The Summary: Global conflicts are offering an unsettling preview of what modern warfare actually looks like in the twenty-first century. With growing geopolitical instability and rapid technological evolution, serious doubts are emerging about whether our defence force is equipped, staffed, and prepared for a sudden conflict.

On this episode of The Summary, host Josh Bryant investigates Australia’s military preparedness, recruitment hurdles, and the high-tech innovations reshaping the battlefield. Michael Shoebridge, Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, examines what would happen if a major conflict erupted tomorrow, the recruitment shortfall compounded by veteran care debates, the startling claim that one in four personnel may not be fit for deployment, and whether Australia will even have the workforce to crew future AUKUS nuclear submarines. Then, Dr. Malcolm Davis, Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, breaks down the drone warfare and autonomous systems seen in Ukraine, assessing whether long-range unmanned tech works across vast Pacific distances and whether the soldiers of tomorrow need coding skills over physical strength.

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