Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy Mike Hughes AIM joined Kieran Gilbert on Sky News Australia to provide his analysis of the 2026 National Defence Strategy, noting the government’s progress in advancing the NDS process and setting out key capability priorities.
He pointed to positive areas of increased investment, including drones and uncrewed systems, long-range strike, and integrated air and missile defence, while also raising questions about whether the level of defence spending and planned investments are sufficient to meet Australia’s strategic requirements.
He also emphasised the importance of drawing the right lessons from conflicts such as Ukraine and Iran, recognising that not all lessons are appropriate for Australia's context, and highlighted the growing importance of Australia’s defence relationship with Japan.
ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy Mike Hughes AIM joined Kieran Gilbert on Sky News Australia to provide his analysis of the 2026 National Defence Strategy, noting the government’s progress in advancing the NDS process and setting out key capability priorities.
He pointed to positive areas of increased investment, including drones and uncrewed systems, long-range strike, and integrated air and missile defence, while also raising questions about whether the level of defence spending and planned investments are sufficient to meet Australia’s strategic requirements.
He also emphasised the importance of drawing the right lessons from conflicts such as Ukraine and Iran, recognising that not all lessons are appropriate for Australia's context, and highlighted the growing importance of Australia’s defence relationship with Japan.
