Il piano dell’Australia per opporsi alla Cina

November 2024 - Carl Rhodes (invited article for Limes Rivista Italiana di Geopolitica)

Australia’s relations with China have seen a partial reset, with economic coercion easing but military intimidation persisting. The 2024 National Defence Strategy, emphasizing a “strategy of denial,” aims to deter conflict and protect Australia’s sovereignty through increased defense spending and a focus on increased cooperation with the US. While the strategy prioritizes near-term capabilities, concerns remain about the pace of acquisition and the potential impact on long-term readiness.

Small Aircraft, Sizeable Threats: Preparing Army to Counter Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems

2024 - Carl Rhodes

Small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) are widely available, militarily effective and challenging to defeat. This Occasional Paper on counter-sUAS, prepared under the Army Research Scheme, reviews recent employment of sUAS and evaluates methods to sense and engage these systems.

Summary of Defence Amendment (Counter‑UXS Measures) Regulations 2025

11 March 2026 - Carl Rhodes

A concise overview of the Defence Amendment (Counter-UXS Measures) Regulations 2025, explaining the authorities granted to Defence and other authorised personnel to detect, disrupt, and exploit threatening uncrewed systems in order to protect defence assets, protected areas, and Australia’s national security interests.

Book Review - De Gruyter Handbook of Drone Warfare

November 2025 - Carl Rhodes

My review of this work appeared in Volume 21, Number 3 of the Australian Army Journal. Overall, the handbook is a comprehensive, high-quality reference covering the historical, legal, ethical and technological dimensions of drone warfare – especially valuable for specialists in law, ethics, military technology and robotics.

The Deterrence Down Under Podcast (all episodes starting in January 2025)

Hosts - Carl Rhodes and Christine Leah

Carl is a regular host and contributor to the Deterrence Down Under Podcast, which is part of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies podcasting network. 

HQ-Nein: Analysts Say No Evidence Iran Is Using Modern Chinese Air Defense Systems

6 March 2026 - Carl Rhodes interview with Josh Hoang-Wilkes