Nonnuclear Strategic Weapons of Choice The Cyber Defense Review – Dec 20 The increased focus on deterrence suggests closer study in how our systems and capabilities can achieve it. Russia offers an unlikely exemplar, especially in the immediate post-Cold War phase. When confronted with an undented NATO and a shambolic internal economy, Russia turned to information warfare as a strategic tool. In the three …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 3/21 . Conflicts to Come: 15 scenarios for 2030 European Union Institute for Security Studies – Dec 20 Force design, while unable to predict exactly, demands practitioners understand likely future scenarios and, despite the complication of the unknown, their consequential needs. What is particularly useful is to consider a range of possible futures, for if a force can do all required roles in many possible scenarios there is a higher likely …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . Defense Against the Dark Arts in Space: Protecting Space Systems from Counterspace Weapons Center for Strategic and International Studies – Feb 21 On 19 May 21, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld announced the formation of a Space Command that would draw upon personnel from all three Services. The Army will play a significant role in building Australia’s Space Domain capabilities. This report from CSIS is an excellent summary of the passive and …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . Clarifying the Relationship of Design Thinking to the Military Decision-Making Process University of South Florida – Nov 20 This doctoral thesis by Thomas Fisher proposes a new model of military decision making that better enables commanders to operate in increasingly complex environments. It takes the pre-existing US Army planning and applies design thinking to create a model better able to cope with a broad range of interconnected …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response – May 21 The World Health Organisation established the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response in September 2020 to provide an evidence-based path for the future. Its task was to draw from lessons in the present and from the past to ensure countries and global institutions, including the WHO, effectively address future health …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Work: Implications for Asian Development Cooperation Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management – Jan 21 The technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) continue to alter the Australian economy and workforce, but the change has been relatively gradual because our economic base was already reasonably sophisticated. For some nations within Asia, the 4IR …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . The landscape of Hybrid Threats: A conceptual model The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats – Feb 21 This product comes out of an assessment that hybrid threats are much older than most recent security discussion suggests and that our methods of addressing them are outdated. The authors argue that there has been little progress analysing and addressing hybrid threats due to their complexity and a lack of common …

The content in this article is an extract of Spotlight Brief 4/21 . Myths and misconceptions in the debate on Russia Chatham House – May 21 The West’s relationship with Russia has failed to achieve long-term stability or manageability. This article highlights that over the past two decades, several myths about Russia and its policies and objectives have undermined how nations including Australia have approached Russia. While Australia rightfully focuses on its own region, supporting other Western nations …

The content in this article is an extract of  Spotlight Brief 4/21 . Cyber Security Governance in the Indo-Pacific Policy Futures in Australia, Indonesia, and the Pacific The University of Queensland – May 21 A regional team of experts review the strengths and weaknesses in regional cyber security governance for Australia, Indonesia and Pacific Island nations. They chart new approaches for Australian cooperation with regional partners on cyber security. While there are lessons that Indonesia and Pacific …