This Strategic Insight contains two papers that examine Australia’s ability to fund defence into the future and the costs of various future ADF force structures.

The first paper titled Australia's capacity for national defence to 2050, authored by Mark Thomson, explores defence spending into the future and finds that there is no fundamental reason preventing greater expenditure if the government identifies a strategic need to do so.

The second paper titled Pay your money and take your pick - force structure options and their costs, authored by Andrew Davies, presents a number of different force structures, ranging from a considerably less capable and less expensive ADF designed for low-intensity operations through to a ‘muscular regional power’ with enhancements in all major capability areas.