UNSW Sydney and UNSW Canberra at The Australian Defence Force Academy have experts available to analyse the Defence Strategic Review and Australia's decision to build nuclear-powered submarines in Australia.
The Review was prepared by former Defence chief Angus Houston and former minister Stephen Smith and handed to the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese earlier this year. A version is released today by the federal government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier announced how Australia will build up to eight submarines in Adelaide, called SSN-AUKUS class. Australia will also purchase three of the US' existing Virginia class submarines to build capacity before the newly constructed SSN-AUKUS submarines are due to begin arriving arrive in the 2040s.
UNSW experts can discuss Australia's military capability and the significant strategic impact and challenges of the Review's recommendations.
The direction of Australia's military and deterrence capability is vital amid security challenges including China's military build-up and campaign to expand its regional influence, the Ukraine war, and other variations from democratic norms.
Available for interview are:
Vice Admiral Paul Maddison Vice Admiral Maddison is the Director of the UNSW Defence Research Institute. He performed military service for more than 37 years, including as a Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, and is also a former High Commissioner of Canada to Australia. His areas of expertise include defence research, defence policy, defence capability, and geopolitics.
Contact: 0400 439 792, paul.maddison@dri.unsw.edu.au
Professor Craig Stockings
Professor Stockings is Head of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra. He is concurrently Official Historian of Australian Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Australian Peacekeeping Operations in East Timor. He has wide expertise, including in Australian military history and operational analysis.
Contact: (02) 5114 5275, c.a.stockings@adfa.edu.au
Dr Edward Obbard
Dr Edward Obbard is the program coordinator of the UNSW nuclear engineering postgraduate programs, researching nuclear materials, nuclear engineering education, nuclear safety, and nuclear power/propulsion technology.
Contact: e.obbard@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Wayne Reynolds
A/Prof. Reynolds holds an honorary position at UNSW Canberra and specialises in nuclear submarines and nuclear policy.
Contact: 0412 962 665, w.reynolds@adfa.edu.au
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