The Defence, Strategy and National Security program focuses on broad strategic policy settings, global and regional security environments, the operational needs of the Australian Defence Force, the development of our defence capabilities, and issues associated with defence funding and budgets. Over the years ASPI has made nationally-recognised contributions in all those fields, and they remain central to ASPI’s work agenda even as it has expanded to embrace new programs and responsibilities.

The program analyses the interplay between wider strategic trends and the role of military force, including:

• how changing power relativities affect military affairs
• the role of conventional and nuclear weapons in the 21st century
• the strategic impact of economic, demographic and other trends. 

It also analyses the capability of the ADF through all stages of its life cycle. This includes:

• identifying requirements for future capability
• analysing competing options for materiel solutions
• tracking the progress of projects in the Integrated Investment Plan
• exploring issues related to ADF personnel matters, including recruitment, retention and training
• assessing ADF capability against regional militaries.

The program also analyses and assesses Australia’s defence budgets and the wider range of activities required to produce and support the ADF’s capabilities. This includes:

• defence funding over both the short and long term
• policies and capabilities of the defence industry
• project management strategies
• defence economic trends, especially as they apply to materiel.

Some of our larger initiatives and projects also have their own pages, including:

• The Climate and Security Policy Centre
• The Counterterrorism Program
• The Indonesia Program
• The Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre
• The Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement Program