Security & Defence Australia

Reporting on Australian and IndoPacific defence, cyber security, emergency and disaster services.

[Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 @DefenceHQ]

AUKUS full steam ahead 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸

Today in Singapore, @RichardMarlesMP, @JohnHealey_MP and @PeteHegseth have announced the first AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project.

The project will develop systems for Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles – protecting vital national seabed infrastructure.

[Geoff Wade @geoff_p_wade]

Papua New Guinea: PNG leader says no foreign bases in country as Australia's defence presence grows --Marape says Lombrum is sovereign Papua New Guinea defence facility. https://t.co/J8Drtfo0Cs

[Indo-Pacific Defense FORUM @IPDefenseForum]

Worldwide, defense spending reached $2.89 trillion in 2025, the 11th straight year of growth, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed in its study, released in April 2026.
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[TechDay Australia @techday_au]

Only 3% of Australian businesses have started preparing for post-quantum cryptography, leaving sensitive data exposed to harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks. #CyberSecurity #QuantumComputing #DataProtection #Australia https://t.co/vlSWiow9M4

[Hayden Menso @HaydenMenso]

The @AustralianArmy's largest multinational exercise on home soil for this year is now underway.

'Exercise Southern Jackaroo' will test more than 3,000 troops' resilience, cohesion and preparedness, in the barren environment of the Townsville Field Training Area.

@WINNews_TVL

[Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby @USWPColby]

“And we will lead first and foremost with actions…We will prioritize lethal capabilities, strategic discipline, and businesslike cooperation over empty rhetoric and peacocking. Any potential opponent will be forced to judge us by our hard power, collective readiness, and steadfast resolve.” 16/

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

NEW FROM TSM: Taiwan will inaugurate its new Littoral Combat Command (LCC) on June 1st, integrating the ROCN's naval surveillance and anti-ship missile forces into one unified command.

Read more about the LCC's organization and equipment inventory in our latest analysis piece in The Monitor: https://t.co/6oTbGgvfFF

[Third World War Info @WW3Info]

#WW3: Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu says US is preparing to deploy #NuclearWeapons in #Australia, 5 years after Australia-UK-US signed the AUKUS defence pact. Shoigu also alleged that moves are underway for US nuclear deployments in Japan & South Korea.

[Stephen Dziedzic @stephendziedzic]

Marles tells Shangri-la it's "striking" how many subsea cables have been severed in Baltic/Taiwan: "if these acts were intentional, we are left to wonder: are countries testing our response times, testing our attribution thresholds and testing our political will to respond?”

[Secretary of War Pete Hegseth @SecWar]

Great to stand with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Marles and Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi.

The United States, Australia, and Japan are united in our commitment to peace through strength.

[Jennifer Parker @JAParker29]

Joint Statement, #AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting |

A few key developments:

🔵 SRF-W on track for 2027
🔵 🇺🇸 personnel will begin arriving in 🇦🇺 this yr
🔵 🇬🇧 reaffirm commitment to SRF-W
🔵 🇦🇺 will now acquire 3 Virginia’s presently in service which will now mean they are from the same Blk. Good decision.
🔵 1st #AUKUS P2 signature project announced. Payloads & delivery systems for UUVs

#AUKUS remains on track.

🔗https://t.co/kXgfYVZdVG

[Resty Woro Yuniar @restyworo]

The Indonesian government’s decision to accept a US proposal to host a maintenance hub for Hercules military aircraft has stirred up a familiar debate: how far can Jakarta deepen defence ties with Washington while preserving its non-aligned stance?

https://t.co/aZ4Kr1GCIb

[The Diplomat @Diplomat_APAC]

In 2009, the Australian government recognized the need to replace its aging Collins-class submarines. What followed has been a mess of indecision, changing plans, and squandered opportunities.

https://t.co/Gzl2lKneRO

[ASPI @ASPI_org]

ASPI’s @MikeHughesASPI joined @SkyNewsAust to discuss the findings of The Cost of Defence 2026–27, including that defence spending will fall next financial year, concerns about new investment remaining backloaded into the 2030s & workforce becoming Defence’s key constraint.

📺⤵️

[USNI News @USNINews]

Chinese Use Electronic Warfare Attacks on Dutch Warship in South China Sea, Says PLA — USNI News
https://t.co/f4Fhk7wQZy

[Euan Graham @graham_euan]

Don’t think this is right. Energy/fuel security is an obvious nod to the US-Iran war and supply crunch in Asia. Asia has no problem with transactionalism if it produces the goods. US interest in the Quad may be waning under Trump, but its stunting has broader causes.

[The Advertiser @theTiser]

Australia’s fuel security hangs “on tenterhooks” as experts reveal when the nation could run critically short of supplies if a key global shipping route stays shut. ⛽ READ MORE: https://t.co/q77Ndzl0jb

[Peak Hour Images @PeakHourImages]

Factory Fire 🔥 3rd Alarm - Factory 8, Factory 1/59 Hudsons Road, Spotswood VIC 3015. RP Panels. Fully involved. Several @Tesla vehicles have gone up in flames. Special precautions are being taken due to the Lithium. @FireRescueVic Control Unit 1A enroute. Several commanders are on scene. Community warning ⚠️ being issued. Local residents have been evacuated from their homes. Further updates to follow.

[Emergency Management Group Inc. @EmergMgt]

Airlines are cracking down on power banks after battery fires https://t.co/38tmNtwRK2
There is a fire risk with Lithium-ion batteries that most don't understand. A Lithium-ion fire on an aircraft can be catastrophic.